Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_10-cv-00050/USCOURTS-cand-3_10-cv-00050-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 140
Nature of Suit: Negotiable Instruments
Cause of Action: 15:1601 Truth in Lending

---

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LA CHAWN ROBINSON,

Plaintiff,

v

BANK OF AMERICA, N A, et al,

Defendants. /

No C 10-0050 VRW

ORDER

Plaintiff filed a complaint for relief under state and

federal law arising from plaintiff’s mortgage on a property in

Richmond, California on January 6, 2010. Doc #1. Defendants filed

motions to dismiss and to strike plaintiff’s complaint on March 16,

2010 and noticed them for hearing on May 13, 2010. Doc #10. On

April 6, plaintiff filed an amended complaint asserting only state

law claims and a notice of non-opposition to dismissal of the

federal claims. Doc ##16 & 17. 

Plaintiff did not have leave to file an amended complaint

as required under FRCP 15(a); nevertheless, because leave to amend

is liberally granted, the court will accept plaintiff’s amended

Case 3:10-cv-00050-VRW Document 20 Filed 04/27/10 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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

2

complaint. The amended complaint states no federal claims and

provides no basis for federal jurisdiction. 

When a plaintiff seeking to invoke a federal forum

voluntarily dismisses claims forming the basis of federal

jurisdiction, the court must determine its jurisdiction based on

the amended complaint. William W Schwarzer et al, Federal Civil

Procedure Before Trial 2:91.5. Where, as here, the amended

complaint fails to state any basis for federal jurisdiction, the

court must dismiss the case. See id; Wellness Community-National v

Wellness Community, 70 F3d 46, 49 (7th Cir 1995).

Plaintiff seeks dismissal without prejudice, Doc #15 at

2, but the court lacks a basis to allow plaintiff leave to amend

the complaint. The court may allow amendment of pleadings to cure

jurisdictional defects of form, see 28 USC § 1653, but where, as

here, the complaint fails to allege any substantive ground for

federal jurisdiction, the court has no jurisdiction to allow leave

to amend. See Morongo Band of Mission Indians v California State

Bd of Education, 858 F2d 1376, 1380 n3 (9th Cir 1988). 

Accordingly, the only appropriate course is to dismiss the case.

//

//

//

//

//

//

//

//

//

Case 3:10-cv-00050-VRW Document 20 Filed 04/27/10 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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

3

For the reasons stated above, the court lacks

jurisdiction over plaintiff’s claims. The case is hereby 

DISMISSED. The clerk is DIRECTED to vacate all hearing dates,

terminate all pending motions and close the file.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 

VAUGHN R WALKER

United States District Chief Judge

Case 3:10-cv-00050-VRW Document 20 Filed 04/27/10 Page 3 of 3