Filed 11/25/02                                   
       IN THE SUPREME COURT OF CALIFORNIA 
                                                 
MATTHEW PAVLOVICH,                                   ) 
                                                     ) 
 Petitioner,                                         ) 
                                                     )              S100809 
 v.                                                  ) 
                                                     ) Ct.App. 
                                                                       6 
                                                                         H021961 
THE SUPERIOR COURT OF SANTA                          ) 
CLARA COUNTY,                                        ) 
                                                     )        Santa Clara County 
 Respondent;                                         ) 
                                                           Super. Ct. No. CV786804 
                                                     ) 
DVD COPY CONTROL ASSOCIATION,  ) 
INC.,                                                ) 
                                                     ) 
                   Real Party in Interest.           ) 
___________________________________ ) 
 
        "The Internet is an international network of interconnected computers" 
which "enable[s] tens of millions of people to communicate with one another and 
to access vast amounts of information from around the world."  (Reno v. American 
Civil Liberties Union (1997) 521 U.S. 844, 849-850.)  "The best known category 
of communication over the Internet is the World Wide Web, which allows users to 
search for and retrieve information stored in remote computers, as well as, in some 
cases, to communicate back to designated sites.  In concrete terms, the Web 
consists of a vast number of documents stored in different computers all over the 
world."  (Id. at p. 852.)  On the Web, "documents, commonly known as Web 
`pages,' are . . . prevalent."  (Ibid.)  These pages are located at Web sites and have  
                                                      



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addresses marking their location on the Web.  (See ibid.)  If a Web page is freely 
accessible, then anyone with access to a computer connected to the Internet may 
view that page.  With its explosive growth over the past two decades, the Internet 
has become " `a unique and wholly new medium of worldwide human 
communication.' "  (Id. at p. 850.) 
       Not surprisingly, the so-called Internet revolution has spawned a host of 
new legal issues as courts have struggled to apply traditional legal frameworks to 
this new communication medium.  Today, we join this struggle and consider the 
impact of the Internet on the determination of personal jurisdiction.  In this case, a 
California court exercised personal jurisdiction over a defendant based on a 
posting on an Internet Web site.  Under the particular facts of this case, we 
conclude the court's exercise of jurisdiction was improper. 
                                                 I 
       Digital versatile discs (DVD's) "provide high quality images, such as 
motion pictures, digitally formatted on a convenient 5-inch disc . . . ."  Before the 
commercial release of DVD's containing motion pictures, the Content Scrambling 
System (CSS), a system used to encrypt and protect copyrighted motion pictures 
on DVD's, was developed.  The CSS technology prevents the playing or copying 
of copyrighted motion pictures on DVD's without the algorithms and keys 
necessary to decrypt the data stored on the disc. 
       Real party in interest DVD Copy Control Association, Inc. (DVD CCA) is 
a nonprofit trade association organized under the laws of the State of Delaware 
with its principal place of business in California.  The DVD industry created DVD 
CCA in December 1998 to control and administer licensing of the CSS 
technology.  In September 1999, DVD CCA hired its staff, and, in December 
1999, it began administering the licenses.  Soon thereafter, DVD CCA acquired 



                                            2



the licensing rights to the CSS technology and became the sole licensing entity for 
this technology in the DVD video format. 
       Petitioner Matthew Pavlovich is currently a resident of Texas and the 
president of Media Driver, LLC, a technology consulting company in Texas.  
During the four years before he moved to Texas, he studied computer engineering 
at Purdue University in Indiana, where he worked as a systems and network 
administrator.  Pavlovich does not reside or work in California.  He has never had 
a place of business, telephone listing, or bank account in California and has never 
owned property in California.  Neither Pavlovich nor his company has solicited 
any business in California or has any business contacts in California. 
       At Purdue, Pavlovich was the founder and project leader of the LiVid video 
project (LiVid), which operated a Web site located at "livid.on.openprojects.net."  
The site consisted of a single page with text and links to other Web sites.  The site 
only provided information; it did not solicit or transact any business and permitted 
no interactive exchange of information between its operators and visitors. 
       According to Pavlovich, the goal of LiVid was "to improve video and DVD 
support for Linux and to . . . combine the resources and the efforts of the various 
individuals that were working on related things . . . ."  To reach this goal, the 
project sought to defeat the CSS technology and enable the decryption and 
copying of DVD's containing motion pictures.  Consistent with these efforts, 
LiVid posted the source code of a program named DeCSS on its Web site as early 
as October 1999.  DeCSS allows users to circumvent the CSS technology by 
decrypting data contained on DVD's and enabling the placement of this decrypted 
data onto computer hard drives or other storage media. 
       At the time LiVid posted DeCSS, Pavlovich knew that DeCSS "was 
derived from CSS algorithms" and that reverse engineering these algorithms was 
probably illegal.  He had also "heard" that "there was an organization which you 

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had to file for or apply for a license" to the CSS technology.  He did not, however, 
learn that the organization was DVD CCA or that DVD CCA had its principal 
place of business in California until after DVD CCA filed this action. 
       In its complaint, DVD CCA alleged that Pavlovich misappropriated its 
trade secrets by posting the DeCSS program on the LiVid Web site because the 
"DeCSS program . . . embodies, uses, and/or is a substantial derivation of 
confidential proprietary information which DVD CCA licenses . . . ."  The 
complaint sought injunctive relief but did not seek monetary damages.  In 
response, Pavlovich filed a motion to quash service of process, contending that 
California lacked jurisdiction over his person.  DVD CCA opposed, contending 
that jurisdiction was proper because Pavlovich "misappropriated DVD CCA's 
trade secrets knowing that such actions would adversely impact an array of 
substantial California business enterprises-including the motion picture industry, 
the consumer electronics industry, and the computer industry."  In a brief order, 
the trial court denied Pavlovich's motion, citing Calder v. Jones (1984) 465 U.S. 
783 (Calder), and Panavision Intern., L.P. v. Toeppen (9th Cir. 1998) 141 F.3d 
1316 (Panavision). 
       Pavlovich petitioned the Court of Appeal for a writ of mandate.  After the 
Court of Appeal summarily denied the petition, we granted review and transferred 
the matter back to the Court of Appeal with directions to vacate its denial order 
and issue an order to show cause.  The Court of Appeal then issued a published 
opinion denying the petition.  Because Pavlovich knew that posting DeCSS on the 
LiVid Web site would harm the movie and computer industries in California and 
because "the reach of the Internet is also the reach of the extension of the poster's 
presence," the court found that he purposefully availed himself of forum benefits 
under the Calder effects test.  The court also concluded that the exercise of 
jurisdiction over Pavlovich was reasonable. 

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       We granted review to determine whether the trial court properly exercised 
jurisdiction over Pavlovich's person based solely on the posting of the DeCSS 
source code on the LiVid Web site.  We conclude it did not. 
                                                  II 
       California courts may exercise personal jurisdiction on any basis consistent 
with the Constitutions of California and the United States.  (Code Civ. Proc., Û 
410.10.)  The exercise of jurisdiction over a nonresident defendant comports with 
these Constitutions "if the defendant has such minimum contacts with the state 
that the assertion of jurisdiction does not violate ` "traditional notions of fair play 
and substantial justice." ' "  (Vons Companies, Inc. v. Seabest Foods, Inc. (1996) 
14 Cal.4th 434, 444 (Vons), quoting Internat. Shoe Co. v. Washington (1945) 326 
U.S. 310, 316 (Internat. Shoe).) 
       Under the minimum contacts test, "an essential criterion in all cases is 
whether the `quality and nature' of the defendant's activity is such that it is 
`reasonable' and `fair' to require him to conduct his defense in that State."  (Kulko 
v. California Superior Court (1978) 436 U.S. 84, 92, quoting Internat. Shoe, 
supra, 326 U.S. at pp. 316-317, 319.)  "[T]he `minimum contacts' test . . . is not 
susceptible of mechanical application; rather, the facts of each case must be 
weighed to determine whether the requisite `affiliating circumstances' are 
present."  (Kulko, at p. 92, quoting Hanson v. Denckla (1958) 357 U.S. 235, 246 
(Hanson).)  "[T]his determination is one in which few answers will be written `in 
black and white.  The greys are dominant and even among them the shades are 
innumerable.' "  (Kulko, at p. 92, quoting Estin v. Estin (1948) 334 U.S. 541, 545.) 
       In making this determination, courts have identified two ways to establish 
personal jurisdiction.  "Personal jurisdiction may be either general or specific."  
(Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th at p. 445.)  In this case, DVD CCA does not contend that 



                                             5



general jurisdiction exists.  We therefore need only consider whether specific 
jurisdiction exists. 
       When determining whether specific jurisdiction exists, courts consider the 
" `relationship among the defendant, the forum, and the litigation.' "  
(Helicopteros Nacionales de Colombia v. Hall (1984) 466 U.S. 408, 414, quoting 
Shaffer v. Heitner (1977) 433 U.S. 186, 204.)  A court may exercise specific 
jurisdiction over a nonresident defendant only if:  (1) "the defendant has 
purposefully availed himself or herself of forum benefits" (Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th 
at p. 446); (2) "the `controversy is related to or "arises out of" [the] defendant's 
contacts with the forum' " (ibid., quoting Helicopteros, supra, 466 U.S. at p. 414); 
and (3) " `the assertion of personal jurisdiction would comport with "fair play and 
substantial justice" ' " (Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th at p. 447, quoting Burger King 
Corp. v. Rudzewicz (1985) 471 U.S. 462, 472-473 (Burger King)). 
       "The purposeful availment inquiry . . . focuses on the defendant's 
intentionality.  [Citation.]  This prong is only satisfied when the defendant 
purposefully and voluntarily directs his activities toward the forum so that he 
should expect, by virtue of the benefit he receives, to be subject to the court's 
jurisdiction based on" his contacts with the forum.  (U.S. v. Swiss American Bank, 
Ltd. (1st Cir. 2001) 274 F.3d 610, 623 (Swiss American Bank).)  Thus, the 
" `purposeful availment' requirement ensures that a defendant will not be haled 
into a jurisdiction solely as a result of `random,' `fortuitous,' or `attenuated' 
contacts [citations], or of the `unilateral activity of another party or a third person.'  
[Citations.]"  (Burger King, supra, 471 U.S. at p. 475.)  "When a [defendant] 
`purposefully avails itself of the privilege of conducting activities within the forum 
State,' [citation], it has clear notice that it is subject to suit there, and can act to 
alleviate the risk of burdensome litigation by procuring insurance, passing the 
expected costs on to customers, or, if the risks are too great, severing its 

                                               6



connection with the state."  (World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson (1980) 
444 U.S. 286, 297 (World-Wide Volkswagen).) 
       In the defamation contest, the United States Supreme Court has described 
an "effects test" for determining purposeful availment.  (Noonan v. Winston Co. 
(1st Cir. 1998) 135 F.3d 85, 90 (Noonan).)  In Calder, a reporter in Florida wrote 
an article for the National Enquirer about Shirley Jones, a well-known actress who 
lived and worked in California.  The president and editor of the National Enquirer 
reviewed and approved the article, and the National Enquirer published the article.  
Jones sued, among others, the reporter and editor (individual defendants) for libel 
in California.  The individual defendants moved to quash service of process, 
contending they lacked minimum contacts with California.  (Calder, supra, 465 
U.S. at pp. 785-786.) 
       The United States Supreme Court disagreed and held that California could 
exercise jurisdiction over the individual defendants "based on the `effects' of their 
Florida conduct in California."  (Calder, supra, 465 U.S. at p. 789.)  The court 
found jurisdiction proper because "California [was] the focal point both of the 
story and of the harm suffered."  (Ibid.)  "The allegedly libelous story concerned 
the California activities of a California resident.  It impugned the professionalism 
of an entertainer whose television career was centered in California . . . and the 
brunt of the harm, in terms both of [Jones's] emotional distress and the injury to 
her professional reputation, was suffered in California."  (Id. at pp. 788-789, fn. 
omitted.)  The court also noted that the individual defendants wrote or edited "an 
article that they knew would have a potentially devastating impact upon [Jones].  
And they knew that the brunt of that injury would be felt by [Jones] in the State in 
which she lives and works and in which the National Enquirer has its largest 
circulation."  (Id. at pp. 789-790.) 



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       Although Calder involved a libel claim, courts have applied the effects test 
to other intentional torts, including business torts.  (See IMO Industries, Inc. v. 
Kiekert AG (3d Cir. 1998) 155 F.3d 254, 259-260, 261 (IMO) [courts must 
consider Calder in intentional tort cases]; Far West Capital, Inc. v. Towne (10th 
Cir. 1995) 46 F.3d 1071, 1077 (Far West) ["Courts have also applied Calder to 
business torts"].)  Application of the test has, however, been less than uniform.  
(See Swiss American Bank, supra, 274 F.3d at p. 624, fn. 7 ["we note that several 
circuits do not appear to agree as to how to read Calder"]; IMO, supra, 155 F.3d at 
p. 261 [courts applying Calder to nondefamation cases have adopted "a mixture of 
broad and narrow interpretations"].)  Indeed, courts have "struggled somewhat 
with Calder's import, recognizing that the case cannot stand for the broad 
proposition that a foreign act with foreseeable effects in the forum state always 
gives rise to specific jurisdiction."  (Bancroft & Masters, Inc. v. Augusta Nat. Inc. 
(9th Cir. 2000) 223 F.3d 1082, 1087 (Bancroft).) 
       Despite this struggle, most courts agree that merely asserting that a 
defendant knew or should have known that his intentional acts would cause harm 
in the forum state is not enough to establish jurisdiction under the effects test.  
(See IMO, supra, 155 F.3d at p. 265 ["we . . . agree with the conclusion reached 
by the First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Circuits that jurisdiction under 
Calder requires more than a finding that the harm caused by the defendant's 
intentional tort is primarily felt within the forum"]; Griffis v. Luban (Minn. 2002) 
646 N.W.2d 527, 534 [the United States Supreme Court "did make it clear that 
foreseeability of effects in the forum is not itself enough to justify long-arm 
jurisdiction"].)  Instead, the plaintiff must also "point to contacts which 
demonstrate that the defendant expressly aimed its tortious conduct at the forum 
. . . ."  (IMO, supra, 155 F.3d at p. 265.)  For example, the Third Circuit has held 
that, to meet the effects test, "the plaintiff must show that the defendant knew that 

                                             8



the plaintiff would suffer the brunt of the harm caused by the tortious conduct in 
the forum, and point to specific activity indicating that the defendant expressly 
aimed its tortious conduct at the forum."  (IMO, supra, 155 F.3d at p. 266.)  
Similarly, in the Ninth Circuit, the plaintiff must show not only that the defendant 
"caused harm, the brunt of which is suffered and which the defendant knows is 
likely to be suffered in the forum state," but also that the defendant "committed an 
intentional act . . . expressly aimed at the forum state."  (Bancroft, supra, 223 F.3d 
at p. 1087.)  Indeed, virtually every jurisdiction has held that the Calder effects 
test requires intentional conduct expressly aimed at or targeting the forum state in 
addition to the defendant's knowledge that his intentional conduct would cause 
harm in the forum.1 
                                              
1 (See, 
                    e.g., 
                            Wien Air Alaska, Inc. v. Brandt (5th Cir. 1999) 195 F.3d 208, 
212 ["Foreseeable injury alone is not sufficient to confer specific jurisdiction, 
absent the direction of specific acts toward the forum"]; Noonan, supra, 135 F.3d 
at p. 91 [holding that the defendants' knowledge that the plaintiff would suffer 
injury in the forum was insufficient to establish jurisdiction under the effects test 
because the defendants "did not direct their actions toward" the forum state]; id. at 
pp. 90-91; ESAB Group, Inc. v. Centricut, Inc. (4th Cir. 1997) 126 F.3d 617, 625 
(ESAB) [holding that the defendants' knowledge that their actions would, if 
successful, "result in less sales" for the plaintiff, "which was headquartered in" the 
forum state, was insufficient to establish jurisdiction under the effects test, because 
the defendants did not "manifest behavior intentionally targeted at and focused 
on" the forum]; Far West, supra, 46 F.3d at p. 1080 [holding that the defendants' 
knowledge that their acts would interfere with the contractual rights of a forum 
resident is not enough to establish jurisdiction under the effects test because their 
acts had no "connection" to the forum state "beyond [the] plaintiff's corporate 
domicile"]; id. at pp. 1079-1080; Hicklin Engineering, Inc. v. Aidco, Inc. (8th Cir. 
1992) 959 F.2d 738, 739 [holding that the defendant's knowledge that its tortious 
acts "may have an effect on a competitor, absent additional contacts," is 
insufficient to establish jurisdiction]; Drayton Enterprises, L.L.C. v. Dunker 
(D.N.D. 2001) 142 F.Supp.2d 1177, 1184 [holding that the defendants' "revealing 
and procuring [of] a trade secret" "while knowing that the primary consequence 
would be felt in" the forum state was not enough to establish jurisdiction]; id. at 
pp. 1184-1185; Cognigen Networks, Inc. v. Cognigen Corp. (W.D.Wash. 2001) 
                                                                   (footnote continued on next page) 

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             At least one exception does, however, exist.  In Janmark, Inc. v. Reidy (7th 
Cir. 1997) 132 F.3d 1200, the plaintiff, an Illinois corporation, and the defendants, 
California residents, were competitors who sold minishopping carts worldwide.  
The defendants claimed that they owned a copyright in their cart design and 
threatened a New Jersey customer of plaintiff's with contributory copyright 
infringement.  Because of the threat, the customer stopped buying shopping carts 
from the plaintiff.  Based on this incident, the plaintiff sued the defendants for 
tortious interference with prospective economic advantage.  (Id. at p. 1201.)  
Although the defendants had no other contacts with Illinois, the Seventh Circuit 
found that Illinois could exercise jurisdiction over the defendants solely because 
"the injury and thus the tort occurred in Illinois."  (Id. at p. 1202.)  In doing so, the 
Seventh Circuit apparently concluded that the state where the injury occurred-in 
this case, the plaintiff's residence-could always exercise jurisdiction over a 
nonresident defendant in the intentional tort context. 
                                                                                                                                                              
 (footnote continued from previous page) 
 174 F.Supp.2d 1134, 1141 ["A defendant's knowledge of a resident plaintiff's use 
of a mark in an intellectual property tort claim is not enough to satisfy the effects 
test for personal jurisdiction"]; Barrett v. Catacombs Press (E.D.Pa. 1999) 44 
F.Supp.2d 717, 731 ["Unless [the forum state] is deliberately or knowingly 
targeted by the tortfeasor, the fact that harm is felt in [the forum state] from 
conduct occurring outside [that state] is never sufficient to satisfy due process"]; 
Conseco, Inc. v. Hickerson (Ind.Ct.App. 1998) 698 N.E.2d 816, 819 [holding that 
the defendant's knowing posting of a forum resident's trademark on a Web site 
was insufficient to confer jurisdiction because there was no "purposefully directed 
activity"]; Griffis v. Luban, supra, 646 N.W.2d at pp. 535-537 [holding that the 
knowing posting of defamatory material about a forum resident on the Internet is 
insufficient to establish express aiming]; Laykin v. McFall (Tex.App. 1992) 830 
S.W.2d 266, 271 [holding that a court may not exercise jurisdiction even though 
the "intentional tortfeasor knowingly cause[d] injury" in the forum state because 
"he did not purposefully direct his activities into" the forum].) 



                                                                               
                                                                            10



           Like most of our sister courts, we do not find Janmark persuasive.  By 
making the location of the harm dispositive, Janmark ignores "the defendant's 
knowledge and intent in committing the tortious activity"-the very focus of the 
purposeful availment requirement.  (IMO, supra, 155 F.3d at p. 264.)  Even if 
Janmark merely stands for the proposition that a defendant's knowledge that its 
tortious acts would cause the plaintiff injury in the forum state satisfies the effects 
test (see IMO, supra, 155 F.3d at p. 264, fn. 6), it is still problematic.  
"[F]oreseeability of causing injury in another State . . . is not a `sufficient 
benchmark' for exercising personal jurisdiction."  (Burger King, supra, 471 U.S. 
at p. 474.)  Rather, "the foreseeability that is critical to due process analysis . . . is 
that the defendant's conduct and connection with the forum State are such that he 
should reasonably anticipate being haled into court there."  (World-Wide 
Volkswagen, supra, 444 U.S. at p. 297.)  The knowledge that harm will likely be 
suffered in the forum state, "when unaccompanied by other contacts," is therefore 
"too unfocused to justify personal jurisdiction."  (ESAB, supra, 126 F.3d at p. 
625.)  Thus, we decline to follow Janmark and its progeny2 and join with those 
jurisdictions that require additional evidence of express aiming or intentional 
targeting.  In doing so, we are in accord with those California decisions applying 
the effects test.3 

                                              
2          (See, e.g., Bunn-O-Matic Corp. v. Bunn Coffee Service Inc. (C.D. Ill. 2000) 
88 F.Supp.2d 914; Clearclad Coatings, Inc. v. Xontal Ltd. (N.D.Ill. Aug. 20, 1999, 
No. 98 C 7199) 1999 WL 652030; McMaster-Carr Supply Co. v. Supply Depot, 
Inc. (N.D.Ill. June 16, 1999, No. 98 C 1 1903) 1999 WL 417352; Bunn-O-Matic 
Corp. v. Bunn Coffee Service Inc. (C.D.Ill. 1998) 46 U.S.P.Q.2d 1375 (Bunn-O-
Matic I).) 
3          (See, e.g., Sibley v. Superior Court (1976) 16 Cal.3d 442, 446 ["The mere 
causing of an `effect' in California . . . is not necessarily sufficient to afford a 
constitutional basis for jurisdiction"]; Mansour v. Superior Court (1995) 38 
                                                               (footnote continued on next page) 

                                                    
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             We now consider whether Pavlovich's contacts with California meet the 
effects test.  "[T]he plaintiff has the initial burden of demonstrating facts justifying 
the exercise of jurisdiction."  (Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th at p. 449.)  If the plaintiff 
meets this initial burden, then the defendant has the burden of demonstrating "that 
the exercise of jurisdiction would be unreasonable."  (Ibid.)  In reviewing a trial 
court's determination of jurisdiction, we will not disturb the court's factual 
determinations "if supported by substantial evidence."  (Ibid.)  "When no conflict 
in the evidence exists, however, the question of jurisdiction is purely one of law 
and the reviewing court engages in an independent review of the record."  (Ibid.)  
Applying these standards, we conclude that the evidence in the record fails to 
show that Pavlovich expressly aimed his tortious conduct at or intentionally 
targeted California. 


                                                                                                                                                              
 (footnote continued from previous page) 
 Cal.App.4th 1750, 1762 [refusing to exercise jurisdiction under the effects test 
because there was "no evidence [the defendants] purposefully directed their 
activities toward[] California"]; Edmunds v. Superior Court (1994) 24 Cal.App.4th 
221, 236 [refusing to exercise jurisdiction under the effects test because the 
defendant's acts were directed at Hawaii and not California]; Wolfe v. City of 
Alexandria (1990) 217 Cal.App.3d 541, 548-549 (Wolfe) [refusing to exercise 
jurisdiction under the effects test because the defendant's acts, even if wrongful 
and fraudulent, were not expressly aimed at California]; Taylor-Rush v. Multitech 
Corp. (1990) 217 Cal.App.3d 103, 114 [exercising jurisdiction under the effects 
test because the defendant's contacts with California showed intentional 
targeting]; Farris v. Capt. J. B. Fronapfel Co. (1986) 182 Cal.App.3d 982, 990 
[finding that the "effects in California" of the defendant's tortious acts were "too 
remote in time and causal connection to fairly and justly require" the defendant "to 
come to California to defend himself"]; Quattrone v. Superior Court (1975) 44 
Cal.App.3d 296, 304 [exercising jurisdiction based on the effects of the 
defendant's tortious acts plus his other contacts with California].) 



                                                                               
                                                                            12



       In this case, Pavlovich's sole contact with California is LiVid's posting of 
the DeCSS source code containing DVD CCA's proprietary information on an 
Internet Web site accessible to any person with Internet access.  Pavlovich never 
worked in California.  He owned no property in California, maintained no bank 
accounts in California, and had no telephone listings in California.  Neither 
Pavlovich nor his company solicited or transacted any business in California.  The 
record also contains no evidence of any LiVid contacts with California. 
       Although we have never considered the scope of personal jurisdiction based 
solely on Internet use, other courts have considered this issue, and most have 
adopted a sliding scale analysis.  "At one end of the spectrum are situations where 
a defendant clearly does business over the Internet.  If the defendant enters into 
contracts with residents of a foreign jurisdiction that involve the knowing and 
repeated transmission of computer files over the Internet, personal jurisdiction is 
proper.  [Citation.]  At the opposite end are situations where a defendant has 
simply posted information on an Internet Web site which is accessible to users in 
foreign jurisdictions.  A passive Web site that does little more than make 
information available to those who are interested in it is not grounds for the 
exercise of personal jurisdiction.  [Citation.]  The middle ground is occupied by 
interactive Web sites where a user can exchange information with the host 
computer.  In these cases, the exercise of jurisdiction is determined by examining 
the level of interactivity and commercial nature of the exchange of information 
that occurs on the Web site."  (Zippo Manufacturing Co. v. Zippo Dot Com, Inc. 
(W.D.Pa. 1997) 952 F.Supp. 1119, 1124.)   
       Here, LiVid's Web site merely posts information and has no interactive 
features.  There is no evidence in the record suggesting that the site targeted 
California.  Indeed, there is no evidence that any California resident ever visited, 
much less downloaded the DeCSS source code from, the LiVid Web site.  Thus, 

                                            
                                          13



Pavlovich's alleged "conduct in  . . . posting [a] passive Web site[] on the Internet 
is not," by itself, "sufficient to subject" him "to jurisdiction in California."  
(Jewish Defense Organization, Inc. v. Superior Court (1999) 72 Cal.App.4th 1045, 
1060, fn. omitted (JDO) [refusing to exercise jurisdiction under the effects test 
even though the defendant had "passive Web sites on the Internet"]; Cybersell, 
Inc. v. Cybersell, Inc. (9th Cir. 1997) 130 F.3d 414, 419-420 [refusing to exercise 
jurisdiction under the effects test even though the defendant posted infringing 
material on its Web site]; but see Bunn-O-Matic I, supra, 46 U.S.P.Q.2d at p. 1377 
[suggesting that the operation of a Web site, by itself, is sufficient to establish 
express aiming at the forum state].)  " `Creating a site, like placing a product into 
the stream of commerce, may be felt nationwide-or even worldwide-but, 
without more, it is not an act purposefully directed toward the forum state.' "  
(Cybersell, at p. 418, quoting Bensusan Restaurant Corp. v. King (S.D.N.Y. 1996) 
937 F.Supp. 295, 301, affd. (2d Cir. 1997) 126 F.3d 25.)  Otherwise, "personal 
jurisdiction in Internet-related cases would almost always be found in any forum 
in the country."  (GTE New Media Services Inc. v. BellSouth Corp. (D.C. Cir. 
2000) 199 F.3d 1343, 1350.)  Such a result would "vitiate long-held and inviolate 
principles of" personal jurisdiction.  (Ibid.) 
       Nonetheless, DVD CCA contends posting the misappropriated source code 
on an Internet Web site is sufficient to establish purposeful availment in this case 
because Pavlovich knew the posting would harm not only a licensing entity but 
also the motion picture, computer and consumer electronics industries centered in 
California.  According to DVD CCA, this knowledge establishes that Pavlovich 
intentionally targeted California and is sufficient to confer jurisdiction under the 
Calder effects test.  Although the question is close, we disagree. 
       As an initial matter, DVD CCA's reliance on Pavlovich's awareness that an 
entity owned the licensing rights to the CSS technology is misplaced.  Although 

                                             
                                           14



Pavlovich knew about this entity, he did not know that DVD CCA was that entity 
or that DVD CCA's primary place of business was California until after the filing 
of this lawsuit.  More importantly, Pavlovich could not have known this 
information when he allegedly posted the misappropriated code in October 1999, 
because DVD CCA only began administering licenses to the CSS technology in 
December 1999-approximately two months later.  Thus, even assuming 
Pavlovich should have determined who the licensor was and where that licensor 
resided before he posted the misappropriated code, he would not have discovered 
that DVD CCA was that licensor.4  Because Pavlovich could not have known that 
his tortious conduct would harm DVD CCA in California when the 
misappropriated code was first posted, his knowledge of the existence of a 
licensing entity cannot establish express aiming at California.5 
                                              
4          At oral argument, DVD CCA claimed that Pavlovich had received a  
cease-and-desist letter from the Motion Picture Association (MPA), and contended 
his receipt of this letter established purposeful availment.  Although the complaint 
alleged that MPA sent such a letter to various Web sites and Internet service 
providers, the record contains no copy of this letter.  Moreover, nothing in the 
record indicates that such a letter was sent to Pavlovich or that he received or even 
knew about the letter.  Accordingly, DVD CCA's unsubstantiated allusion to a 
cease-and-desist letter cannot support a finding of jurisdiction.  In any event, DVD 
CCA made no mention of this letter to the trial court and Court of Appeal or in its 
briefs to this court.  Thus, it has waived the issue. 
5          (See, e.g., JDO, supra, 72 Cal.App.4th at p. 1059 [refusing to exercise 
jurisdiction under the effects test because the defendant did not know that the 
plaintiff would suffer harm in the forum state]; Chaiken v. W Publishing Corp. (2d 
Cir. 1997) 119 F.3d 1018, 1029 [refusing to exercise jurisdiction under the effects 
test because the defendant had no reason to believe that the plaintiffs would suffer 
harm in the forum state]; Search Force, Inc. v. Dataforce Intern., Inc. (S.D.Ind. 
2000) 112 F.Supp.2d 771, 780 [refusing to exercise jurisdiction under the effects 
test because the defendant was not aware of the plaintiff's use of the trademark 
before the defendant created its infringing Web site]; Tech Heads, Inc. v. Desktop 
Service Center, Inc. (D.Or. 2000) 105 F.Supp.2d 1142, 1148 [refusing to exercise 
jurisdiction under the effects test because the defendant did not know about the 
                                                             (footnote continued on next page) 

                                                    
                                                  15



             Thus, the only question in this case is whether Pavlovich's knowledge that 
his tortious conduct may harm certain industries centered in California-i.e., the 
motion picture, computer, and consumer electronics industries-is sufficient to 
establish express aiming at California.  As explained below, we conclude that this 
knowledge, by itself, cannot establish purposeful availment under the effects test. 
             First, Pavlovich's knowledge that DeCSS could be used to illegally pirate 
copyrighted motion pictures on DVD's and that such pirating would harm the 
motion picture industry in California does not satisfy the express aiming 
requirement.  As an initial matter, we question whether these effects are even 
relevant to our analysis, because DVD CCA does not assert a cause of action 
premised on the illegal pirating of copyrighted motion pictures.  (See Cornelison 
v. Chaney (1976) 16 Cal.3d 143, 148 [specific jurisdiction "depends upon the 
quality and nature of [the defendant's] activity in the forum in relation to the 
particular cause of action" (italics added)].)  In any event, "the mere `unilateral 
activity of those who claim some relationship with a nonresident defendant cannot 
satisfy the requirement of contact with the forum State.' "  (World-Wide 
Volkswagen, supra, 444 U.S. at p. 298, quoting Hanson, supra, 357 U.S. at p. 
253.)  "[T]he fact that a defendant's actions in some way set into motion events 
which ultimately injured a California resident" cannot, by itself, confer jurisdiction 
                                                                                                                                                              
 (footnote continued from previous page) 
 plaintiff or its presence in the forum state]; Perry v. RightOn.com (D.Or. 2000) 90 
F.Supp.2d 1138, 1141 [refusing to exercise jurisdiction under the effects test 
because the defendant did not know about the plaintiff or his residence when the 
defendant acquired the infringing domain name]; Rannoch, Inc. v. Rannoch Corp. 
(E.D.Va. 1999) 52 F.Supp.2d 681, 685 [refusing to exercise jurisdiction under the 
effects test because the defendant did not know about the plaintiff or its 
trademarks].) 



                                                                               
                                                                            16



over that defendant.  (Wolfe, supra, 217 Cal.App.3d at p. 547.)  Thus, the 
foreseeability that third parties may use DeCSS to harm the motion picture 
industry cannot, by itself, satisfy the express aiming requirement.  Because 
nothing in the record suggests that Pavlovich encouraged Web site visitors to use 
DeCSS to illegally pirate copyrighted motion pictures, his mere "awareness" they 
might do so does not show purposeful availment.  (See Asahi Metal Industry Co. 
v. Superior Court (1987) 480 U.S. 102, 112 (plur. opn. of O'Connor, J.) [the mere 
awareness that third parties will sweep the defendant's product into the forum state 
does not convert its act of selling the product to third parties "into an act 
purposefully directed toward the forum State"].) 
       Second, Pavlovich's knowledge of the effects of his tortious conduct on the 
consumer electronics and computer industries centered in California is an even 
more attenuated basis for jurisdiction.  According to DVD CCA, Pavlovich knew 
that posting DeCSS would harm the consumer electronics and computer industries 
in California, because many licensees of the CSS technology resided in California.  
The record, however, indicates that Pavlovich did not know that any of DVD 
CCA's licensees resided in California.  At most, the record establishes that 
Pavlovich should have guessed that these licensees resided in California because 
there are many consumer electronic and computer companies in California.  DVD 
CCA's argument therefore boils down to the following syllogism:  jurisdiction 
exists solely because Pavlovich's tortious conduct had a foreseeable effect in 
California.  But mere foreseeability is not enough for jurisdiction.  (See Bancroft, 
supra, 223 F.3d at p. 1087.)  Otherwise, the commission of any intentional tort 
affecting industries in California would subject a defendant to jurisdiction in 
California.  We decline to adopt such an expansive interpretation of the effects 
test.  (See Callaway Golf Corp. v. Royal Canadian Golf Ass'n (C.D.Cal. 2000) 



                                             
                                           17



125 F.Supp.2d 1194, 1200 ["Merely knowing a corporate [plaintiff] might be 
located in California does not fulfill the effects test" (italics added)].) 
           Cases citing a defendant's knowledge of the effects of its tortious conduct 
on an industry centered in the forum state to support a finding of jurisdiction under 
the effects test are inapposite.  In exercising jurisdiction, those courts concluded 
that the defendant's knowledge of industry-wide effects in the forum state in 
conjunction with other evidence of express aiming at the forum state established 
purposeful availment under the effects test.6  Thus, those cases merely hold that 
such knowledge is relevant to any determination of personal jurisdiction.  They do 
not establish that such knowledge, by itself, establishes express aiming.  Indeed, 
DVD CCA does not cite, and we have not found, any case where a court exercised 
jurisdiction under the effects test based solely on the defendant's knowledge of 
industry-wide effects in the forum state. 
           This dearth of supporting case law is understandable when we consider the 
ramifications of a contrary holding.  According to DVD CCA, California should 
exercise jurisdiction over Pavlovich because he should have known that third 
parties may use the misappropriated code to illegally copy movies on DVD's and 
that licensees of the misappropriated technology resided in California.  In other 
words, DVD CCA is asking this court to exercise jurisdiction over a defendant 

                                              
6          (See Panavision, supra, 141 F.3d at p. 1322 [the defendant "engaged in a 
scheme to register [a forum resident's] trademarks as his domain names for the 
purpose of extorting money from" that resident]; Cable News Network v. 
GoSMS.com, Inc. (S.D.N.Y. 2000) 56 U.S.P.Q.2d 1959, 1963 [2000 WL 1678039, 
*4] [the defendant "transmitted infringing content to" forum residents]; 3DO Co. 
v. Poptop Software Inc. (N.D.Cal. 1998) 49 U.S.P.Q.2d 1469, 1472 [1998 U.S. 
Dist. Lexis 21281] [the defendants "encourage[d] and facilitate[d] users" in the 
forum state "to download allegedly infringing copies" from its Web site and used 
a server in the forum state to operate the site].) 



                                                    
                                                  18



because he should have known that his conduct may harm-not a California 
plaintiff-but industries associated with that plaintiff.  As a practical matter, such 
a ruling makes foreseeability of harm the sole basis for jurisdiction in 
contravention of controlling United States Supreme Court precedent.  (See Burger 
King, supra, 471 U.S. at p. 474.) 
           Indeed, such a broad interpretation of the effects test would effectively 
eliminate the purposeful availment requirement in the intentional tort context for 
select plaintiffs.  In most, if not all, intentional tort cases, the defendant is or 
should be aware of the industries that may be affected by his tortious conduct.  
Consequently, any plaintiff connected to industries centered in California-i.e., 
the motion picture, computer, and consumer electronics industries-could sue an 
out-of-state defendant in California for intentional torts that may harm those 
industries.  For example, any creator or purveyor of technology that enables 
copying of movies or computer software-including a student in Australia who 
develops a program for creating backup copies of software and distributes it to 
some of his classmates or a store owner in Africa who sells a device that makes 
digital copies of movies on videotape-would be subject to suit in California 
because they should have known their conduct may harm the motion picture or 
computer industries in California.7  Indeed, DVD CCA's interpretation would 
subject any defendant who commits an intentional tort affecting the motion 
picture, computer, or consumer electronics industries to jurisdiction in California 
even if the plaintiff was not a California resident.  Under this logic, plaintiffs 
connected to the auto industry could sue any defendant in Michigan, plaintiffs 

                                              
7          Pavlovich claims-and DVD CCA does not dispute-that DeCSS may be 
used for legitimate, and not just illegal, purposes.  Thus, Pavlovich is no different 
from the student or store owner in the hypothetical.   



                                                    
                                                  19



connected to the financial industry could sue any defendant in New York, and 
plaintiffs connected to the potato industry could sue any defendant in Idaho.  
Because finding jurisdiction under the facts in this case would effectively subject 
all intentional tortfeasors whose conduct may harm industries in California to 
jurisdiction in California, we decline to do so.8 
           We, however, emphasize the narrowness of our decision.  A defendant's 
knowledge that his tortious conduct may harm industries centered in California is 
undoubtedly relevant to any determination of personal jurisdiction and may 
support a finding of jurisdiction.  We merely hold that this knowledge alone is 
insufficient to establish express aiming at the forum state as required by the effects 
test.  Because the only evidence in the record even suggesting express aiming is 
Pavlovich's knowledge that his conduct may harm industries centered in 
California, due process requires us to decline jurisdiction over his person. 
           In addition, we are not confronted with a situation where the plaintiff has 
no other forum to pursue its claims and therefore do not address that situation.  
DVD CCA has the ability and resources to pursue Pavlovich in another forum 
such as Indiana or Texas.  Our decision today does not foreclose it from doing so.  
Pavlovich may still face the music-just not in California. 









                                              
8          We disapprove of Nam Tai Electronics, Inc. v. Titzer (2001) 93 
Cal.App.4th 1301, to the extent it is contrary to our decision today. 



                                                    
                                                  20



                                               III 
       Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeal and remand 
for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. 
              B
                                                          R
                                                          O
                                                          W
                                                            N
                                                              ,
                                                                
                                                               J
                                                                .
                                                                 
WE CONCUR: 
  KENNARD, 
                    J. 
 WERDEGAR, 
                      J. 
 MORENO, 
                   J. 
 




























                                           
                                         21



        DISSENTING OPINION BY BAXTER, J. 
  
       I respectfully dissent.  That this case involves a powerful new medium of 
electronic communication, usable for good or ill, should not blind us to the 
essential facts and principles.  The record indicates that, by intentionally posting 
an unlicensed decryption code for the Content Scrambling System (CSS) on their 
Internet Web sites, defendant and his network of "open source" associates sought 
to undermine and defeat the very purposes of the licensed CSS encryption 
technology, i.e., copyright protection for movies recorded on digital versatile discs 
(DVD's) and limitation of playback to operating systems licensed to unscramble 
the encryption code.  The intended targets of this effort were not individual 
persons or businesses, but entire industries.  Defendant knew at least two of the 
intended targets-the movie industry and the computer industry involved in 
producing the licensed playback systems-either were centered in California or 
maintained a particularly substantial presence here.  Thus, the record amply 
supports the trial court's conclusion, for purposes of specific personal jurisdiction, 
that defendant's intentional act, even if committed outside California, was 
"expressly aimed" at California.  (See Calder v. Jones (1984) 465 U.S. 783, 788-
790 (Calder).) 
       In the particular circumstances, it cannot matter that defendant may not 
have known or cared about the exact identities or precise locations of each 
individual target, or that he happened to employ a so-called passive Internet Web 


                                          1 



site, or whether any California resident visited the site.  By acting with the broad 
intent to harm industries he knew were centered or substantially present in this 
state, defendant forged sufficient "minimum contacts" with California "that he 
should reasonably anticipate being haled into court [here]"  (World-Wide 
Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson (1980) 444 U.S. 286, 297 (World-Wide 
Volkswagen)) for litigation " `aris[ing] out of' " his forum-related conduct (Vons 
Companies, Inc. v. Seabest Foods, Inc. (1996) 14 Cal.4th 434, 451 (Vons)). 
       Moreover, defendant has made no "compelling case" (Burger King Corp. v. 
Rudzewicz (1985) 471 U.S. 462, 477 (Burger King)) that California's assertion of 
personal jurisdiction for this purpose otherwise fails to "comport with `fair play 
and substantial justice.' "  (Burger King, supra, at p.  476, quoting Internat. Shoe 
Co. v. Washington (1945) 326 U.S. 310, 320 (Internat. Shoe Co.).)  Quite the 
contrary.  Defendant identifies no unconscionable burden of defending the suit 
here, nor does he suggest California litigation would infringe any significant 
sovereignty interests of other jurisdictions. 
       But California has a substantial interest in the subject matter, and California 
appears a fair, convenient, and effective forum for California-centered industries 
to obtain relief.  Moreover, this action seeks injunctions against a large number of 
persons, geographically dispersed, who are alleged to have participated with 
defendant in an organized effort to infringe and defeat DVD encryption.  Thus, so 
long as the defendants' due process rights are not compromised, the interests of 
both the plaintiff and the interstate judicial system "in obtaining the most efficient 
resolution of controversies" (World-Wide Volkswagen, supra, 444 U.S. 286, 292) 
strongly favors suit against all in a single forum, rather than a multiplicity of suits 
in the defendants' individual domiciles.  Accordingly, I conclude the Court of 
Appeal's judgment should be affirmed. 



                                           2 



                                       FACTS 
       As the majority opinion indicates, DVD's are a means of storing digitally 
formatted information, including video information, on convenient 5-inch discs.  
One major use of DVD's, probably the best known to the consuming public, is as 
a medium for storing and viewing copyrighted motion pictures.  Before the 
commercial release of movies on DVD's, the motion picture and DVD industries 
developed CSS.  This encryption technology was designed to protect DVD movies 
against unauthorized copying and to allow playback of CSS-encrypted DVD's 
only on operating systems with CSS decryption capability.  To protect the trade 
secret represented by CSS, the technology and its descrambling codes were 
disclosed only subject to licensing agreements. 
       Plaintiff DVD Copy Control Association, Inc. (DVD CCA) is a nonprofit 
trade association organized under Delaware law, but with its principal place of 
business in Morgan Hill, California.  DVD CCA was created by the motion picture 
and DVD industries to administer the licensing of CSS.  No later than December 
1999, DVD CCA took over administration of the licenses. 
       DVD CCA immediately filed suit in California superior court against 
defendant Matthew Pavlovich, 20 other named individuals, and 500 Does for 
misappropriation of trade secrets.  The complaint alleges the following:  As early 
as October 25, 1999, Jon Johansen, a resident of Norway, posted on the Internet a 
computer program, dubbed DeCSS, that defeats CSS encryption.  DeCSS was 
derived by "willfully `hacking' and/or improperly reverse engineering software 
created by" a CSS licensee.  Around the time Johansen posted the DeCSS 
program, the same information appeared on a Web site "operated by" Pavlovich.  
Thereafter, many other Web sites "in at least 11 states and 11 countries" either 
posted the code directly or provided links to the sites where it appeared directly.  
The defendants who posted or provided Web site links to this information knew or 

                                          3 



should have known DeCSS was derived from the misappropriation of proprietary 
information, because DeCSS was specifically designed to defeat CSS and was 
aimed at infringing movie copyrights by permitting the "pirating" of movies on 
DVD's.  The motion picture industry-centered in California-and the computer 
and electronics businesses involved in DVD development and production-
including 73 companies in California-have been harmed because the wholesale 
copying and distribution of DVD's destroys both the movies' copyrights and the 
market for DVD-based products.  The breach of CSS has also delayed the 
introduction of DVD audio-a new technology in which these industries have 
invested substantially-while a new copyright protection system is developed. 
       The complaint further asserts:  The Motion Picture Association sent cease 
and desist notices to some 66 Web sites and Internet service providers, including 
Pavlovich and all but one of the other named defendants.  Some who received 
notices had voluntarily removed the DeCSS information, but Pavlovich and all the 
other named defendants who were notified had refused. 
       The complaint asks for a declaratory judgment that defendants have 
willfully misappropriated the CSS trade secret.  It seeks to enjoin the defendants, 
singly or in combination, from distributing, via the Internet or otherwise, any 
proprietary information or trade secrets relating to the CSS technology, and from 
copying, marketing, licensing, publishing, selling, leasing, or renting the DeCSS 
program and any other product substantially derived from CSS proprietary 
property or trade secrets. 
       Pavlovich moved to quash summons, alleging that California courts lacked 
personal jurisdiction over him.  The motion, and DVD CCA's opposition, attached 
considerable documentary evidence, including excerpts from Pavlovich's 
depositions.  Much is fiercely disputed between the parties, but the record 



                                          4 



discloses the following facts that are either uncontroverted, or are fairly inferable 
in support of the trial court's jurisdiction order: 
           Pavlovich is the president of a startup technology consulting company.  He 
currently lives and works in Texas, and he has no direct business or personal ties 
with California.  While a computer engineering student in Indiana, he was the 
founder and project leader of the LiViD video project.  The project operated a 
Web site at livid.on.openprojects.net, which posted the DeCSS source code.1 
           According to Pavlovich, LiViD was "an organization of software 
developers and computer programmers from around the world that were interested 
in . . . developing . . . video and DVD-related applications" for the Linux computer 
operating system.  The project's goal, according to Pavlovich, was to "improve 

                                              
1          Pavlovich vigorously disputes whether DVD CCA has shown, for purposes 
of personal jurisdiction over him, that the DeCSS source code actually was posted 
on the LiViD Web site, and if so, whether Pavlovich himself had any 
responsibility for the posting.  In his declaration attached to the motion to quash, 
Pavlovich carefully avoided either admitting or denying that DeCSS was posted 
on the site, or that he was personally involved, though he acknowledged he had 
"input" into the site.  In excerpts from his deposition, as presented to the trial 
court, Pavlovich several times described himself as the "founder and leader" of the 
LiViD project, but these deposition excerpts shed no further light on whether, or 
by whom, the DeCSS source code was posted.  In his brief on the merits, 
Pavlovich urges affirmatively that his "sole connection" to the case is as "one of 
many contributors" to a Web site which "allegedly" posted information in 
derogation of the CSS trade secret.  At oral argument in this court, Pavlovich's 
counsel insisted it is not clear by whom, or even whether, the DeCSS source code 
was posted on the LiViD Web site; counsel represented that no such material was 
found among the contents of Pavlovich's computer hard drive, as provided during 
discovery on the motion to quash.  But in light of Pavlovich's claim of his 
predominant role in LiViD, his admission that he had input into the project's Web 
site, and his artful failure to deny the Web site posting or his involvement therein, 
I conclude the trial court was entitled, based on the evidence before it, to draw the 
inferences necessary for personal jurisdiction. 



                                                  5 



video and DVD support" for Linux and, in particular, "to develop an open source 
DVD player for Linux" so "we could play . . . DVDs . . . on the systems that we 
had bought that had DVD drives . . . ."  In other DeCSS-related litigation, 
Pavlovich himself has testified as an expert witness "relating to computers, 
primarily Linux DVD technology," specifically including "various projects in 
Linux including the Linux video and DVD project." 
       By the time the LiViD Web site posted the DeCSS source code, Pavlovich 
had heard there was an entity that licensed CSS technology.  As Pavlovich 
explained, "[i]n the course of the development of the . . . Linux video and DVD 
project, there was a lot of discussion regarding the decryption piece of the full 
length of decoding of DVD," and people on the LiViD mailing list were advising 
that "you've got to apply for a license."  A CSS licensee posted on the site a 
friendly warning that CSS was a licensed trade secret which licensees were 
forbidden to disclose, that its purpose was to prevent the pirating of movies from 
DVD's, that Hollywood was "paranoid" about pirating, and that if CSS were 
"cracked," there was a "good chance" no new movie titles would be released on 
DVD.   Nonetheless, the project declined to seek a license because, as Pavlovich 
indicated, "more than likely a license would not allow us to release the source 
code and things like that that didn't follow the same development path as open 
source followed." 
       Pavlovich also understood that DeCSS had been "reverse engineered from 
another [CSS-equipped] DVD player like a Windows player."  In an e-mail dated 
October 1, 1999, he advised that "[r]everse engineering is illegal in most (if not 
all) of the countries that developers in this project live in."  Nonetheless, 
Pavlovich's e-mail predicted, although "[t]his is a very nasty thing and a lot is on 
the line for those involved," "DVD (everything non-free) will be hacked before 
the end of time." 

                                           6 



           In his deposition, Pavlovich insisted the LiViD project was not directly 
concerned with the unauthorized reproduction and distribution of copyrighted 
materials contained on DVD's.  However, Pavlovich admitted he was aware that 
DeCSS could facilitate the process of transferring the information stored on the 
discs to computer hard drives, whence it could be copied into new playback 
mediums.2  Indeed, Pavlovich insisted that one who buys a DVD with copyrighted 
material should have the freedom to duplicate it, at least for personal use, and to 
transfer its information to any other playback format he or she wishes. 
           Pavlovich insists he did not know the identity or location of the CSS 
licensing entity until this lawsuit was filed.  However, he did know that the movie 
industry was centered in California, and that computer companies of the kind 
involved in producing components for DVD players had a substantial presence 
here.  Specifically, Pavlovich admitted, "the general common idea is that 
Hollywood is the area" where the movie industry is centered, that several major 
movie studios are located or have substantial presences in Hollywood, that Silicon 
Valley is one of the "top three technology hot spots in the United States," that 
computer hardware manufacturers are involved in the production of DVD player 
components such as "video boards" or "DVD boards," and that "a lot" of hardware 
manufacturers are located in California. 

                                              
2          There is some controversy among those familiar with DVD technology, and 
with the CSS system in particular, whether CSS encryption itself prevents the 
copying of materials contained on CSS-encoded DVD's.  However, in a recent 
federal case involving the federal Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C.A. 
Û 1201 et seq.), the court of appeals upheld district court findings that DeCSS 
"sidesteps" whatever anticopying protections are contained on standard DVD's 
and is the "superior" means of acquiring easily copyable movies.  (Universal City 
Studios, Inc. v. Corley (2d Cir. 2001) 273 F.3d 429, 438, fn. 5.) 



                                                  7 



       In a brief order, the trial court denied the motion, citing Calder, supra, 
465 U.S. 783, and a Ninth Circuit case applying Calder, Panavision Intern., L.P. 
v. Toeppen (9th Cir. 1998) 141 F.3d 1316 (Panavision).  Pavlovich petitioned the 
Court of Appeal for a writ of mandate.  The petition was summarily denied.  On 
review, we retransferred the matter to the Court of Appeal with directions to 
vacate its denial order and issue an order to show cause.  After briefing and 
argument, the Court of Appeal wrote an opinion denying the writ. 
       The Court of Appeal reasoned that (1) Pavlovich knew or should have 
known his Internet activities were having injurious effects on the California movie 
and computer industries, (2) he also necessarily knew the misappropriated material 
posted on his Web site was instantly accessible to a wide range of Internet users 
and consumers, including those in California, (3) his use of the Internet, rather 
than older mass communications media, as the means of inflicting harm was 
irrelevant, and (4) the instant access afforded by an Internet Web site is the 
equivalent of the site operator's personal presence wherever the site's material is 
accessed and appropriated.  Hence, the Court of Appeal concluded, though 
physically absent from California, Pavlovich had established minimum 
jurisdictional contacts with this state under a theory of "purposeful availment" of 
its benefits and privileges, because, by his intentional conduct, he had caused 
harmful effects in the state. 
       The Court of Appeal further concluded that personal jurisdiction over 
Pavlovich was reasonable under all the circumstances.  It stressed that (1) the 
degree of Pavlovich's personal interjection was substantial, because his knowing 
activity posed substantial harm for industries centered in California; (2) the burden 
of defending the suit in California was substantial, but not so great as to deny 
Pavlovich due process; (3) Pavlovich identified no conflict with the sovereignty of 
his home state; (4) California had a substantial interest in the subject matter; 

                                           8 



(5) California offered a logical forum for convenient, efficient, and effective 
resolution of the dispute; and (6) no other forum could claim a greater interest. 
                                     DISCUSSION 
       The majority correctly state the broad principles.  California may assert 
personal jurisdiction over a foreign defendant on any basis consistent with the 
state and federal Constitutions.  (Code Civ. Proc., Û 410.10.)  Such jurisdiction is 
constitutionally permissible only "if the defendant has such minimum contacts 
with the state that the assertion of jurisdiction does not violate ` "traditional 
notions of fair play and substantial justice." ' "  (Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th 434, 444, 
quoting Internat. Shoe Co., supra, 326 U.S. 310, 316; see Burger King, supra, 
471 U.S. 462, 471-478.) 
       The "minimum contacts" rule protects both the defendant's "liberty interest 
in not being subject to the judgments of a forum with which he or she has 
established no meaningful `contacts, ties, or relations' " (Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th 
434, 445; Burger King, supra, 471 U.S. 462, 471-472) and the mutual territorial 
limits of coequal sovereigns in a federal system (Vons, supra, at p. 445; see 
World-Wide Volkswagen, supra, 444 U.S. 286, 292).  The rule also " `gives a 
degree of predictability to the legal system that allows potential defendants to 
structure their primary conduct with some minimum assurance as to where that 
conduct will and will not render them liable to suit.' "  (Burger King, supra, at 
p. 472, quoting World-Wide Volkswagen, supra, at p. 297.) 
       But the test of minimum contacts is necessarily flexible, and, as the 
majority concede, subtle shades of grays predominate.  (Maj. opn., ante, at p. 5; 
see Kulko v. California Superior Court (1978) 436 U.S. 84, 92 (Kulko).)  "[T]he 
question of jurisdiction cannot be answered by the application of precise formulas 
or mechanical rules.  Each case must be decided on its own facts."  (Integral 
Development Corp. v. Weissenbach (2002) 99 Cal.App.4th 576, 583 (Integral 

                                            9 



Development Corp.); see Cornelison v. Chaney (1976) 16 Cal.3d 143, 150 
(Cornelison).) 
       For particular litigation, the "fair warning" standard that underlies the 
minimum contacts rule "is satisfied if the defendant has `purposefully directed' his 
activities at residents of the forum [citation], and the litigation results from alleged 
injuries that `arise out of or relate to' those activities [citation]."  (Burger King, 
supra, 471 U.S. 462, 472; see also Helicopteros Nacionales de Colombia v. Hall 
(1984) 466 U.S. 408, 414; Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th 434, 446.)  As Burger King 
explained, there are several reasons why personal jurisdiction is appropriate in 
such cases.  A state generally has a manifest interest in providing its residents a 
forum for redressing injuries inflicted by out-of-state actors.  When such persons 
"purposefully derive benefit" from their interstate activities (Kulko, supra, 
436 U.S. 84, 96), it may well be unfair to allow them to raise a territorial shield 
against efforts to hold them to account where injury proximately resulted.  Also, 
modern transportation and communications have made it much less burdensome, 
and thus less unfair, to require one to litigate in another forum for disputes relating 
to such activity.  (Burger King, supra, at pp. 473-474; see also Keeton v. Hustler 
Magazine, Inc. (1984) 465 U.S. 770, 776 (Keeton); McGee v. International Life 
Ins. Co. (1957) 355 U.S. 220, 223; Vons, supra, at p. 447.) 
       The necessary purposeful direction toward the forum has sometimes been 
described as requiring "some act by which the defendant purposefully avails itself 
of the privilege of conducting activities within the forum [s]tate, thus invoking the 
benefit and protection of its laws."  (Hanson v. Denckla (1958) 357 U.S. 235, 253, 
italics added.)  But purposeful availment in this literal sense is not the only form of 
purposeful direction that will permit the exercise of personal jurisdiction over a 
foreign defendant. 



                                           10 



       Thus, in Calder, supra, 465 U.S. 783, the court concluded that California 
actress Shirley Jones could bring a California suit against Florida residents who 
wrote and edited an allegedly defamatory article about her which appeared in a 
nationally circulated tabloid newspaper.  The court concluded that, despite their 
lack of any direct personal or business ties to California, the individual defendants 
had "expressly aimed" their intentional conduct at this state.  (Calder, supra, at 
p. 789.)  Calder stressed that the defendants' newspaper had prominent circulation 
in California, and that California was the focal point of the story, because the 
defendants consulted California sources and knew the brunt of the harm, both 
emotional and reputational, would be felt in this state, where Jones lived and 
pursued her professional career.  (Id. at pp. 788-790.) 
       California has similarly assumed that, because of this state's " `natural 
interest in the effects of an act within its territory, even though the act itself was 
done elsewhere' " (Cal. Judicial Council com., 14 West's Ann. Code Civ. Proc. 
(1973 ed.) foll. Û 410.10, p. 472, quoting Rest.2d Conflict of Laws (Proposed Off. 
Draft (1967) pt. I) Û 37, com. a, p. 197), one whose out-of-state act was intended 
to cause effects here may be sued in this state for the act just as if it had occurred 
here (Cal. Judicial Council com., 14 West's Ann. Code Civ. Proc., supra, foll. 
Û 410.10, p. 473; cf., Sibley v. Superior Court (1976) 16 Cal.3d 442, 446 (Sibley) 
[state may exercise jurisdiction over foreign defendant who causes effects here 
unless nature of effects, and of defendant's relationship to this state, make exercise 
of jurisdiction unreasonable]). 
       One cannot be sued in a foreign jurisdiction "solely as a result of `random,' 
`fortuitous,' or `attenuated' contacts [citations]."  (Burger King, supra, 471 U.S. 
462, 475; Keeton, supra, 465 U.S. 770, 774.)  But the minimum contacts necessary 
to personal jurisdiction are always present where the defendant has so purposefully 
directed injurious conduct toward the forum, with the intent of affecting its 

                                           11 



residents, " `that he should reasonably anticipate being haled into court there' " 
for related litigation.  (Burger King, supra, at p. 474, quoting World-Wide 
Volkswagen, supra, 444 U.S. 286, 297, italics added.) 
       In Calder, the court unanimously found that the Florida-based author and 
editor of an allegedly defamatory tabloid article about a California actress "must 
`reasonably anticipate being haled into court [in California]' to answer for the 
truth of the statements made in their article.  [Citations.]"  (Calder, supra, 
465 U.S. 783, 790.)  As the court observed, the defendants were "primary 
participants in an alleged wrongdoing intentionally directed at a California 
resident, and jurisdiction over them is proper on that basis."  (Ibid., italics added.)  
"An individual injured in California," the court said, "need not go to Florida to 
seek redress from persons who, though remaining in Florida, knowingly cause the 
injury in California."  (Ibid., italics added.) 
       As the majority indicate, the Calder test of minimum contacts based upon 
conduct expressly aimed at the forum is not limited to defamation actions.  It 
applies to intentional torts generally.  (See, e.g., Bancroft & Masters, Inc. v. 
Augusta Nat. Inc. (9th Cir. 2000) 223 F.3d 1082, 1087-1088 (Bancroft & 
Masters); Panavision, supra, 141 F.3d 1316, 1321-1322; see also, e.g., IMO 
Industries, Inc. v. Kiekert AG (3d Cir. 1998) 155 F.3d 254, 260 (IMO); Far West 
Capital, Inc. v. Towne (10th Cir. 1995) 46 F.3d 1071, 1077.) 
       "When a defendant moves to quash service of process on jurisdictional 
grounds, the plaintiff has the initial burden of demonstrating facts justifying the 
exercise of jurisdiction.  [Citation.]  Once facts showing minimum contacts with 
the forum state are established, however, it becomes the defendant's burden to 
demonstrate that the exercise of jurisdiction is unreasonable.  [Citation.]  Where 
there is conflicting evidence, the trial court's factual determinations are not 
disturbed on appeal if supported by substantial evidence.  [Citation.]  When no 

                                           12 



conflict in the evidence exists, however, the question of jurisdiction is purely one 
of law and the reviewing court engages in an independent review of the record.  
[Citation.]"  (Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th 434, 449; cf. Floveyor Internat., Ltd. v. 
Superior Court (1997) 59 Cal.App.4th 789, 793-794.) 
           When, as here, no findings of fact were requested or made, the trial court's 
implicit findings of disputed fact are entitled to the same appellate deference as 
explicit findings.  (See City and County of San Francisco v. Sainez (2000) 
77 Cal.App.4th 1302, 1313 [constitutionality, as applied, of cumulative housing 
code penalties].)  Thus, we must accept all undisputed facts, indulge all other 
reasonable factual inferences that support the trial court's order, and independently 
apply the law to those facts.  (Integral Development Corp., supra, 99 Cal.App.4th 
576, 584-585; cf. Gleaves v. Waters (1985) 175 Cal.App.3d 413, 417 [preliminary 
injunction].) 
           Application of these principles compels a conclusion that the unique 
circumstances of this case satisfy the fundamental requirements of Calder.  For 
purposes of minimum contacts analysis, the following facts are either undisputed 
or fairly inferable from the record:  The DeCSS source code was posted on 
defendant Pavlovich's LiViD Web site as part of a widespread effort to defeat the 
CSS encryption system jointly developed by the movie and DVD industries for 
their mutual protection and benefit.  DeCSS was posted on the LiViD Web site 
despite Pavlovich's assumption that DeCSS illegally infringed the licensed trade 
secret represented by CSS.3  Pavlovich, a technical expert in this area, knew CSS 
                                              
3          As indicated above, this assumption is evidenced by Pavlovich's admission 
that he understood DeCSS had been derived by reverse engineering a DVD player 
equipped with CSS technology, and by his e-mail, dated October 1, 1999, warning 
that "[r]everse engineering is illegal in most (if not all) of the countries that 
developers in this project live in."  Pavlovich now urges that under the Uniform 
                                                              (footnote continued on next page) 

                                                  13 



was intended to protect copyrighted materials on DVD's from unauthorized 
duplication, and also to limit DVD playback to systems with CSS technology.  
Indeed LiViD's goal in defeating CSS was to develop an alternative, and 
presumably competitive, "open source" DVD playback system.  Thus, the 
intended injurious effects of posting DeCSS were aimed directly at the computer 
hardware industry involved in producing CSS-encrypted DVD players-an 
industry Pavlovich knew was heavily concentrated in California. 
             Moreover, Pavlovich knew the purpose of CSS was to protect copyrighted 
movies from pirating, and that the widespread availability of DeCSS undermined 
that interest.  Thus, even if he did not personally pirate copyrighted material for 
commercial gain, Pavlovich, by publishing material he understood as an 
infringement of the CSS trade secret, took an action calculated to harm the movie 
industry, which Pavlovich knew was centered in California. 
             Accordingly, the necessary minimum contacts required by Calder, supra, 
465 U.S. 783, are present.  Pavlovich engaged in " `(1) intentional actions 
(2) expressly aimed at the forum state (3) causing harm, the brunt of which is 
suffered-and which the defendant knows is likely to be suffered-in the forum 
state.' "  (Panavision, supra, 141 F.3d 1316, 1321, quoting Core-Vent Corp. v. 

                                                                                                                                                              
 (footnote continued from previous page) 
 Trade Secrets Act as applicable in California (Civ. Code, Û 3426 et seq.), 
"[r]everse engineering . . . alone shall not be considered improper means" of 
acquiring a trade secret.  (Id., Û 3426.1, subd. (a).)  But the merits of DVD CCA's 
lawsuit are not before us at this preliminary stage.  What counts for jurisdictional 
purposes is that Pavlovich engaged in intentional conduct, targeted against 
California interests, with the understanding that it would produce potentially 
actionable effects in this state, thus making it reasonable to anticipate that he 
would be haled into court here. 



                                                                            14 



Nobel Industries AB (9th Cir. 1993) 11 F.3d 1482, 1486 (Core-Vent).)  
Accordingly, he should reasonably anticipate he would be haled into California's 
courts to account for his conduct. 
       The majority ascribe undue significance to the fact that Pavlovich acted 
through a new and rapidly burgeoning medium of interstate and international 
communication-the Internet.  They assert that the mere posting of information on 
a passive Internet Web site, which is accessible from anywhere but is directed at 
no particular audience, cannot be an action targeted at a particular forum.  
Otherwise, they worry, mere use of the Internet would subject the user to personal 
jurisdiction in any forum where the site was accessible. 
       I agree that mere operation of an Internet Web site cannot expose the 
operator to suit in any jurisdiction where the site's contents might be read, or 
where resulting injury might occur.  (See, e.g., Mink v. AAAA Development LLC 
(5th Cir. 1999) 190 F.3d 333, 336-337 (Mink); Oasis Corp. v. Judd (S.D.Ohio 
2001) 132 F.Supp.2d 612, 623; Nicosia v. De Rooy (N.D.Cal. 1999) 72 F.Supp.2d 
1093, 1098; but see Inset Systems, Inc. v. Instruction Set, Inc. (D.Conn. 1996) 
937 F.Supp. 161, 164-165 (Inset Systems, Inc.).)  Communication by a universally 
accessible Internet Web site cannot be equated with "express aiming" at the entire 
world. 
       However, defendants who aim conduct at particular jurisdictions, expecting 
and intending that injurious effects will be felt in those specific places, cannot 
shield themselves from suit there simply by using the Internet, or some other 
generalized medium of communication, as the means of inflicting the harm.  (See, 
e.g., Calder, supra, 465 U.S. 783, 789-790 [significant California circulation of 
nationwide newspaper supports California defamation suit by California resident 
against Florida residents who wrote and edited defamatory article]; Keeton, supra, 
465 U.S. 770, 773-780 [significant regular circulation of nationwide magazine in 

                                          15 



New Hampshire supports New Hampshire defamation suit against magazine by 
well-known New York resident]; Panavision, supra, 141 F.3d 1316, 1319-1322 
[California suit proper where Illinois defendant registered and used California 
plaintiff's trademarks as domain names for defendant's Internet Web sites, then 
solicited payoff to relinquish domain names]; Indianapolis Colts, Inc. v. Metro. 
Baltimore Football (7th Cir. 1994) 34 F.3d 410, 411-412 (Indianapolis Colts, Inc.) 
[in Indiana trademark infringement suit by former Baltimore (now Indianapolis) 
Colts of National Football League against Baltimore CFL Colts of Canadian 
Football League, defendant established minimum contacts with Indiana, among 
other ways, through nationwide cable telecasts of football games]; cf., e.g., 
CompuServe, Inc. v. Patterson (6th Cir. 1996) 89 F.3d 1257, 1262-1267 
(CompuServe) [Ohio declaratory relief action by Ohio-based Internet service 
provider is proper where Texas defendant transmitted "trademarked" software 
over the Internet to plaintiff, used plaintiff's Internet service to share and market 
software, then e-mailed plaintiff in Ohio, claiming names and marks of plaintiff's 
similar software infringed his trademarks]; Bancroft & Masters, supra, 223 F.3d 
1082, 1084-1088 [California declaratory relief action is proper where defendant, 
based in Georgia, sent letters both to plaintiff, a California merchant, and to a 
Virginia-based Internet Web site domain name registrar, claiming plaintiff's 
registered domain name infringed defendant's trademark, thus forcing plaintiff to 
sue to retain control of domain name].)4 
                                              
4          The majority imply that the maintenance of a passive Internet Web site 
cannot be considered "express aiming" at any jurisdiction because such a site is 
just a way of allowing interested persons to search for and retrieve information 
stored in remote computers.  (Maj. opn., ante, at p. 1, citing, for such a description 
of the World Wide Web, Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union (1997) 521 U.S. 
844, 849-852.)  But the maintenance of a Web site that includes content intended 
and expected to harm particular individuals, entities, or interests in specific places 
                                                            (footnote continued on next page) 

                                                  16 



             In such circumstances, the defendant is not exposed to universal and 
unpredictable jurisdiction.  He faces suit only in a particular forum where he 
directed his injurious conduct, and where he must reasonably anticipate being 
called to account. 
             The cases cited by the majority for the proposition that operation or use of a 
passive Internet Web site cannot create personal jurisdiction in a state foreign to 
the operator's location are inapposite.  Those decisions hold that personal 
jurisdiction cannot be based on mere accessibility to a Web site by residents of the 
forum state or otherwise conclude, on their individual facts, that particular uses of 
the Internet did not establish the geographic specificity, knowledge, and intent 
necessary for "express aiming."5 
                                                                                                                                                              
 (footnote continued from previous page) 
 is no more "passive" in this regard than television broadcasts which all or none 
may watch as they choose (see Indianapolis Colts, Inc., supra, 34 F.3d 410, 411-
412), or a recorded toll-free telephone message which all or none may hear as they 
choose (cf. Inset Systems, Inc., supra, 937 F.Supp. 161, 165). 
5            (E.g., Jewish Defense Organization, Inc. v. Superior Court (1999) 
72 Cal.App.4th 1045 [assertion by plaintiff, who lives in New York and travels 
frequently, that he "spends considerable professional time in California" is 
insufficient to show California was targeted when plaintiff was allegedly defamed 
by an individual and organization, both located in New York, using Internet 
services provided by companies with offices in California]; Cybersell, Inc. v. 
Cybersell, Inc. (9th Cir. 1997) 130 F.3d 414 (Cybersell) [Floridians' mere use of 
an allegedly infringing mark on a passive Web site home page promoting their 
business did not subject users to personal jurisdiction in Arizona, where mark's 
owners were located; there was no evidence defendants sought Arizona business 
or otherwise targeted Arizona with knowledge that harm would be suffered there]; 
GTE New Media Services, Inc. v. BellSouth Corp. (D.C. Cir. 2000) 199 F.3d 1343 
[mere evidence that foreign defendants sought to maximize use, within District of 
Columbia as elsewhere, of their Internet "yellow pages" service did not create 
District of Columbia jurisdiction for suit by competing Internet "yellow pages" 
service provider]; Bensusan Restaurant Corp. v. King (S.D.N.Y. 1996) 
                                                                                                           (footnote continued on next page) 

                                                                            17 



             Next, the majority accept Pavlovich's argument that he cannot have 
expressly aimed his conduct at California because he knew neither the specific 
identity nor the location of the CSS licensing agency (now California-based 
plaintiff DVD CCA) at the time DeCSS was posted on the LiViD Web site.  But 
knowledge of this exact kind is unnecessary to establish personal jurisdiction.  
When a foreign defendant, by intentional conduct directed toward the forum, 
establishes the necessary minimum contacts with that jurisdiction, he or she may 
be exposed to litigation there for any " `controversy [that] is related to or "arises 
out of" [those] contacts . . . .'  [Citations.]"  (Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th 434, 446, 
italics added.)  The plaintiff need not be the exact person or entity toward whom 
the defendant's conduct was directed. 


                                                                                                                                                              
 (footnote continued from previous page) 
 937 F.Supp. 295, affd. (2d Cir. 1997) 126 F.3d 25 (Bensusan Restaurant Corp.) 
[use of allegedly infringing logotype on Web site promoting independent Blue 
Note jazz club, which was located in Missouri, did not create New York personal 
jurisdiction in trademark infringement suit by owner-operator of Blue Note jazz 
clubs in New York and elsewhere]; see also, e.g., Nam Tai Electronics, Inc. v. 
Titzer (2001) 93 Cal.App.4th 1301 [defendant Colorado resident, who posted 
alleged commercial libels against plaintiff Hong Kong company on an Internet 
bulletin board provided by Yahoo!, a California corporation, was not subject to 
California jurisdiction at plaintiff's behest simply because Yahoo!'s Web site was 
"maintained" in California and defendant's service agreement with Yahoo! stated 
that California jurisdiction would apply to disputes between Yahoo! and 
defendant].) 
             For purposes of this case, which does not involve direct commercial use of 
the Internet, I find little utility in those federal decisions that look to " `the nature 
and quality of commercial activity that an entity conducts over the Internet' " to 
determine personal jurisdiction.  (Mink, supra, 190 F.3d 333, 336, quoting Zippo 
Mfg. Co. v. Zippo Dot Com, Inc. (W.D.Pa. 1997) 952 F.Supp. 1119, 1124.) 



                                                                            18 



       The facts of Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th 434, are illustrative.  There, customers 
of several Jack-in-the-Box restaurants were injured or killed by eating tainted 
hamburger.  Other Jack-in-the-Box franchisees brought a California suit against 
Jack-in-the-Box's California parent company, Foodmaker, seeking damages for 
business losses caused by the adverse publicity.  Foodmaker cross-complained 
against various parties, including California-based Vons, which shipped 
hamburger to Foodmaker for use in Jack-in-the-Box restaurants.  Vons, in turn, 
cross-complained against Foodmaker and the franchises where food poisoning had 
occurred, including two Washington state restaurants.  Vons alleged the injuries 
could have been avoided by proper cooking procedures. 
       We held that for purposes of the particular litigation, jurisdiction over the 
Washington cross-defendants was proper, though they had no general ties with 
California, nor any direct contacts with Vons.  As we explained, "the nexus 
required to establish specific jurisdiction is between the defendant, the forum, and 
the litigation [citations]-not between the plaintiff and the defendant."  (Vons, 
supra, 14 Cal.4th 434, 458.)  " `The crucial inquiry concerns the character of [the] 
defendant's activity in the forum [and] whether the cause of action arises out of or 
has a substantial connection with that activity . . . .' "  (Id., at p. 452, quoting 
Cornelison, supra, 16 Cal.3d 143, 148, italics added by Vons.) 
       In Vons, this substantial connection between the Washington cross-
defendants and Vons's California cross-complaint arose from the cross-
defendants' California-centered contractual franchise relationship with 
Foodmaker.  The cross-defendants bought all their hamburger from Foodmaker, 
and the standard franchise agreement, which provided that contractual disputes 
between Foodmaker and its franchisees would be litigated in California, set 
exacting standards for sanitary food preparation in Jack-in-the-Box restaurants.  
Hence, on the basis of their California contacts, the cross-defendants could 

                                            19 



reasonably anticipate a California lawsuit with respect to that subject.  (Vons, 
supra, 14 Cal.4th 434, 456-460.) 
       Similarly here, defendant Pavlovich's connection with California arises 
from his participation in a concerted effort to defeat the CSS encryption system he 
knew was developed to protect interests of the movie and DVD-related computer 
industries.  Those industries, as he also knew, were centered or substantially 
concentrated in this state.  He knew CSS was a trade secret, available only by a 
license his LiViD project had specifically declined to obtain.  He also assumed the 
DeCSS source code posted on the LiViD Web site had been derived by illegal 
means, and was an infringement of the proprietary information represented by 
CSS.  DVD CCA's lawsuit, alleging that the Web site posting was an infringement 
of the CSS trade secret, thus " `arises out of or has a substantial connection with' " 
his conduct aimed at this state.  (Vons, supra, 14 Cal.4th 434, 452.)  Because he 
targeted the trade secrets of industries he knew were centered in California, he 
must reasonably anticipate California litigation calling him to account for that 
conduct.  That he did not know the exact identity or location of the entity 
authorized to prosecute such an action is immaterial. 
       The majority also accept Pavlovich's claim that his contacts with the 
California movie, computer, and consumer electronics industries are too random, 
remote, and attenuated to satisfy Calder's express aiming test.  (Calder, supra, 
465 U.S. 783.)  As to the motion picture industry, the majority insist it is 
insufficient that Pavlovich knew the DeCSS source code could be used to harm 
that industry through the pirating of copyrighted motion pictures.  The majority 
note that DVD CCA's lawsuit does not allege Pavlovich pirated movies, and they 
say express aiming at the movie industry cannot be found from the mere 
foreseeability that other persons might use the code to do so.  As to the computer 
and electronics industries, the majority observe there is no evidence Pavlovich 

                                          20 



actually knew that California members of these industries were among the CSS 
licensees allegedly harmed by DeCSS.  Finally, the majority suggest that a 
defendant's knowledge of industry-wide effects cannot form the sole basis for 
personal jurisdiction in any event. 
           It is true that one cannot be sued in another forum simply because his or her 
conduct has foreseeable effects there.6  A number of lower court decisions suggest 
further that, absent other indicia of activity purposefully directed at the forum, 
even the defendant's intent to injure a forum resident, standing alone, is not 
sufficient to satisfy the test of Calder, supra, 465 U.S. 783.7  And several cases 

                                              
6          E.g., Asahi Metal Industry Co. v. Superior Court (1987) 480 U.S. 102, 112 
(Asahi Metal Industry Co.) (placing product into stream of commerce does not 
create minimum contact with every state to which product may foreseeably 
travel); World-Wide Volkswagen, supra, 444 U.S. 286, 298 (mere foreseeability 
that vehicle sold by wholesale and retail dealers serving New York City 
metropolitan area would be taken to another state, such as Oklahoma, did not 
create dealers' minimum contacts with Oklahoma for products liability suit arising 
from Oklahoma accident); Noonan v. Winston Co. (1st Cir. 1998) 135 F.3d 85, 90-
92 (French publisher's knowledge that copies of its magazine, containing 
offensive photo of Massachusetts resident, might reach that state is insufficient to 
satisfy Calder); see also Sibley, supra, 16 Cal.3d 442, 445-446. 
7          See, e.g., IMO, supra, 155 F.3d 254, 260-268 (defendant German 
corporation's activities, outside New Jersey, which allegedly interfered with New 
Jersey-based company's efforts to sell its Italian subsidiary did not create 
minimum contacts between defendant and New Jersey despite defendant's 
knowledge that plaintiff was headquartered there); ESAB Group, Inc. v. Centricut, 
Inc. (4th Cir. 1997) 126 F.3d 617, 625-626 (scheme, carried out in New 
Hampshire and Florida, at behest of defendant New Hampshire manufacturer, to 
procure, disclose, and use trade secrets and customer lists of the plaintiff, a South 
Carolina competitor, did not create minimum contacts with South Carolina despite 
the defendant's presumed intent to affect the plaintiff's business); Hicklin 
Engineering, Inc. v. Aidco, Inc. (8th Cir. 1992) 959 F.2d 738, 739 (actions by 
Michigan manufacturer, taken outside Iowa, to injure general business of Iowa 
competitor, did not create minimum contacts with Iowa). 



                                                  21 



have held that alleged trademark infringement on an Internet Web site cannot 
alone, under Calder, establish minimum contacts with the forum in which the 
trademark's owner resides.8 
           Nonetheless, I believe that the unusual and unprecedented facts of this case 
demonstrate purposeful activity directed toward this forum sufficient to establish 
minimum contacts under the Calder test.  As a result of his actions, defendant 
Pavlovich should reasonably have anticipated being haled into court in this state, 
and recognition of California's jurisdiction thus meets constitutional standards of 
fairness. 
           The posting of the DeCSS source code on Pavlovich's LiViD Web site was 
done with the specific goal of negating, by illegal means, the licensed CSS 
technology Pavlovich knew had been jointly developed by the movie and DVD 
industries for their mutual protection.  Pavlovich's immediate aim, he 
acknowledged, was to promote development of alternative DVD playback systems 
not dependent on CSS licensure.  However, he also knew CSS was intended to 
afford crucial copyright protection to DVD movies.  He has denied any personal 
desire to pirate movies, or to encourage others to do so.  But by deciding to display 
the DeCSS source code without restriction on the universally accessible Web site, 
Pavlovich offered visitors to the site the patent opportunity to exploit this 
information as they chose. 


                                              
8          E.g., Cybersell, supra, 130 F.3d 414, 418-420; Bensusan Restaurant Corp., 
supra, 937 F.Supp. 295, 299-300; but see Inset Systems, Inc., supra, 937 F.Supp. 
161, 164-165 (Massachusetts defendant directed its activities toward all states, 
including Connecticut, by advertising via Internet and toll-free telephone number; 
hence, Connecticut jurisdiction was proper for suit by Connecticut firm alleging 
that defendant's Web site domain name infringed plaintiff's trademark). 



                                                  22 



       By taking this calculated action, Pavlovich thus not only foresaw, but must 
have intended, the natural and probable consequences he knew would befall the 
affected industries.  These consequences included both the competitive injury 
Pavlovich admitted he intended to inflict upon the DVD industry, which is 
substantially present in California, and the loss of copyright protection to the 
movie industry he knew is primarily associated with this state. 
       This lawsuit, brought by the agent of these affected industries, seeks to 
forestall just such damage by enjoining Pavlovich, and other members of his 
network, from continuing to display the DeCSS source code on their Web sites.  
(Civ. Code, Û 3426.2, subd. (a).)  For purposes of such an action, it is irrelevant 
whether Pavlovich himself exploited DeCSS for commercial benefit.  The instant 
suit is predicated on the inherent harm to California-centered industries caused by 
Pavlovich's intentional, knowing, and allegedly improper "[d]isclosure" of their 
trade secret.  (Id., Û 3426.1, subd. (b)(2).)  Pavlovich knew he was targeting those 
industries when he acted.  He proceeded despite his assumption that DeCSS was 
likely "illegal."  He thus had every reason to expect-indeed, he effectively 
invited-responsive litigation. 
       For purposes of this particular action, therefore, he established sufficient 
connection with this state that he must "reasonably anticipate" being haled into a 
California court to account for his conduct.  (World-Wide Volkswagen, supra, 
444 U.S. 286, 297; see Burger King, supra, 471 U.S. 462, 474.)  Because of the 
minimum contacts he forged by his intentional conduct directed toward this state, 
maintenance of a related suit against him in this forum does not offend traditional 
notions of fair play and substantial justice.  (Calder, supra, 465 U.S. 783, 787-
788; see Internat. Shoe Co., supra, 326 U.S. 310, 316, 320; see also Integral 
Development Corp., supra, 99 Cal.App.4th 576, 587 [suggesting that, even absent 
prior employer-employee relationship, California suit by California corporation 

                                          23 



against resident of Germany for misappropriation of trade secrets would be proper 
under Calder on basis that defendant directed his intentional tortious conduct 
toward a known forum resident].)9 
           I see no reason why the result should differ simply because Pavlovich 
targeted entire industries within the forum, rather than a single individual or 
business.  The majority suggest there is no case "where a court exercised 
jurisdiction under the effects test based solely on the defendant's knowledge of 
industry-wide effects in the forum state."  (Maj. opn., ante, at p. 18.)  By the same 
token, however, no decision has held that the defendant's efforts to target an entire 

                                              
9          The majority reject Janmark, Inc. v. Reidy (7th Cir. 1997) 132 F.3d 1200, 
deeming it the only federal decision that would support jurisdiction over 
Pavlovich, because, they conclude, it stands for the unpersuasive notion that 
jurisdiction over an intentional tort is always proper where the injury, or at least 
foreseeable injury, occurred.  In Janmark, a California manufacturer of mini-
shopping carts was sued in Illinois by an Illinois competitor.  The plaintiff alleged 
that when it refused to participate in the defendant's cartel scheme, the defendant 
retaliated by inducing a New Jersey customer to cancel an order for the plaintiff's 
carts.  The court of appeals found jurisdiction proper on grounds that the alleged 
tort was not complete until the customer cancelled the order; accordingly, the 
court ruled, "the injury and thus the tort occurred in Illinois" for purposes of that 
state's long-arm statute.  (Id. at p. 1202.)  Whatever the merits of this reasoning, 
the court additionally noted, without extended discussion, that Illinois jurisdiction 
also satisfied the Calder test.  I pass no final judgment on Janmark, but I do not 
believe it stands for so broad or unsupportable a proposition as the majority 
contend.  The plaintiff in Janmark posited a scenario in which the defendant, who 
knew the plaintiff's identity and Illinois location, attempted to obtain the 
plaintiff's cooperation in a monopolistic scheme, and, when that effort failed, took 
revenge by acting for the express purpose of causing commercial injury to the 
plaintiff.  I do not find this fact pattern lacking in Calder's requirement of 
particularized " `knowledge and intent in committing the tortious activity' " (maj. 
opn., ante, at p. 11, quoting IMO, supra, 155 F.3d 254, 264), nor do I construe 
Janmark as permitting jurisdiction based solely on mere " `foreseeability of 
causing injury in another State' " (maj. opn., ante, at p. 11, quoting Burger King, 
supra, 471 U.S. 462, 474, original italics omitted). 



                                                  24 



industry cannot form a basis for specific personal jurisdiction.  Jurisdiction is 
appropriate under Calder whenever a foreign defendant expressly aimed injurious 
actions toward the forum, with the intent and understanding that the brunt of the 
harm would be felt there.  (Calder, supra, 465 U.S. 783, 788-790.)  While 
targeting of an individual forum resident certainly meets that test, the aiming is no 
less specific, and jurisdiction no less proper, when the effort is directed, with equal 
purpose and precision, at one or more entire industries located there. 
       Pavlovich insists he did not aim at California in particular, because movie 
and computer companies exist throughout the nation and world.  Moreover, he 
asserts, we may not assume large companies, with widely dispersed interests and 
operations, suffer the "brunt of the harm" in California simply because they are 
headquartered here. 
       Some cases have suggested that "a corporation `does not [necessarily] 
suffer harm in a particular geographic location in the same sense that an individual 
does.' "  (Cybersell, supra, 130 F.3d 414, 420, quoting Core-Vent, supra, 11 F.3d 
1482, 1486; see also IMO, supra, 155 F.3d 254, 262-263, and cases cited.)  But 
other decisions have implicitly rejected the argument that, for purposes of Calder, 
acts intended to harm a corporation cannot be said to be directed at any particular 
place.  (Core-Vent, supra, at p. 1487.) 
       Calder "does not preclude a determination that a corporation suffers the 
brunt of harm in its principal place of business."  (Panavision, supra, 141 F.3d 
1316, 1322, fn. 2; see Core-Vent, supra, 11 F.3d 1482, 1487.)  It seems reasonable 
that, for purposes of litigation arising from tortious conduct purposefully directed 
against the general commercial interests of particular business enterprises, those 
businesses may be deemed to have suffered the "brunt of the harm," and the actor 




                                            25 



may reasonably anticipate suit, in the state where he or she knew they maintained 
their principal places of business.  (Panavision, supra, at p. 1322, fn. 2.)10 
           Nor, in my view, is it fatal that individual members of the industries 
Pavlovich targeted are not based exclusively within California.  When, as here, one 
purposefully directs injurious conduct against entire industries, with actual 
knowledge that they are primarily or substantially present in a particular forum, 
his contacts with that state are no more attenuated, random, or fortuitous, than if, 
by unusual happenstance, they were solely concentrated there.  The actor must 
reasonably anticipate that litigation generated by his intentional conduct will 
originate in a forum where, as he knows, the industry or industries he sought to 
injure are primarily or substantially located.  Otherwise, one who acted from a 
remote location against an entire multistate or multinational industry, as opposed 
to a single enterprise, could rest secure that he was immune from suit in every 
jurisdiction where members of that industry were located. 
           Indeed, that is the unfortunate result, and the glaring flaw, of the majority's 
holding.  Under the majority's rule, the California-centered industries directly 
targeted by Pavlovich and his numerous Internet colleagues have no recourse for 
their alleged injury but to pursue a multiplicity of individual suits against each 
defendant in his or her separate domicile.  Nothing in the basic principles of long-
arm jurisdiction compels such an illogical and unfair outcome.  I therefore 
conclude that Pavlovich purposefully established minimum contacts with 
                                              
10         In any event, where minimum contacts are otherwise present, it may not be 
necessary that the "brunt of the harm" was suffered in the forum.  In Keeton, 
supra, 465 U.S. 770, the high court allowed a New Hampshire defamation action 
against a national magazine with circulation in that state, even though the plaintiff 
was a resident of New York, and it was "undoubtedly true that the bulk of the 
harm done to [the plaintiff] occurred outside [the forum]."  (Id. at p. 780.) 



                                                  26 



California sufficient to permit litigation related to those contacts to proceed 
against him here. 
       Of course, "[o]nce it has been decided that a defendant purposefully 
established minimum contacts within the forum State, these contacts [must] be 
considered in light of other factors to determine whether the assertion of personal 
jurisdiction would comport with `fair play and substantial justice.'  [Citations.]  
Thus courts in `appropriate case[s]' may evaluate `the burden on the defendant,' 
`the forum [s]tate's interest in adjudicating the dispute,' `the plaintiff's interest in 
obtaining convenient and effective relief,' `the interstate judicial system's interest 
in obtaining the most efficient resolution of controversies,' and the `shared 
interests of the several [s]tates in furthering fundamental substantive social 
policies.'  [Citations.]"  (Burger King, supra, 471 U.S. 462, 476-477; see also 
Asahi Metal Industry Co., supra, 480 U.S. 102, 113; World-Wide Volkswagen, 
supra, 444 U.S. 286, 292.) 
       "These considerations sometimes serve to establish the reasonableness of 
jurisdiction upon a lesser showing of minimum contacts than would otherwise be 
required.  [Citations.]"  (Burger King, supra, 471 U.S. 462, 477, italics added.)  
Moreover, "where a defendant who purposefully has directed his activities at 
forum residents seeks to defeat jurisdiction, he must present a compelling case that 
the presence of some other considerations would render jurisdiction 
unreasonable."  (Ibid., italics added.) 
       Though Pavlovich argues otherwise, he has failed to make such a 
compelling case here.  On the contrary, as the Court of Appeal concluded, the 
factors bearing on the overall reasonableness of California jurisdiction weigh 
strongly on the side of such jurisdiction. 
       The first of these factors, the burden on the defendant, favors Pavlovich the 
most, since he would presumably be required to travel from his current home in 

                                            27 



Texas to defend the suit.  We cannot discount the significant time, expense, and 
inconvenience this may entail. 
          But such concerns are present whenever jurisdiction away from the 
defendant's residence is at issue.  Here, the travel required is domestic, not 
international, and Pavlovich is not disadvantaged by the alien judicial system of a 
foreign nation.  (Compare, e.g., Asahi Metal Industry Co., supra, 480 U.S. 102, 
114; Core-Vent, supra, 11 F.3d 1482, 1489.)  The distance between Texas and 
California is not extreme under modern conditions.  Pavlovich cites his youth and 
represents in his brief that his current income is relatively low, but he does not 
otherwise suggest any unusual hardship. 
          Moreover, as indicated above, Pavlovich assumed the DeCSS source code 
was an illegal infringement of the licensed CSS technology, yet a decision was 
made to post it on the LiViD Web site anyway.  Pavlovich thus had reason to 
anticipate a responsive lawsuit from somewhere.  According to his deposition, he 
has already voluntarily appeared outside his home state as an expert witness in 
related litigation.  Thus, the burden is not constitutionally unreasonable in this 
case. 
          On the other hand, the interests of the plaintiff, the forum, and the interstate 
judicial system all strongly favor jurisdiction in this state.  For several reasons, 
California is a logical forum for convenient, efficient, and effective relief.  The 
industries affected by Pavlovich's conduct are centered or substantially present 
here.  Their licensing agent DVD CCA, the plaintiff in this suit, has its 
headquarters here.  As indicated above, California has a natural interest, reflected 
by the reach of its long-arm statute, in redressing the effects of an act within its 
territory, even though the act was done elsewhere.  (See ante, p. 11.)  California 
has also evidenced a more specific interest in the type of injury at issue here.  
California's adoption of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Civ. Code, Û 3426 et seq.) 

                                             28 



reflects both its common concern with regulating trade secret infringements and its 
special interest in providing effective remedies for such infringements committed 
against its own residents. 
           Finally, and importantly, both DVD CCA and the interstate judicial system 
have a strong interest in efficient resolution of DVD CCA's dispute, involving 
common issues of fact and law, with all of the many defendants named in its 
complaint.  That interest is not served by requiring DVD CCA to pursue individual 
defendants in separate fora, if a single suit in one fair and logical forum is 
possible.  For the reasons already stated, California is such a forum in this case.  In 
fact, I submit, California's specific interests, reinforced by the interest in efficient 
dispute resolution, are so strong here that "the reasonableness of [California] 
jurisdiction [may be established] upon a lesser showing of minimum contacts that 
would otherwise be required."  (Burger King, supra, 471 U.S. 462, 477.)  For 
these reasons, I am amply persuaded that California's assertion of personal 
jurisdiction over Pavlovich, for purposes of this specific litigation, is 
constitutionally fair and reasonable.11 







                                              
11         To the extent it is relevant to consider whether California jurisdiction 
would conflict with the competing sovereign interest of another forum, 
particularly the defendant's state of residence (see, e.g., Core-Vent, supra, 11 F.3d 
1482, 1487), Pavlovich identifies no specific interest of Texas in this litigation that 
might create such a conflict, and I am aware of none.  Pavlovich concedes that this 
factor has little if any weight in his favor. 



                                                  29 



       Though the majority imply otherwise, the result I propose does not signal a 
broad new rule that California jurisdiction is proper over any foreign defendant 
who causes foreseeable effects in this state.  On the contrary, I base my 
conclusions on the specific facts of this case.  These facts indicate that defendant 
Pavlovich engaged in intentional conduct purposefully targeted at interests he 
knew were centered or substantially present in California, with knowledge they 
would suffer harm here, such that he must reasonably have anticipated being 
called to account in this state.  Pavlovich thus forged minimum contacts with 
California, and it is otherwise fair and reasonable to assert personal jurisdiction 
over him here for purposes of related litigation.  For these reasons, and these 
reasons alone, I conclude that his motion to quash was properly denied. 
       I would affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeal. 
        
              B
                                                           A
                                                             X
                                                               T
                                                                 E
                                                                  R
                                                                    ,
                                                                      
                                                                      J
                                                                       .
                                                                        
WE CONCUR: 
 GEORGE, C.J. 
CHIN, J. 















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See next page for addresses and telephone numbers for counsel who argued in Supreme Court. 
 Name of Opinion Pavlovich v. Superior Court 
__________________________________________________________________________________ 
 Unpublished Opinion 
Original Appeal 
Original Proceeding 
Review Granted XXX 91 Cal.App.4th 409 
Rehearing Granted 
__________________________________________________________________________________ 
 Opinion No. S100809 
Date Filed: November 25,  2002 
 __________________________________________________________________________________ 
 Court: Superior 
County: Santa Clara 
Judge: William J. Elfving 
__________________________________________________________________________________ 
 Attorneys for Appellant: 
 Ornah Levy;  Huber Samuelson;  HS Law Group;  Hopkins & Carley, Arthur V. Plank and Allonn E. Levy  
for Petitioner. 
 Richard S. Wiebe for the Computer & Communications Industry Association and the Student Press Law 
Center as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Petitioner.  
 Ann Brick and Stephen McG. Bundy for the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California as 
Amicus Curiae on behalf of Petitioner.   
  __________________________________________________________________________________ 
 Attorneys for  Respondent: 
  Weil, Gotshal & Manges, Jared Ben Bobrow, Christopher J. Cox, Robert G. Sugarman, Jeffrey L. Kessler,  
Geoffrey D. Berman, and Gregory S. Coleman for Real Party in Interest.















                                                      1 



 Counsel who argued in Supreme Court (not intended for publication with opinion): 
  Allonn E. Levy 
Hopkins & Carley 
70 S. First Street 
San Jose, CA 95113 
(408) 286-9800 
   Gregory S. Coleman 
Weil, Gotshal & Manges 
8911 Cap. of Tx Hwy, Suite 4140 
Austin, TX 78759 
(512) 349-1930 
 



























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