Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-01184/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-01184-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Employment Discrimination

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Shannon Ellis has filed suit against former employer Amerigas, alleging employment 

discrimination and retaliation. As part of the same case, she also made civil assault and battery 

claims against Joseph Wade, a disgruntled customer of Amerigas, who allegedly attacked her at 

work. Plaintiff originally brought suit in Superior Court, County of Madera. Amerigas has 

removed the case to the Eastern District of California based on diversity jurisdiction asserting that 

Plaintiff is a California citizen and Amerigas is a Pennsylvania citizen. Joseph Wade is also a 

California citizen but Amerigas asserts that he has been fraudulently joined. Amerigas provides 

some legal briefing to support its request that “Wade’s claims should be severed and remanded to 

state court, and the Court should retain jurisdiction over the claims against AmeriGas Propane.”

Doc. 1, 9:28-10:2. Plaintiff has made an appearance in the case. Doc. 7. This issue implicates the 

court’s subject matter jurisdiction and must be resolved before the case can proceed. 

Plaintiff is ordered to file a response to Amerigas’s notice of removal (Doc. 1) by October 

13, 2016. Plaintiff is directed to provide briefing on the facts of her claims and the law concerning

fraudulent joinder. Amerigas is ordered to file a response to Plaintiff’s filing by October 27, 2016. 

If Plaintiff wishes, she may file a further response by November 10, 2016. If Joseph Wade makes 

SHANNON ELLIS,

Plaintiff

v.

AMERIGAS PROPANE, INC., JOSEPH 

WADE, and DOES -50,

Defendants

CASE NO. 1:16-CV-1184 AWI SKO

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE WHY 

CLAIMS AGAINST JOSEPH WADE 

SHOULD NOT BE SEVERED AND 

REMANDED DUE TO FRAUDULENT 

JOINDER, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE 

WHY THIS WHOLE CASE SHOULD 

NOT BE REMANDED FOR LACK OF 

DIVERSITY JURISDICTION

Case 1:16-cv-01184-AWI-SKO Document 8 Filed 09/22/16 Page 1 of 2
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an appearance in this case, he may also file a response on this matter. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 21, 2016 

 SENIOR DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:16-cv-01184-AWI-SKO Document 8 Filed 09/22/16 Page 2 of 2