Well-pleaded complaint rule
Defined in 1 dictionary — Case Law
Definitions from Case Law
From 234 U.S. 74 - Simon Taylor v. Joe Anderson · 1914Most cited · 1,147 citing opinions
It has become firmly settled that whether a case is one arising under the Constitution or a law or treaty of the United States, in the sense of the jurisdictional statute, must be determined from what necessarily appears in the plaintiff's statement of his own claim in the bill or declaration, unaided by anything alleged in anticipation or avoidance of defenses which it is thought the defendant may interpose.