Civil Procedure Multistate Bar Practice Exam

For supplemental jurisdiction to be invoked, what must the claim share with the claim that satisfies federal SMJ?

1. A similar legal theory

2. A common nucleus of operative fact

3. A related defendant

4. A related plaintiff

The correct answer is: A common nucleus of operative fact

The correct answer is that for supplemental jurisdiction to be invoked, the claim must share a common nucleus of operative fact with the claim that satisfies the federal subject matter jurisdiction (SMJ). This means that the additional claim must arise out of the same transaction or occurrence as the original claim that is already properly before the federal court. Supplemental jurisdiction allows a court to hear additional claims that are closely related to the original claims. The requirement of a common nucleus of operative fact helps ensure that the claims are sufficiently connected, thus promoting judicial efficiency and conserving resources by resolving related disputes in the same forum rather than requiring them to be litigated separately. The other options, while they may pertain to various aspects of legal claims, do not capture the primary requirement for supplemental jurisdiction. A similar legal theory may relate to how claims are framed but does not inherently establish the necessary factual connection. Related defendants and related plaintiffs are also not relevant to the invocation of supplemental jurisdiction alone; the connection must be based on the underlying facts of the claims rather than the specific parties involved.