Arrowsmith v. Gleason

In Arrowsmith v. Gleason, 129 U.S. 86 (1889), the grounds of the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court of the United States to entertain an original suit - the parties being citizens of different States - to set aside a sale of lands fraudulently made by the guardian of an infant, under authority derived from a Probate Court, are thus stated: "These principles control the present case, which, although involving rights arising under judicial proceedings in another jurisdiction, is an original, independent suit for equitable relief between the parties; such relief being grounded upon a new state of facts, disclosing not only imposition upon a court of justice in procuring from it authority to sell an infant's lands when there was no necessity therefor, but actual fraud in the exercise, from time to time, of the authority so obtained. As the case is within the equity jurisdiction of the Circuit Court, as defined by the Constitution and laws of the United States, that court may, by its decree, lay hold of the parties, and compel them to do what according to the principles of equity they ought to do, thereby securing and establishing the rights of which the plaintiff is alleged to have been deprived by fraud and collusion."