Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-01080/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-01080-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Other Contract

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

PROGRESSIVE LIGHTING & ENERGY 

SOLUTIONS, INC., et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

SUNBELT RENTALS, INC.,

Defendant.

Case No. 16-cv-01080-VC 

ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO 

SEVER AND TRANSFERRING CASES

Re: Dkt. No. 34

The motion to sever Progressive Lighting's claims from In & Out Welders' claims is 

granted. Even assuming that joinder of those two plaintiffs would be permissible (on the theory 

that their separate equipment rentals using Sunbelt Rentals' same form contract constitutes a 

single "series of transactions or occurrences," Fed. R. Civ. P. 20(a)(1)(A)), the Court has "broad 

discretion . . . to make a decision granting severance." Coleman v. Quaker Oats Co., 232 F.3d 

1271, 1297 (9th Cir. 2000). The factors relevant to this case, see, e.g., Desert Empire Bank v. 

Ins. Co. of N. Am., 623 F.2d 1371, 1375 (9th Cir. 1980), weigh in favor of exercising that 

discretion here. In & Out Welders is a late addition to this litigation, and it has no discernible 

connection to Progressive Lighting or to this forum. Though In & Out and Progressive Lighting

(like many other consumers) both did business with Sunbelt Rentals, they did so in different 

markets on opposite sides of the country. The legal issues that Progressive and In & Out raise 

are unlikely to overlap substantially: because Progressive's contract-based claims are likely timebarred, Progressive will probably only be able to proceed on one or more of its California 

statutory claims, which In & Out doesn't (and can't) assert. In the same vein, severing these two 

plaintiffs will allow Progressive Lighting (which is based in California) to keep its California 

Case 3:16-cv-01080-VC Document 60 Filed 08/02/16 Page 1 of 2
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state-law claims in California, while allowing In & Out (based in Alabama) and Sunbelt (based 

in South Carolina) to litigate their dispute (which is governed by South Carolina law) in a more 

convenient forum. Moreover, given that Progressive Lighting and In & Out have no real 

connection to each other, and that In & Out has no real connection to California, it's hard to see 

how Progressive Lighting or In & Out could be prejudiced by severance.

The parties agree that, in the event of severance, it is appropriate to transfer In & Out's

case to the Southern District of Florida. In & Out did business with Sunbelt in the Southern 

District of Florida, and southern Florida is a relatively convenient location given that the parties 

and witnesses are located or likely to be located in the southeastern United States. Additionally, 

it may be possible for this case to be related to or consolidated with a similar state-court action 

pending in southern Florida, in which In & Out's lawyers are also counsel of record, and which 

the parties now expect to be removed to federal court.

The parties also agree that, in the event of severance, Progressive Lighting's case should 

be transferred to the Central District of California. Progressive Lighting's corporate headquarters 

is or was in the Central District, and the vast majority of Progressive Lighting's business with 

Sunbelt appears to have occurred in that district (while there is no indication that any of its 

business with Sunbelt occurred here during the class period occurred).

Accordingly, the Clerk is directed to sever In & Out Welders' claims from Progressive 

Lighting's claims, to transfer In & Out Welder's claims to the U.S. District Court for the Southern 

District of Florida, and to transfer Progressive Lighting's case to the U.S. District Court for the 

Central District of California.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 2, 2016

______________________________________

VINCE CHHABRIA

United States District Judge

Case 3:16-cv-01080-VC Document 60 Filed 08/02/16 Page 2 of 2