Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-4_07-cv-01147/USCOURTS-ared-4_07-cv-01147-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 446
Nature of Suit: Americans with Disabilities Act - Other
Cause of Action: 42:12131 Americans with Disabilities Act

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

WESTERN DIVISION

WILLIE C. DAVIS PLAINTIFF

VS. CASE NO. 4:07CV01147 JMM

ROSIE COLLIER HARRISON DEFENDANT

ROSIE COLLIER HARRISON PETITIONER

VS. 

WILLIE C. DAVIS, ET AL. RESPONDENTS

ORDER

Defendant/Petitioner, pro se, seeks pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1441 and § 1446 to remove

Case No. CN 94-6496 from the Circuit Court of Pulaski County and to add counter-claims and

defenses based upon alleged violations of her constitutional rights under 42 [sic] U.S.C. §§

1345, 1331, and 1330 and the American with Disabilities Act. Defendant/Petitioner also seeks

leave to proceed in forma pauperis.

Initially the Court must make a determination that the plaintiff qualifies by economic

status under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) to proceed in forma pauperis. Because it appears that

plaintiff’s economic situation qualifies her such status, the Court hereby grants plaintiff’s

application to so proceed (#1). 

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Because this is an attempt to remove a state court complaint, the Court must determine if

it has jurisdiction. The Court finds that it does not because (1) the removal was untimely as the

underlying case was initially filed in 1994; (2) a defense or counterclaim raising federal issues

cannot serve as a basis for federal question jurisdiction; and (3) diversity jurisdiction is lacking as

all the parties are citizens of Arkansas. See 28 U.S.C. § § 1331, 1332, 1441, and 1446(b);

Holmes Group, Inc. v. Vornado Air Circulation Sys., Inc.,, 535 U.S. 826, 830-32 (2002) (“[A]

counter-claim-which appears as part of the defendant's answer, not as part of the plaintiff's

complaint-cannot serve as the basis for ‘arising under’ jurisdiction.”); Schinzing v. Mid-States

Stainless, Inc., 415 F.3d 807 (8th Cir. 2005) (counterclaims cannot serve as the basis for Federal

Circuit jurisdiction). 

All pending motions are to be dismissed as moot and the Clerk of the Court is directed to

close the case and make the appropriate entries to remand Case No. CN 94-6496 back to Pulaski

County Circuit Court forthwith.

IT IS SO ORDERED this 29 day of November, 2007.

 

James M. Moody

United States District Court

Case 4:07-cv-01147-JMM Document 6 Filed 11/29/07 Page 2 of 2