Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_07-cv-01347/USCOURTS-azd-2_07-cv-01347-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-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

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Rex and Dolores Miller, husband and wife,

Third-Party Plaintiffs, 

vs.

American Family Mutual Insurance

Company, 

Third-Party Defendant. 

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

No. CV 07-1347-PHX-JAT

ORDER

The issue before the Court is whether Third-Party Plaintiffs Rex and Dolores Miller

made a timely jury demand. Third-Party Defendant American Family Mutual Insurance

Company ("American Family") contends that they did not and have moved to strike the jury

demand (Doc. # 12). The Court will grant American Family's motion.

The following facts are undisputed: On July 31, 2006, Rex and Dolores Miller filed

a Third-Party Complaint against American Family in Maricopa County Superior Court. On

July 12, 2007, American Family properly removed this matter to federal court. At the time

of removal, all necessary pleadings had been served. On September 4, 2007, nearly two

months after they had been served with the notice of removal, the Millers filed their Demand

for Jury Trial (Doc. # 10).

The parties agree that the ten-day period set forth in Rule 81(c) of the Federal Rules

of Civil Procedure applies in this case. Thus, the jury demand was due within ten days after

Case 2:07-cv-01347-JAT Document 17 Filed 09/24/07 Page 1 of 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

1

 The Millers express purpose in responding to American Family's motion is to

preserve an issue for appeal. They argue that the controlling legal precedent concerning

waiver of the right to trial by jury "is contrary to the overriding goal of achieving justice and

fairness to all litigants" (Response, Doc. # 15 at 1-2).

- 2 -

the Millers were served with the notice of removal. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 81(c). The Millers

admit that they failed to file a jury demand within that ten-day period and concede, as they

must, that "the applicable Rules and the case law applicable in the 9th Circuit" compel this

Court to grant American Family's motion (Response, Doc. # 15 at 1).1

 The Miller's failure

to file a timely demand is admittedly the result of their attorney's inadvertence and is

therefore outside this Court's "narrow" discretion to grant relief. See Lewis v. Time, Inc., 710

F.2d 549, 556-57 (9th Cir. 1983).

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Third-Party Defendant's Motion to Strike

Third-Party Plaintiffs' Demand for Jury Trial is GRANTED.

DATED this 24th day of September, 2007.

Case 2:07-cv-01347-JAT Document 17 Filed 09/24/07 Page 2 of 2