Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_19-cv-01262/USCOURTS-cand-3_19-cv-01262-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Breach of Contract

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NORTH AMERICA PHOTON 

INFOTECH, LTD,

Plaintiff,

v.

DISCOVERORG, LLC,

Defendant.

Case No.19-cv-01262-JSC 

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE 

REGARDING SUBJECT MATTER 

JURISDICTION

Plaintiff North America Photon Infotech, LTD, filed this action alleging breach of contract 

against Defendant Discoverorg, LLC, in the San Francisco Superior Court. Discoverorg, LLC

thereafter removed the action to this Court based on federal diversity jurisdiction pursuant to 28 

U.S.C. § 1332. Discoverorg, LLC then moved to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction and 

improper venue. (Dkt. No. 5.) 

A defendant may remove an action from state court to federal court so long as the federal 

court has original jurisdiction. 28 U.S.C. § 1441(a). Federal subject matter jurisdiction under 28 

U.S.C. § 1332(a)(1) requires complete diversity of citizenship and an amount in controversy in 

excess of $75,000. Complete diversity means that “each of the plaintiffs must be a citizen of a 

different state than each of the defendants.” Allstate Ins. Co. v. Hughes, 358 F.3d 1089, 1095 (9th 

Cir. 2004). The defendant seeking removal “bears the burden of establishing that removal is 

proper” and the “removal statute is strictly construed against removal jurisdiction.” Provincial 

Gov’t of Marinduque v. Placer Dome, Inc., 582 F.3d 1083, 1087 (9th Cir. 2009). Further, when a 

case is removed to federal court, the court has an independent obligation to satisfy itself that it has 

federal subject matter jurisdiction. Valdez v. Allstate Ins. Co., 372 F.3d 1115, 1116 (9th Cir. 

2004). A case removed to federal court must be remanded back to state court “if at any time 

Case 3:19-cv-01262-JSC Document 19 Filed 04/02/19 Page 1 of 2
2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

before final judgment it appears that the district court lacks subject matter jurisdiction.” 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1447(c).

Discoverorg, LLC’s Notice of Removal states that it is a limited liability company 

(“LLC”) organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware with its principle place of 

business in Vancouver Washington, and that North America Photon Infotech, LTD, is “a citizen of 

Mauritius.” (Dkt. No. 1 at ¶¶ 10-11.) An LLC is a “citizen of every state in which its members 

are citizens.” Johnson v. Columbia Props. Anchorage, LP, 437 F.3d 894, 899 (9th Cir. 2006).

Other unincorporated associations such as limited partnerships, have the same citizenship as each 

of their members or partners. See id. at 899; Nugget Hydroelectric, L.P. v. Pacific Gas & Elec. 

Co., 981 F.2d 429, 438 (9th Cir.1992). Thus, depending on what is meant by the complaint’s 

allegation that North America Photon Infotech, LTD is a “private limited company,” its 

citizenship may likewise depend on the citizenship of its members. However, Discoverorg, LLC’s 

Notice of Removal fails to allege the citizenship of its members or what type of private limited 

company North America Photon Infotech, LTD is, and its members as necessary. Thus, it has not 

met its burden of showing that there is diversity jurisdiction. 

Accordingly, because Discoverorg, LLC bears the burden of establishing that removal 

jurisdiction exists, it is ORDERED to SHOW CAUSE that the Court has diversity jurisdiction 

under the correct law for determining citizenship. Defendant shall file its response to this OSC by 

April 9, 2019. Plaintiff shall file its response by April 16, 2019. 

The hearing on Defendant’s motion to dismiss is continued to April 25, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 2, 2019

JACQUELINE SCOTT CORLEY

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:19-cv-01262-JSC Document 19 Filed 04/02/19 Page 2 of 2