Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-3_08-cv-08084/USCOURTS-azd-3_08-cv-08084-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 350
Nature of Suit: Motor Vehicle Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Tort/Motor Vehicle (P.I.)

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 The complaint alleges that jurisdiction also exists pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1441 and 1446, but those statutes are totally inapplicable to this action since

they relate solely to actions removed from a state court, and this is not a removed

action.

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Lancer Insurance Company, et al., 

Plaintiffs, 

vs.

Western Distributing Company, et al.,

Defendants.

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No. CV-08-8084-PCT-PGR 

 

 ORDER

In a complaint filed on July 7, 2008, the plaintiffs allege that the Court has

diversity of citizenship jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1332.1

 Having reviewed the complaint, the Court finds that the jurisdictional

allegations therein are insufficient as a matter of law to establish the existence of

subject matter jurisdiction. The Court will therefore require the plaintiffs to file an

amended complaint properly stating a jurisdictional basis for this action. See 28

U.S.C. § 1653; see also, Smith v. McCullough, 270 U.S. 456, 459, 46 S.Ct. 338,

339 (1926) ("The established rule is that a plaintiff, suing in federal court, must

show in his pleading, affirmatively and distinctly, the existence of whatever is

Case 3:08-cv-08084-PGR Document 12 Filed 07/15/08 Page 1 of 3
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 The plaintiffs are also advised that the total capitalization of the parties' names in

the caption of the complaint violates LRCiv 7.1(a)(3).

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essential to federal jurisdiction, and, if he does not do so, the court, on having the

defect called to its attention or on discovering the same, must dismiss the case,

unless the defect be corrected by amendment.")

The jurisdictional allegation concerning defendant Ronald Eugene Hale is

facially deficient because it merely refers to him as being a resident of Aurora,

Colorado. It is black letter law that allegations of residency, including allegations

of “primary residency,” do not suffice for purposes of § 1332. See Steigleder v.

McQuesten, 198 U.S. 141, 143, 25 S.Ct. 616, 617 (1905) ("It has long been

settled that residence and citizenship [are] wholly different things within the

meaning of the Constitution and the laws defining and regulating the jurisdiction

of the ... courts of the United States; and that a mere averment of residence in a

particular state is not an averment of citizenship in that state for the purpose of

jurisdiction."); accord, Kanter v. Warner-Lambert Co., 265 F.3d 853, 857-58 (9th

Cir. 2001) (Plaintiffs' complaint ... state[s] that Plaintiffs were 'residents' of

California. But the diversity jurisdiction statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1332, speaks of

citizenship, not of residency. ... [The] failure to specify Plaintiffs' state of

citizenship was fatal to [the] assertion of diversity jurisdiction.") 

The plaintiffs are advised that their failure to timely file an amended

complaint that cures the pleading deficiency noted in this Order shall result in the

dismissal of this action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.2

 Therefore, 

IT IS ORDERED that the complaint is dismissed for lack of subject matter

jurisdiction.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the plaintiffs shall file an amended

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complaint properly stating a jurisdictional basis for this action no later than July

25, 2008. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the plaintiffs shall immediately serve a

copy of this Order upon any defendant who has already been served with

process.

DATED this 14th day of July, 2008.

Case 3:08-cv-08084-PGR Document 12 Filed 07/15/08 Page 3 of 3