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comity

Comity refers to courts of one state or jurisdiction respecting the laws and judicial decisions of other jurisdictions – whether state, federal or international – not as a matter of obligation but out of deference and mutual respect. In constitutional law , the enforcement of judgments between states in the United States is governed by the Comity Clause of the Constitution

• Article IV, § 2 .

The first-filed rule, for instance, is a rule of comity for resolving conflicts of jurisdictions where parallel actions are filed in different federal district courts . If two or more substantially identical actions are proceeding in different courts, the court with the later-filed action should defer to the jurisdiction of the court with the first-filed action by dismissing , staying , or transferring the later-filed suit.

See also: comity of nations .

[Last reviewed in April of 2026 by the Wex Definitions Team
]

Wex

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