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Federal Jurisdiction
a. Diversity Jurisdiction 1332 - must be completely diverse and amount must be
more than $75,000 not counting interest and cost (If P filed then P likely wants
subject matter jurisdiction so he can be in federal court, if the case is removed then
the D is going to be arguing for jurisdiction because he was the one who removed it
to federal court)
i.
Article 3 of Constitution - broader than 1331 and 1332
1. Section 2 - Between citizens of a different state or state / foreign state
a. Only requires minimal diversity (FL v. FL / CA)
ii
Diversity of citizenship
1 Complete diversity required 1332(a)(1)
a. To be a citizen of a state is someone must be both a U.S. citizen
and domiciled in the state
i.
U.S. citizen domiciled abroad (Johnny Depp) - not a foreign
citizen, not a state citizen, for purposes of diversity he is
stateless, cannot sue or be sued under diversity
ii.
Foreign citizen domiciled in the U.S. (French president) - if not
a U.S. citizen then can't sue or be sued under diversity
iii.
Born in the U.S. then assume birthright citizenship,
naturalized U.S. citizen is a U.S.
b Domicile:
i.
Where does the person reside?
I.
House, Job, memberships, etc.
ii
Do they have a requisite intent?
I.
Majority Approach: Intent to stay indefinitely?
II.
Mas Test: Intent to stay permanently?
b Corporations 1332(c) i
Place of incorporation (might be more than one place)
ii
Principal Place of Business - only one
I.
Hertz Test: Nerve Center
b Partnerships (LLC, LLP) - The LLC is a citizen where ALL the owners
are citizens
i
Exception: Professional Corporation (PC) - Same as
corporation, PPOB and Incorp.
b Representatives
i
Bob dies in FL, the representative of his estate is in CA. Her
capacity of the decedent is in FL.
I.
Hypo: What if the representative is suing on behalf of
Bob in FL for wrongful death AND for NIED for her own
damage - she's a citizen of both (IIED - CA, Wrongful
death - FL)
b Time of filing is the time that matters
2 U.S. v. Foreigners - 1332(a)(2) - People not corporations
a FL v. Citizen of France - Diversity Jurisdiction
b FL v. Citizen of France but Domiciled in FL - Diversity Jurisdiction
(can sue foreigners so this works as long as D doesn't become a
U.S. citizen)
c FL v. Citizen of France, gets a green card, domiciled in New York Diversity Jurisdiction (citizen of FL v. U.S. citizen in different state
2 Foreigners v. Foreigners - 1332(a)(3) - People not corporations
a Must have citizens of different states on each side of the v. then
you can add on foreigners
i
Hypo: FL + France v. NY + Germany (this is ok)
I.
FL v. NY - OK by A1
II.
FL v. GER - OK by A2
III.
FR v. NY - OK by A2
IV.
FR v. GER - OK by A3
ii
Hypo: FL + FR v. GER (this is not ok)
I.
FL v. GER - OK by A2
II.
FR v. GER- Not OK because this would only work if GER
was an additional party to a U.S. defendant
ii
Amount in Controversy must be > $75,000
1 Accept what the plaintiff pleads if it is good faith. Must be legally certain
it cannot be met to not meet this condition (usually because of
requested amount or caps).
a Hypo: $1,000 per unsolicited texts, if someone sues for 10
unsolicited texts then it cannot be over $75,000 - this is known to a
legal certainty.
2 Rules of Aggregation:
a P can aggregate together any amounts in controversy against any
one defendant
i
Hypo - P sues D for battery ($50,000) and for unrelated
breach of contract ($50,000) - this passes
ii
Hypo - P1 and P2 each sue D for battery for $50,000 each, this
cannot be added together
iii
Hypo - P sues D1 and D2 for battery for $50,000 each, this
cannot be added together
iv
Must be different damages
I.
Hypo - P sues D for $50,000 for breaking the contract
and fraud and SL. All three counts are for the same
$50,000. This is $50,000 only not $150,000, cannot be
added on.
Subject Matter Jurisdiction 1331 - Federal Question
i
Article 3 - Constitution permits subject matter jurisdiction if there is any
federal ingredient in the case at all - 1331 is narrower.
ii
Step 1: Well Pleaded Complaint Rule - Only look at the plaintiff's complaint
1 Don't look at anticipated defenses or counter claims
a Mottley - P was seeking damages for breach of contract, they said
that D will assert a federal defense. Court said this was an
anticipated federal defense and doesn't count.
ii
Step 2: Is there a federal question?
1 Holmes Test - Which lawmaker created the cause of action, state or
federal?
a Note: Iqbal sued under a Biven action which is federal common law
- this satisfies the Holmes test
2 Grable Test - Is there an embedded federal issue?
a Example: State claim for negligence but the duty prong is based on
a federal statute
b Grable: State quiet title action (state) but the quiet title action
hinged on the IRS (Federal).
i
Is the federal issue necessarily raised by the state law claim?
Does it turn on resolution of that issue?
ii
Is the federal issue actually disputed?
iii
Is the federal issue substantial? (to the federal system as a
whole, in Grable it went to the federal government's ability to
collect taxes).
iv
Would it upset the balance of dockets between the court?
Don't want to open the flood gates of state courts claims into
federal courts
I.
If any element fails then likely it fails.
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Service of Process
a Rule 4 - Service of the summons and complaint
i
Summons is what is used to assert power over a person
ii
By a non-party
iii
Defendant can waive service which gives D extra time to answer
iv
Rule 4(e) - service on an individual residing in the U.S.
1 In federal court you can use any basis for service that is allowed in the
relevant state court
2 Or the federal basis such as personally or leaving it with a person of
suitable age that resides at D's house
b Rule 6 - Timing
Venue - looks at federal districts not states
a Not a constitutional requirement, it's statutory
b Typically looks to where the parties reside and where things happened
c 1441(a) - Tells us the proper venue for a case that is removed from state to federal
court - the corresponding federal court
d 1390 e 1391 - Governs venue for a case that is originally filed in federal court
i
1391(b)(1) - Where do the defendants reside?
1 Can lead to multiple proper venues
2 If all of the defendants reside in the same state then venue is
appropriate in any district where a D resides
a If defendants do not reside in the same state then B1 is not
satisfied
2 For purposes of B1 use domicile for individuals (1391 (c)(1))
a Hypo: Resident is not domiciled in the U.S. -> can be sued in any
district
b Hypo: PA v. Miami, Tallahassee, and France -> B1 can be used for
purpose of venue. Even though they do not reside in the same
state, the foreign person doesn't count for this analysis (1391(c)
(3)).
ii
1391(b)(2) - Where stuff happened?
1 Can lead to multiple proper venues
2 Can use a broad approach or a narrow approach
ii
1391(b)(3) - fallback that only kicks in if there is no place that satisfies b1 and
b2
1 Usually B2 would be out of the U.S. for this to happen and P / D from
different states
2 Fallback is any district where any defendant is subject to PJ with respect
to such action (problem is you likely can't get PJ over multiple
defendants in the same place)
ii
1391(c)(1) - Use domicile to tell residents
iii
1391(c)(2) - venue is for districts not states, for corporations they reside in
any venue where they have the capacity to sue or be sued under personal
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Joinder
a Rule 18
i
Rule 18(a) - the party that is asserting a claim may assert with that claim any
other claims against that party even if they are unrelated to the original claim
1 Example: P v. D1 and D2 for negligence (three car crash). D1 crossclaims
against D2 is limited, can't sue for unrelated breach of contract under
13(g).
b Rule 13
i
Rule 13(a) - Compulsory Cross Claim 1 Same transaction or occurrence as the claim
2 Can't be pending in an existing proceeding
ii
Rule 13(b) - Permissive Cross Claim - Anything that's not compulsory
1 Usually an unrelated claim or pending somewhere else
ii
Rule 13(g) - cross claims are never compulsory
b Rule 14
i
14(a) - permissive - may serve a summons or complaint if third party is liable
for what is owed to P. Could be that the third party is liable to P or D.
ii
Hypo: P sues D (hospital) for negligence (car crash), Dr. C operates on P.
Hospital also sues Dr. W who was P's doctor somewhere else and Dr. C.
Hospital has an employee relationship with Dr. C. so the hospital is liable for
Dr. C.
1 Indemnification - special relationship makes one liable
2 Contribution - something that one tortfeasor seeks from another, both
are negligent
b Rule 20
i
Permissive joinder of parties requires all of the Ps or Ds are suing for the same
transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions / occurrences.
ii
Hypo: P sues D1, D2, D3
iii
Hypo: P1, P2, P3 sues D1
iv
Hypo: P1, P2 sue D1, D2
v
Be able to explore same transaction / occurrence
b Rule 19
i
Compulsory joinder of parties
ii
Rule 19(a)
iii
First question? Is the person necessary
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Scope is 26(b). You can either admit, deny, or say don't have sufficient
information (same as deny). Admissions are used to clear the underbrush.
b Rule 37 - Sanctions
i
Rule 37(a) motion to compel
ii
Rule 37(b) when there has already been a court order response to discovery
and it has been violated.
iii
Rule 37(c) failure to supplement, the information can be precluded from the
trial
iv
Rule 37(d) major or total failure to participate in discovery
Summary Judgment
a Rule 56
i
Rule 56(a) 1 can be applied to the entire case or part of the case
2 Granted if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any
material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
ii
Rule 56(b) any time until 30 days after the close of all discovery.
iii
Rule 56(c)- must show that the fact cannot be genuinely disputed by citing to
particular parts of materials in the record (affidavit, etc.) or showing that the
other party cannot produce admissible evidence to support their side.
iv
Rule 56(c)(3) Materials Not Cited. The court need consider only the cited
materials, but it may consider other materials in the record. - Theoretically a
judge can do outside research
v
Rule 56(d) If a nonmovant shows by affidavit or declaration that, for specified
reasons, it cannot present facts essential to justify its opposition, the court
may:
(1) defer considering the motion or deny it;
(2) allow time to obtain affidavits or declarations or to take discovery; or
(3) issue any other appropriate order.
I
Rule56(g) gives the court the option to only grant partial summary judgment
II
What does it mean to have a genuine dispute of fact?
a Sham affidavit: you didn't do your homework in preparing the witness
and the witness makes damaging statements so you make an affidavit
disputing the deposition trying to create a dispute of fact.
I Burden of Production v. Burden of Persuasion
a Burden of Persuasion (jury): More likely than not, plaintiff's burden
i
If the defendant claims an affirmative defense (emergency, etc.) they
now have the burden to prove this.
b Burden of Production (judge): Judge trying to make a determination about
judicial resources, is there enough evidence to send to a jury in the first place.
i
If the matter is in equipoise then the judge has come to the conclusion
that a rational jury could go either way then it goes to the jury
ii
Burden of production shifts when the party moving for summary
judgment is claiming that the jury could only side with him
1 The defendant raising summary judgment must do something,
can't just say "you don't have any evidence, show your cards."
II Multiple ways to move for summary judgment
a Put forward their own information
b Celotex route - point out that the other party is lacking evidence to fulfill their
claim
II Adickes: A party that wants to discharge its burden of production must present some
evidence.
a Defendant wanted to discharge burden of production in summary judgment
motiondid not quite get therewould have to put forward evidence that
essentially knocks down evidence the plaintiff would put forth at trial.
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b Stands for the proposition that you must prove summary judgment (Celotex
disproves this assumption)
c Celotex: Absence of some element in proving your claim can be fatal when the
other party moves for summary judgment (because plaintiff has burden of
persuasion). Properly applied rule 56.
i
Catrett only presents hearsay evidence which is not disproven
II Scott v. Harris - If there is no question of fact you don't have to make one, only if there
is a genuine dispute as to the facts.
a There are three basic approaches to the question of what burden a movant for
summary judgment should bear
b Adickes approach
i
In order to require a non-movant to respond, a movant must establish
the truth of his position, whether or not he would have the burden of
proof at trial
1 Often associated with Prof. J. William Moore
b Professor Louis approach
i
The movant would only have to meet a burden of production, or to
demonstrate through discovery the absence of proof of an essential
elements of the non-movants case
b Professor Curries approach
i
Summary judgments would be treated in the same manner as a motion
for judgment as a matter of law at trial pursuant to Rule 50, imposing no
burden of production on a movant who would not bear the burden of
production at trial, in order to require the non-movant to come forward
with her supporting evidence
Seventh Amendment & Jury Trial
a Law and Equity
i
Rule 18 combines legal and equitable claims
ii
Under Dairy Queen common issues must be decided by a jury
b Terry Test
i
Is there a cause of action that existed in 1791 that is sufficiently analogous?
ii
The nature of the remedy? Is it equitable or legal?
1 Money = Legal
2 Injunction / specific performance = Equitable
3 Can be exceptions (Dairy Queen)
ii
Justice Brennan (Dissent) said get rid of the first prong, just look at the
remedy
Post-Trial Motions
a Rule 50(a) Directed Verdict (before or during trial)
b Rule 50(b) J.N.O.V. (after trial)
i
Must have moved under 50(a) during the trial to request a 50(b) motion after
b Federal standard is the substantial evident standard. Court is permitted to look at
both sides evidence and ask whether a reasonable juror could find for the
nonmoving party.
i
Doesn't weigh evidence, only looks at evidence that doesn't conflict
b State scintilla rule - only looks at the nonmoving parties evidence, do they have any
evidence at all.
Erie Doctrine
a First question: Is there a conflict between federal and state law
i
If between the constitution and the state law: Constitution wins
ii
If between a federal statute and a state law: Ask if the federal statute is a
valid statute under the constitution and congresses power - if so then the
federal statute wins
iii
If FRCP or REA and state law then you have an issue
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