Legal Definitions - center-of-gravity doctrine

The center-of-gravity doctrine is a rule used in conflict of laws. It states that the law of the jurisdiction with the most significant relationship to the transaction or event applies. This is also known as the significant-relationship theory or grouping-of-contacts theory.

For example, if a person from New York gets into a car accident while driving in California, the center-of-gravity doctrine would consider the location of the accident, the residence of the parties involved, and the state where the car is registered to determine which state's laws apply to the case.

Another example would be if a company based in Texas sells a product to a customer in Florida, but the product causes harm to the customer in Georgia. The center-of-gravity doctrine would consider the location of the sale, the location of the harm, and the states where the company and customer are located to determine which state's laws apply to the case.

These examples illustrate how the center-of-gravity doctrine is used to determine which state's laws apply in cases where multiple states are involved. By considering the significant relationships between the parties and the transaction or event, the doctrine helps ensure that the most appropriate laws are applied to the case.