Lisa Frank, Inc. v. Brown

Filed 5/9/06 Lisa Frank, Inc. v. Brown CA2/2

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

California Rules of Court, rule 977(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 977(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 977.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION TWO

APPEAL from an order of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. Jon M. Mayeda, Judge. Affirmed.

Harris & Ruble, Alan Harris and David Zelenski for Plaintiff and Appellant.

Loeb & Loeb, Mark D. Campbell; Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, Robert M. Jackson, Cameron J. Evans and Robert J. Muchnick for Defendant and Respondent.

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We consider whether California courts have personal jurisdiction over defendant and respondent Suzanne Brown, an Arizona resident who was sued by her former Arizona employer, appellant Lisa Frank, Inc. (LFI) in a trade secrets case. We conclude that Brown does not have sufficient minimum contacts with this state to confer either general or specific jurisdiction over her. We also conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying LFI's request for a continuance to conduct discovery on the jurisdictional issue. We therefore affirm Brown's motion to quash service of summons.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Factual Background

A. The Parties

LFI, an Arizona corporation with headquarters in Tucson, Arizona, designs, markets and sells children's stationery, school and novelty products aimed primarily at young girls. The products are manufactured in China and Hong Kong and sold at major retail outlets nationwide. LFI alleges that it spends considerable time, money and effort training its artists, product-development personnel and sales executives in its â€