The legal doctrine of "minimum contacts," established in International Shoe Co. v. Washington, determines territorial jurisdiction by assessing whether an out-of-state defendant has purposefully established such meaningful connections with the forum state—such as conducting business, directing interactive websites, or committing tortious acts affecting residents—that being subjected to the state’s courts would not offend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice, thereby ensuring the defendant could reasonably anticipate being sued there while protecting them from arbitrary or inconvenient litigation in unrelated jurisdictions.
