Minton v. Helena Marine Service, Inc.

Plaintiff, Harrison Minton, Jr., filed a complaint in the circuit court of Madison County, Illinois, pursuant to the Merchant Seamen Act, commonly called the Jones Act (46 U.S.C.A. sec. 688 (West 1975)), and the general maritime law of the United States. Defendant, Helena Marine Service, filed a motion to decline jurisdiction as to either all or part of the complaint based upon forum non conveniens. The motion was denied. This court granted defendant’s petition for leave to appeal under Supreme Court Rule 306(a)(l)(ii) (103 Ill. 2d R. 306(a)(l)(ii)). We affirm.

Plaintiff filed a four-count…