Definition[]
A court can establish long-arm jurisdiction over an out-of-state defendant through the use of a long-arm statute. Most states have statutes that outline specific circumstances in which jurisdiction can be exercised such as transacting business in the state, causing tortious injury in the state, or soliciting business in the state. Other states draft statutes that reach to the limits set by the U.S. Constitution and which purport to reach the defendant so long as they have minimum contacts with the forum state and the exercise of jurisdiction comports with traditional standards of fair play and substantial justice.