Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-00822/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-00822-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 240
Nature of Suit: Torts to Land
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Torts to Land

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McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

JOHN F. GISLA, SB #42829

Assistant U.S. Attorney

501 I Street, Suite 10-100

Sacramento, California 95814

Telephone: (916) 554-2740

Attorneys for the United States

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MITCH HEDRICK, DIANN ROMERO,

Plaintiffs,

v.

THE SECRETARY OF VETERAN AFFAIRS;

FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE COMPANY;

DOES 1-20,

Defendants.

No. 2:06-CV-00822-WBS-GGH

STIPULATION RELATING TO

FEDERAL CLAIMS; ORDER

It is stipulated between the undersigned parties as follows:

1. Plaintiffs' Second Cause of Action pleads a claim against

the Secretary of Veteran Affairs for breach of contract. Pursuant

to 28 U.S.C. § 1346(a)(2), the District Court has jurisdiction over

a claim against the United States founded upon an express or implied

contract not exceeding $10,000. It is therefore stipulated that

Plaintiff is limited in this action to the recovery of damages for

breach of contract in the amount of $10,000 or less.

2. Plaintiffs' Third Cause of Action pleads a claim against the

Secretary of Veteran Affairs for negligent misrepresentation. This

Case 2:06-cv-00822-WBS-GGH Document 13 Filed 03/07/07 Page 1 of 5
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claim is a tort claim brought under the Federal Tort Claims Act. 

The Federal Tort Claims Act excludes claims against the United

States for negligent misrepresentation. 28 U.S.C. § 2680(h); OPM v.

Richmond, 496 U.S. 414, , 110 S.Ct. 2465, 2474 (1990) (". . . the

FTCA by its terms excludes both negligent and intentional

misrepresentation claims from its coverage."); Alexander v. United

States, 787 F.2d 1349, (9th Cir. 1986) (a claim for

misrepresentation is barred by the immunity retained under 28 U.S.C. 

U.S.C. § 2680(h)) (Congress intended the term misrepresentation to

include negligent misrepresentation). Plaintiffs' claim against the

Secretary of Veterans Affairs for negligent misrepresentation should

therefore be dismissed as barred by the immunity retained under 28

U.S.C. U.S.C. § 2680(h).

Moreover, a plaintiff must first exhaust administrative

remedies under the Federal Tort Claims Act by first filing an

administrative claim pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2675(a). Plaintiffs

have not filed an administrative claim against the United States. 

Plaintiffs' claim against the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for

negligent misrepresentation should therefore be dismissed for lack

of jurisdiction for failure to exhaust administrative remedies.

DATED: March 1, 2007 McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

 By: /s/ John F. Gisla 

JOHN F. GISLA

Assistant United States Attorney

Attorneys for the United States

DATED: February 26, 2007 /s/ James J. Falcone 

JAMES J. FALCONE

Attorney for Plaintiffs

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DATED: March 1, 2007 /s/ Jeff Nelson 

JEFF NELSON

Attorney for Fidelity National Title

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ORDER

Pursuant to the foregoing stipulation, it is ordered that:

1. Plaintiffs' damages against the Secretary of Veterans

Affairs for breach of contract are limited to $10,000 or less;

2. Plaintiffs' claim against the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

for negligent misrepresentation is hereby dismissed.

DATED: March 6, 2007

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

The undersigned hereby certifies that she is an employee in the

office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of

California, and is of such age and discretion to be competent to

serve papers.

That on March 1, 2007, she served a copy of:

STIPULATION RELATING TO FEDERAL CLAIMS; ORDER

by placing said copy in postpaid envelopes addressed to the persons

at the place and addresses shown below, which are the last known

addressees, and deposited said envelopes and in the United States

mail in Sacramento, California.

Addressee(s):

James J. Falcone, Esq.

520 Capitol Mall, Suite 600

Sacramento, CA 95814

Jeff Nelson, Esq.

100 N. Wiget Lane, Suite 150

Walnut Creek, CA 94598

 /s/ Amber Jose 

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