Subject Matter Jurisdiction Flashcards
Will the amount in controversy be met if the plaintiff makes an unsupported claim for the minimum amount of damages specified by 1332(b)?
No, because although the damage amount claimed by the plaintiff in good faith will generally control the party asserting Jx must set forth sufficient facts to support the claim.
Will the amount in controversy requirement be satisfied by an unsupported claim for damages?
No - although the damage amount claimed by the plaintiff in good faith will generally control in a diversity Jx. Assessment
Does a corporations principal place of business, for diversity Jx, refer to the place where the corporations high level officers direct, control, and coordinate the company’s activities?
Yes, because federal diversity Jx provides that a corporation shall be deemed a citizen of a state in which it has been incorporated and of the state where it has its principal place of business
Will a college students home state always be considered their state of residency?
No, residency rests on the fact of the students connection to the new state and intent to remain indefinitely
Difenthal v. CAB
Diversity Jx. - application of amount in controversy rule
A couple purchased first class smoking area tickets, however, after boarding were told that the smoking area was full they would have to sit in non-smoking if they wished to fly first class. They alleged emotional distress.
Holding: amount in controversy was not met here because the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate how they had suffered anything more than a trivial loss.
Gordon v. Steele
Diversity Jx. - domicile rule application
Where student brought a malpractice suit against two physicians in PA because of injury to wrist.
Holding: Student grew up in PA but moved to ID for college. She was considered a resident of ID for diversity purposes because she had significant activity there and did not intend to return to PA
1332 (a)
Statute by which congress authorizes federal district courts to hear diversity cases
Strawbridge v. Curtiss
Diversity Jx. - Rule
When the diversity statute was interpreted to require complete diversity between all plaintiffs and defendants
Saint Paul Mercury Indemnity v. Red Cab Co.
Diveristy Jx. - amount In controversy rule
The amount claimed by the plaintiff in good faith will control for purposes of determining federal diversity Jx.
Holding: dismissal for failure to meet the amount in controversy requirement was only proper if it was a legal certainty that the claim is far less than the jurisdictional amount
The nerve center test
The principle or or place of business that refers to the place where a corporations high level officers direct, control, and coordinate activities - a corporations total activities or the center of gravity for an organization
Why does amount in controversy exist?
To avoid frivolous claims
Requirements of Diversity Jx.
- Parties must be from different states
2. Amount in controversy is over $75k
Hertz Corp. v. Friend
Diversity jx. - Corporate Diversity Rule
Two EEs of Hertz claimed violations of CA wage law, along with a potential class of other CA citizens who had suffered similar harms.
The nerve center test came out of this case
Holding: Hertz’s nerve center was in NJ but they were also incorporated in CA - no diversity jx.
Can parties be considered diverse/from different states during anytime during the case proceedings?
No - diversity must exist on the day the complaint is filed.
Even if the parties were not diverse at the time the events giving rise to the claim occurred or later in the litigation process.
Maas v. Perry
Diversity Jx. - domicile rule application
Apartment with two way mirrors - with students who were married and living in LA but were originally from MS and France.
Holding: A party who temporarily lives in one state but has permanent residence in another, is domiciled in the state where the permanent residence is located.
1332 (c) (1)
Provides that a corporation shall be deemed a citizen of every state and foreign state by which it has been incorporated and where it has its principal place of business
Makes corporations local in states where their principal place of business is located - eliminating federal diversity suits between the corporation and citizens of that state
The domicile test
- An intent to remain indefinitely
2. Physical presence
How is domicile determined?
By looking at a persons exercise of political rights, payment of personal taxes, house of residence, black of business/employment and etc.
Is a party who currently resides in one state but does not intend to stay in that state, domiciled there for the purpose of diversity Jx?
No, because a party who temporarily lives in one state but has a permanent residence in another state is domiciled in the state where their permanent residence is located.
The Saint Paul Mercury test ( or the good faith rule of thumb)
That a claim for more than the required amount will be accepted, if it appears to be made in good faith. Unless it appears to a legal certainty that the claim is really for less than the jurisdictional amount
What is the requirement for federal question jx?
A federal ingredient
A plaintiff must allege a cause of action based upon or which brings into question federal law or the constitution
The Mottley Rule
Allows the court to determine its jurisdiction without demanding an immediate answer to the complaint or relying on the plaintiff’s representations about likely defenses
1331
Congress grants jx to the federal district courts over all cases arising under the constitution, law or treaties of the U.S.
1331 is similar to what provision in the constitution?
Article III, section 2 of the constitution - which authorizes jx. over cases arising under federal law
Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co. v. Mottley (facts)
Federal Question Jx. - Congressional statutory rule
K with couple to give them free railroad passes for life because of a previous negligence injury caused by a train. they got their free passes for a while but then were declined for renewal because of the Hepburn Act passed by Congress which forbade the giving of free passes or free transportation
Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co. v. Mottley (holding)
Federal Quesiton Jx. - Congressional statutory rule
It is not sufficient for federal jx. that the plaintiff anticipates that the defendant will raise a federal statute in defense - instead the plaintiffs well pleaded complaint must state that the defendant directly violated some provision of the constitution, laws or treaties of the U.S.
Osborn v. Bank of The United States
Federal Question Jx. - Constitutional rule
So long as there is a federal ingredient in the action and cites article III, section 2 of the constitution which authorizes jx. over cases arising out of federal law
Gunn v. Minton
Federal Question Jx. - application of the rule
Patent infringement suit, federal question jx. where state claims involve substantial question of federal law.
Holding: finding exclusive federal jx. over state malpractice actions would disturb the balance of federal and state judicial responsibilities.
What is the rule/4 things needed for federal question jx. over a state law claim?
If a federal issue is:
- Necessarily raised
- Actually disputed
- Substantial
- Capable of resolution in federal court without disrupting the federal-state balance approved by Congress
(in most cases the first two factors will be met, so the analysis will focus on the last two)
The Holmes Test (also called the creator test)
when a suit arises under the law that creates the cause of action
Under federal question jx. will it be enough that the federal issue be significant to the parties in the suit?
No because that will always be true.
There has to be a substantial inquire that looks instead to the importance of the issue to the federal system as a whole.
Grable v. Darue Engineering & Manufacturing
Federal Question Jx. - rule for when state law claims involve substantial questions of federal law
An action to quiet title of property where to establish the state property law claim a proposition of federal law had to be proven
Holding: only some cases involving embedded federal issues will qualify for arising under federal question jx.
When may a lawsuit be removed from state court to federal court?
only if the federal court would have had original subject matter jurisdiction over the claim
What must the court ask when deciding whether removal is proper?
whether the plaintiff (who sued in state court) could have filed the action in federal court?
What are the options when a court decides yes to remove or no to remove a case?
If yes, the defendant may usually remove
If no, then the case should either be dismissed or remanded back to state court
Is notice of removal automatic once filed?
yes.
Even if it is determined that it is a non-removable case. It will be pending in federal court once the notice of removal is filed and the state court is notified.
1441
authorizes removal of civil actions
what is the purpose of removal?
Reflects the premise of equal access
That a defendant should only be entitled to remove a case if the case, as pleaded by the plaintiff, could have been filed initially in a federal court.
Can a defendant remove an action to any federal district they prefer?
No, the defendant can choose to remove to the federal system but does not get a choice to move the case to a different state/district than the one where it was originally filed.
However, removal may still change the location of the original litigation if the federal district court is in a city some distance from the county where the state case was filed.
1446(a)
The procedure for the removal of civil actions
generally the defendant files a notice of removal in the federal court and notifies the plaintiff and the state in which such action is brought.
1446(b)
Requirements for removal:
- within 30 days of receiving the complaint (may be removed later than this considering amendments)
- all defendants in suit must agree on removal