All of which is background for an extended response to Verbie...
Verbie wrote:
I haz a confused. Isn't diversity one of the 'prongs' (or some such leagelese) that says whether a case belongs in Federal jurisdiction?
And didn't this case just get dropkicked to State court(s)?
Nobody needs to be arguing anything about diversity any more, do they?
Compare and contrast:
I.
Barnett v. Dunn was brought in CA state court. Pambly, in her infinite wisdom (as augmented, perhaps, by Strunk's even more infiniter wisdom) named a federal defendant for unknown and/or inscrutible reasons. The federal defendant REMOVED the case to federal court because a federal agency has a right to be sued in federal court. Once there, the court dismissed the suit against the federal agency and dropkicked the case back to the state court.
So why was it that the court could dropkick it back to state court? Because it
started in state court, was
removed and, once the reasons for removal were dispensed with, the federal court was done with its part in the drama and it became a state case once again.
II. Berg
et al sue California Orly and Texas Tex for defamation claims that, at the end of the day, amount to various respective state-law tort claims. Right or wrong, Berg's basis for filing in federal court is diversity. Conveniently, Berg files in PA where he just happens to live and (purports to) practice(s) law. After much gnashing of teeth, the court decides that the matter would be better and more fairly dispensed with as two separate suits -- one against California Orly and the other against Texas Tex in the respective federal districts.
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So could the judge have dropkicked this case (these cases) to state court(s)? Nope, no way. A federal court cannot create a state case and we're in the federal system now. Frankly, Berg is lucky (IMO) that the case was bifurcated rather than dismissed because he still has some federal action to work with.
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Q. But what if Judge Robeno had dismissed the whole mess as a federal case? Couldn't Berg just refile state actions?
A. Well, yes, he could. But he's already used up a bunch of time screwing around in federal court -- enough, perhaps, to give him statute-of-limitations problems.
Q. But won't the state courts "give him credit" for commencing the action a long time ago in federal court?
A. Nope. Generally, when you choose to file in federal court, you are banking your stash on the federal courts having jurisdiction. If you're wrong, and then try to file in state court, you're at square one. And if the statute of limitation has run in the meantime, then tough luck.
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Removal is different matter altogether. Where plaintiff has commenced the action in state court before it was removed, the original filing date is the tolling date for S.O.L. purposes -- however long the case twists and turns in federal court before being remanded to state court.