First, although the court in Ethridge found that the βarise out of or relate toβ element was not satisfied in a similar exploding battery case, its analysis of βarise out of or relate toβ relied on a causation-only standard expressed in Richter that the Supreme Court rejected in Ford and that the Fifth Circuit also rejected in Tutus. Ethridge v. Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., 617 F.Supp.3d 638, 653 (S.D. Tex. 2022); see also Richter v. LG Chem, Ltd., No. 18-CV-50360, 2020 WL 5878017 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 2, 2020); Tutus, L.L.C. v. JLG Industries, Inc., No. 21-20383, 2022 WL 1517044, at *1 n. 1 (5th Cir. 2022) (β[T]he district court here did not apply a strict causation standard. Nor do we.β).
I agree with the rulings that the Chinese line of indirect distribution to consumers is not closely related to Missouri's line of distribution to manufacturers so as to support personal jurisdiction over the defendant Korean supplier. See, e.g., Quiniones v LG Chem, Ltd., 2022 WL 17822479 (E.D. Cal.); Matter of American River Transportation Co. LLC, 2022 WL 17325899 (E.D. La.); Richter v. LG Chem Ltd, 2022 WL 5240583 (N.D. Ill.); opinion of Circuit Judge Miller in Yamashita v. LG Chem, LTD, 48 F.4th 993, 1003 (9th Cir 2022)(dissenting on other grounds)
To support its argument, LGCAI repeatedly cites to Richter v. LG Chem, Ltd., 2020 WL 5878017 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 2, 2020). In Richter, the plaintiff purchased rechargeable batteries for his e-cigarette.
Numerous court considering nearly identical jurisdictional facts have reached the same conclusion. See, e.g., Straight v. LG Chem. Ltd., 2022 WL 168367722 (S.D. Ohio 11/9/22); Bullock v. Otto Imports, LLC, 2022 WL 949914 (W.D. Ky. Mar. 29, 2022); LG Chem, Ltd, v. Superior Ct. of San Diego Cnty., 2022 WL 2301004 (Cal.Ct.App. June 27, 2022); Kadow v. LG Chem, Ltd., 2021 WL 5935657 (Cal.Ct.App. Dec. 16, 2021), review denied (Mar. 30, 2022); LG Chem, Ltd, v. Granger, 2021 WL 2153761 (Tex. App. May 27, 2021); LG Chem, Ltd, v. Turner, 2021 WL 2154075 (Tex. App. May 27, 2021); Richter v. LG Chem, Ltd., 2020 WL 5878017 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 2, 2020), motion to vacate denied, 2022 WL 5240583, at *3 (N.D. Ill. Sept. 27, 2022). IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Renewed Re-Urged Rule 12(b)(2) Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Personal Jurisdiction filed by LG Chem Ltd. (Rec. Doc. 236)
Consistent with the record in this case, discovery in those cases has shown that LG Chem manufactured 18650 batteries, which were in turn encased in packs for use in power tools, vacuum cleaners, electronic scooters, and electric vehicles. See, e.g., Sullivan v. LG Chem, Ltd., 585 F.Supp.3d 992, 999 (E.D. Mich. 2022) (explaining that LG Chem sells 18650 batteries to major manufacturers who in turn incorporate them into power tools); Mehl v. LG Chem Ltd., No. 6:21-cv-01149-AA, 2022 WL 3595089, at *4 (D. Or. Aug. 23, 2022); Richter v. LG Chem, Ltd., No. 18-cv-50360, 2020 WL 5878017, at *2 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 2, 2020); LG Chem, Ltd. v. Superior Ct. of San Diego Cnty., 80 Cal.App.5th 348, 357, 295 Cal.Rptr.3d 661 (2022); LG Chem, Ltd. v. Granger, No. 14-19-00814-CV, 2021 WL 2153761, at *6 (Tx. Ct. App. May 27, 2021); Schexnider v. E-Cig Central, LLC, No. 06-20-00003-CV, 2020 WL 6929872, at *7 (Tex. Ct. App. Oct. 28, 2020).
Id. Samsung also marshals its own case law, the most relevant being Richter v. LG Chem, Ltd. , No. 18-CV-50360, 2020 WL 5878017 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 2, 2020). In Richter , the court found it could not exercise personal jurisdiction over LGC because (1) the presence of the battery in Illinois was not the result of purposeful availment by the manufacturer, but rather acts by third parties, and (2) the alleged injury did not arise out of or relate to any economic activity by the manufacturer in the forum state.
eeBerven v. LG Chem, Ltd. , No. 118CV01542DADEPG, 2019 WL 4687080 (E.D. Cal. Sept. 26, 2019) ; Tieszen v. EBay, Inc. et. al , No. 4:21-CV-04002-KES, 2021 WL 4134352 (D.S.D. Sept. 10, 2021).Walsh v. LG Chem Ltd. , 834 F. Appx 310 (9th Cir. 2020) ; Davis v. LG Chem, Ltd. , 849 F. Appx 855 (11th Cir. 2021), cert. denied sub nom.Fullerton v. LG Chem, Ltd. , βββ U.S. ββββ, 142 S. Ct. 108, 211 L.Ed.2d 32 (2021) ; Durham v. LG Chem, Ltd. , No. 1:20-CV-01277-SDG, 2021 WL 1573899 (N.D. Ga. Apr. 22, 2021), appeal dismissed sub nom.Kurtz v. LG Chem, Ltd. , No. 21-11822-DD, 2021 WL 3849396 (11th Cir. June 30, 2021) ; Payrovi v. LG Chem Am., Inc. , 491 F. Supp. 3d 597 (N.D. Cal. 2020) ; Tieszen v. EBay, Inc. et. al , No. 4:21-CV-04002-KES, 2021 WL 4134352 (D.S.D. Sept. 10, 2021), motion to certify appeal granted, reconsideration denied , No. 4:21-CV-04002-KES, 2022 WL 79820 (D.S.D. Jan. 6, 2022) ; Beaton v. LG Chem, Ltd., et al. , No. 2:20-cv-06806-BRM-ESK, 2021 WL 3828835 (D.N. J Aug. 26, 2021) ; Richter v. LG Chem, Ltd. , No. 18-CV-50360, 2020 WL 5878017 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 2, 2020) ; Yamashita v. LG Chem, Ltd. , No. 20-CV-00129-DKW-RT, 2020 WL 4431666 (D. Haw. July 31, 2020) ; Reyes v. Freedom Smokes, Inc. , No. 5:19-CV-2695, 2020 WL 1677480 (N.D. Ohio Apr. 6, 2020) ; Berven v. LG Chem, Ltd. , No. 118CV01542DADEPG, 2019 WL 1746083 (E.D. Cal. Apr. 18, 2019), report and recommendation adopted , No. 118CV01542DADEPG, 2019 WL 4687080 (E.D. Cal. Sept. 26, 2019) ; Death v. Mabry , No. C18-5444 RBL, 2018 WL 6571148 (W.D. Wash. Dec. 13, 2018) ; Eriksen v. ECX, LLC. et al. , No. 79473-I, 2020 WL 6395534 (Ct. App. Wash. Nov. 2, 2020) ; State ex rel. LG Chem, Ltd. v. McLaughlin , 599 S.W.3d 899, 901 (Mo. 2020) ; Kadow v. LG Chem, et al. , No. B309854, 2021 WL 5935657 (Cal. Ct. App., 2nd Dist. Dec. 16, 2021) ; see alsoRich v. LG Chem, Ltd., et al. , No. 20-014758-NO (Mich. Cir. Ct. Nov. 30, 2021) (ECF No. 21-7). But two things make this case unusual.
ΒΆ 35 Nor are we persuaded by the decision of a federal court here in Illinois in a case with the same basic facts as ours, likewise involving an LG Chem subsidiary, that found a lack of purposeful availment. In Richter v. LG Chem, Ltd., No. 18-CV-50360, 2020 WL 5878017, *2 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 2, 2020), the court recognized that LG Chem sold its 18650 batteries "directly to two manufacturing companies in Illinois-[AllCell] and [Inventus]"-two of the three at issue here. That should have been the beginning and end of the discussion for purposeful availment; LG Chem had directed some commercial activity at the state of Illinois and thus had purposefully availed itself of the benefits of the forum.
s Vape Wholesale & Distribution Inc. (N.Y., Feb. 27, 2020, No. 901523-19), 2020 WL 7347954, 2020 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 10417 ; Death v. Mabry (W.D.Wash., Dec. 13, 2018, No. C18-5444 RBL), 2018 WL 6571148, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 210497 ; Eriksen v. ECX, LLC (Wash.App., Nov. 2, 2020, No. 79473-6-I), 2020 WL 6395534, 2020 Wash. App. LEXIS 2839 ; LG Chem, Ltd. v. Granger (Tex.App., May 27, 2021, No. 14-19-00814-CV), 2021 WL 2153761, 2021 Tex.App. LEXIS 4203 ; State ex rel. LG Chem, Ltd. v. McLaughlin (Mo. 2020) 599 S.W.3d 899 ; LG Chem, Ltd. v. Turner (Tex.App., May 27, 2021, No. 14-19-00326-CV), 2021 WL 2154075, 2021 Tex. App. LEXIS 4200 ; Macias v. LG Chem (C.D.Cal., May 7, 2021, No. SA CV 20-02416-DOC-(ADSX)), 2021 WL 2953162, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 134407 ; Miller v. LG Chem, Ltd. , 2022-NCCOA-55, 868 S.E.2d 896 ; Payrovi v. LG Chem America, Inc. (2020) 491 F.Supp.3d 597 ; Reyes v. Freedom Smokes, Inc. (N.D.Ohio, Apr. 6, 2020, No. 5:19-cv-2695), 2020 WL 1677480, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 59772 ; Richter v. LG Chem, Ltd. (N.D.Ill., Oct. 2, 2020, No.18-CV-50360), 2020 WL 5878017, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 183091 ; Schexnider v. E-Cig Central, LLC (Tex.Ct.App., Nov. 25, 2020, No. 06-20-00003-CV), 2020 WL 6929872, 2020 Tex.App. LEXIS 9232 ; Walsh v. LG Chem Ltd. (9th Cir. 2020) 834 F.Appx 310 ; Yamashita v. LG Chem, Ltd. (D.Hawaii, July 31, 2020, No. 20-cv-00129), 2020 WL 4431666, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 136825.)