Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-01054/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-01054-0/pdf.json

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

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

R.W. HERTEL & SONS, )

INC., )

 )

 Plaintiff, )

 )

 v. )

 )

 )

ARCH SPECIALTY )

INSURANCE COMPANY, ) 

 )

 ) 

 Defendant. )

 )

________________________)

CV 07-1054 LEW (EFBx)

ORDER 

On July 20, 2007, Defendant Arch Specialty Insurance

Company filed a Motion to Abstain/Dismiss. Plaintiff filed

an Opposition on August 3, 2007. Defendant filed a Reply on

August 10, 2007. The matter came before hearing on August

17, 2007. Having considered the papers and argument

submitted on the issue, THE COURT NOW FINDS AND RULES AS

FOLLOWS: 

As a preliminary matter, Defendant’s Request for

Judicial Notice is GRANTED because these six documents are

Case 2:07-cv-01054-LEW-EFB Document 17 Filed 08/20/07 Page 1 of 2
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capable of accurate and ready determination by resort to

sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned.

First, a lawsuit that has been dismissed without

prejudice is no longer pending. See Nolan v. Workers’ Comp.

Appeals Bd., 70 Cal. App. 3d 122, 128 (1977)(“A dismissal

without prejudice has the effect of a final judgment in

favor of the defendant insofar as it terminates the

proceeding and concludes the right of the parties in the

particular action.”) Therefore, the Court declines to

abstain based on the argument that a parallel action is

pending in state court.

Second, the Federal Declaratory Judgment Act does not

provide an independent ground for subject matter

jurisdiction. Skelly Oil Co. v. Phillips Petroleum Co., 339

U.S. 667, 671-72 (1950). Therefore, there are grounds for

dismissal for lack of jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

Section 1331. However, on its face, the Complaint

sufficiently alleges diversity jurisdiction pursuant to 28

U.S.C. Section 1332. The Court does not find any other

grounds to abstain. Defendant’s Motion to Abstain and/or

Dismiss is DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

 

HONORABLE RONALD S.W. LEW

Senior U.S. District Judge

DATED: August 17, 2007

Case 2:07-cv-01054-LEW-EFB Document 17 Filed 08/20/07 Page 2 of 2