ragan merchants transfer warehouse argued april decided june rehearing denied see ragan merchants transfer warehouse cornelius roach kansas city petitioner douglas hudson fort scott respondent justice douglas delivered opinion case involving highway accident occurred october came district kansas reason diversity citizenship petitioner instituted september filing complaint procedure specified federal rules civil procedure prescribed rules summons issued service december kansas statute limitations applicable tort claims respondent pleaded moved summary judgment petitioner claimed filing complaint tolled statute respondent argued reason kansas statute limitations tolled service summons district struck defense denied respondent motion trial verdict rendered petitioner appeals reversed ruled review kansas authorities requirement service summons within statutory period integral part state statute limitations accordingly held guaranty trust york governed tha respondent motion summary judgment sustained case petition certiorari granted importance question presented erie tompkins premised theory diversity cases rights enjoyed local law vary enforcement rights sought federal rather state recovery state denied federal otherwise authorized invoke diversity jurisdiction gain advantages confined state courts guaranty trust york applied principle statutes limitations theory one barred recovery state likewise barred federal conceded present case kansas barred theory guaranty trust york therefore seem bar federal appeals held force reasoning sought avoided argument federal rules civil procedure determine manner action commenced federal matter procedure principle erie tompkins control accordingly argued since suit properly commenced federal kansas statute limitations ran tolled statute reasoning result bomar keyes case suit enforce rights federal statute case doubt suit properly commenced federal present case look local law find cause action suit brought since cause action created local law measure found local law carries burden subject defenses federal state see cities service dunlap palmer hoffman accrues comes end local law declares west american tel guaranty trust york supra local law qualifies abridges federal must follow suit otherwise different measure cause action one principle erie tompkins transgressed draw distinction case local law brought cause action end rather suit started federal cases local law created right federal asked enforce cases local law undertook determine life cause action give longer life federal state without adding something cause action may consistently erie tompkins argued kansas statute integral part kansas statute limitations appeals careful canvass kansas law opinion written judge huxman distinguished member kansas bar held contrary ordinarily accept determination local law appeals see huddleston dwyer disturb affirmed justice rutledge dissents see dissenting opinion cohen beneficial industrial loan footnotes rule provides civil action commenced filing complaint rule provides filing complaint clerk shall forthwith issue summons deliver service marshal person specially appointed serve upon request plaintiff separate additional summons shall issue defendants earlier summons issued september thereafter served quashed provides action shall deemed commenced within meaning article defendant date summons served codefendant joint contractor otherwise interest service publication proper action shall deemed commenced date first publication attempt commence action shall deemed equivalent commencement thereof within meaning article party faithfully properly diligently endeavors procure service attempt must followed first publication service summons within sixty days civil rights act note supra