Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins
Hughestown, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1938 that, in cases between citizens of different states, federal courts must apply state common law, not federal "general common law." Under Pennsylvania common law, Harry Tompkins of Hughestown lost his case against the Erie Railroad, a New York State company. Tompkins had been struck by an unsecured door of a passing train and severely injured near this spot on July 27, 1934.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Near this spot in 1934, Harry Tompkins was walking along the tracks when he was struck and badly hurt by a door swinging from a passing Erie Railroad train. His injury lawsuit climbed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 1938 issued one of the most cited decisions in American law: in disputes between citizens of different states, federal courts must apply state common law rather than an invented "general" federal common law. The ruling cost Tompkins his case but reshaped how the nation's courts operate.
Why it matters
Erie v. Tompkins remade the balance between state and federal courts and remains a cornerstone of American legal education.
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Related people
- ¡ Harry Tompkins
Related events
- ¡ Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins
Themes & tags
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