Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_13-cv-00049/USCOURTS-azd-2_13-cv-00049-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 360
Nature of Suit: Other Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Personal Injury

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Erica Kitchener, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Servisair USA Inc.; British Airways PLC

Inc.,

Defendants. 

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No. CV-13-00049-PHX-FJM

ORDER

The court has before it plaintiff's motion to amend (doc. 9), defendant Servisair USA

Inc.’s (“Servisair”) response (doc. 18), and defendant British Airways PLC Inc.’s (“British

Airways”) joinder to Servisair’s response (doc. 21). Plaintiff did not reply, and the time for

doing so has expired. 

On September 15, 2011, while operating a vehicle at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport,

plaintiff suffered injuries resulting from a collision with wheel blocks. Plaintiff filed this

action in the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County naming as defendants, Servisair,

British Airways, John Does I-X and Jane Does I-X, ABC Partnerships I-X, and XYZ

Corporations I-X (doc. 1-1). Servisair timely removed the action to this court pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 1332. Plaintiff now seeks to amend the complaint to add “Unknown Named

Employee of Servisair USA Inc.” (“Unknown Employee”), a citizen of Arizona, as an

additional defendant. Defendants oppose the motion on the ground that plaintiff is joining

Unknown Employee in bad faith solely to destroy diversity jurisdiction. Neither party

Case 2:13-cv-00049-FJM Document 28 Filed 04/17/13 Page 1 of 2
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disputes that adding Unknown Employee would destroy diversity jurisdiction.

Where plaintiff seeks to join additional defendants whose joinder would destroy

subject matter jurisdiction, we consider the following factors: (1) whether the party sought

to be joined is a necessary party under Rule 19(a), Fed. R. Civ. P.; (2) the plaintiff's motive

for seeking joinder; (3) the delay adding the new defendant; (4) whether, if joinder is denied,

the statute of limitations would bar an action against the new defendant in state court; (5) the

apparent validity of the claim; and (6) any prejudice to the plaintiff if the amendment is

denied. Huffman v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., 2011 WL 814957, *1 (D. Ariz. 2011).

Here, plaintiff alleges that Unknown Employee is an employee of Servisair who

performed negligent acts within the course and scope of his employment. Proposed

Amended Complaint ¶¶ 4-6. Plaintiff’s claim against Unknown Employee appears valid, and

the motion to amend was timely filed. On balance, however, the factors favor denying

amendment. The Unknown Employee is not a necessary party in this action because

Servisair is liable for its employee’s torts under respondeat superior, and complete relief can

be afforded among the existing parties. Because plaintiff has not refuted defendants’

argument that plaintiff’s motive is solely to destroy diversity jurisdiction, her motive is

suspect. Moreover, the statute of limitations does not preclude any state law claim against

Unknown Employee. Finally, plaintiff is not prejudiced if the amendment is denied. If

plaintiff’s claim against defendants is valid, she will prevail regardless of whether Unknown

Employee is joined as a defendant. Moreover, if she prevails, plaintiff will be able to recover

from defendants more easily than she could from an employee individually. Therefore, IT

IS ORDERED DENYING plaintiff’s motion to amend (doc. 9).

DATED this 17th day of April, 2013.

Case 2:13-cv-00049-FJM Document 28 Filed 04/17/13 Page 2 of 2