Hain Celestial Group v. Palmquist

On February 24, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a decision by the Fifth Circuit that required a Texas state court to re-try a case already heard to verdict in a federal district court. The decision was a setback for WLF, which filed an amicus brief in the case contending that once a case has been tried to verdict, substantial interests in judicial economy and finality overwhelm any jurisdictional flaws that may have existed at the time of trial. In particular, the brief highlighted two reasons to preserve the federal judgment. First, founding-era skepticism, which has been proven true by experience, suggests that state courts may discriminate against out-of-state parties. Second, the modern practice of judicial elections only amplifies that risk, given that judges are elected by a (necessarily) in-state constituency.