Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_12-cv-00728/USCOURTS-azd-2_12-cv-00728-0/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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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Guy Conte, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Ginsey Industries, Inc., et. al., 

Defendants. 

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No. CV 12-0728-PHX-JAT

ORDER

Pending before the Court is Defendants’ Motion to Transfer Venue (“Motion”)

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a) (Doc. 10). The Court now rules on the Motion. 

I. BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Guy Conte (“Plaintiff”) is an Arizona resident and former employee of

Ginsey Industries, Inc. (“Ginsey”). Id. at 1. Defendant Ginsey is a Pennsylvania corporation

with its principal place of business in Camden County, New Jersey. Id. Ginsey manufactures

and sells a variety of products, including “toilet seats, shower and bath products, floor mats

and rugs, potty training devices, kids’ bathing devices, innovative and fun solutions for child

feeding, and pet products.” Id. at 2. Defendant Herbert Briggs (“Briggs”) is Ginsey’s Chief

Executive Officer and a married individual who principally resides in Connecticut. Id. 

In January 2009, Ginsey hired Plaintiff to serve as the company’s Vice President of

Special Sales. Plaintiff’s employment arrangement allowed him to work from his home office

in Georgia, but he was also required to “report to the New Jersey office and frequently travel

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to other locations.” Doc. 10-1 at 3. On October 19, 2009, Plaintiff moved to Arizona for

personal reasons, but continued to work remotely for Ginsey. Doc. 12-1 at 2. In January

2011, Plaintiff was named Ginsey’s Senior Vice President of Sales. Doc. 10 at 3. Plaintiff’s

job still required substantial travel, most frequently to New York and New Jersey. Doc. 10-1

at 2.

In February 2012, Plaintiff partnered with two businesses, Pet Head and Fetch, to

present products at the Global Pet Show in Orlando, Florida. Id. At the trade show, Plaintiff

allegedly had a disagreement with Fetch CEO Steven Shweky regarding their combined Pet

Head-Ginsey-Fetch booth. After Mr. Shweky informed Defendant Briggs of the

disagreement, Ginsey terminated Plaintiff’s employment by telephone on March 16, 2012.

Id. at 3.

On April 5, 2012, Plaintiff filed a Complaint against Defendant Ginsey and Defendant

Briggs (collectively, “Defendants”), alleging wrongful termination, retaliatory termination,

and discrimination in violation of the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (“CEPA”) and

the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (“NJLAD”). Doc. 1. Plaintiff subsequently filed

a First Amended Complaint on April 27, 2012. Doc. 4.

Defendants now move to transfer this case to the U.S. District Court for the District

of New Jersey pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a). Doc. 10.

II. LEGAL STANDARD

The Court has the power to transfer venue under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a), which provides

in relevant part: “For the convenience of parties and witnesses, in the interest of justice, a

district court may transfer any civil action to any other district or division where it might

have been brought or to any district or division to which all parties have consented.” “A

motion to transfer venue under § 1404(a) requires the court to weigh multiple factors in its

determination whether transfer is appropriate in a particular case.” Jones v. GNC

Franchising, Inc., 211 F.3d 495, 498 (9th Cir. 2000) (citation omitted). These factors may

include, but are not limited to:

(1) the location where the relevant agreements were negotiated and executed,

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(2) the state that is most familiar with the governing law, (3) the plaintiff’s

choice of forum, (4) the respective parties’ contacts with the forum, (5) the

contacts relating to the plaintiff’s cause of action in the chosen forum, (6) the

differences in the costs of litigation in the two forums, (7) the availability of

compulsory process to compel attendance of unwilling non-party witnesses,

and (8) the ease of access to sources of proof.

Id. at 498–99. In addition, “the relevant public policy of the forum state, if any, is [a]

significant factor in the § 1404(a) balancing.” Id. at 499. 

Plaintiff’s choice of forum is to be given greater deference where the plaintiff has

chosen its home forum. Piper Aircraft Co. v. Reyno, 454 U.S. 235, 266 (1981). However,

“[t]he interest of justice factor is the most important of all.” Amazon.com v. Cendant Corp.,

404 F. Supp. 2d 1256, 1261 (W.D. Wash. 2005) (internal citations omitted). “Consideration

of the interest of justice, which includes judicial economy, ‘may be determinative to a

particular transfer motion, even if the convenience of the parties and witnesses might call for

a different result.’” Id. (quoting Regents of the Univ. of Cal. v. Eli Lilly & Co., 119 F.3d

1559, 1565 (Fed. Cir. 1997)). “Factors to be considered in the interest of justice analysis

include ‘ensuring speedy trials, trying related litigation together, and having a judge who is

familiar with the applicable law try the case.’” Revolution Distribution v. Evol Nutrition

Associates, Inc., 2012 WL 2368634 (D. Ariz. June 21, 2012) (quoting Heller Fin., Inc. v.

Midwhey Powder Co., Inc., 883 F.2d 1286, 1293 (7th Cir. 1989)).

III. ANALYSIS

Defendants request transfer to the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey

for the following reasons:

Mr. Conte’s law suit involves a dispute under New Jersey law concerning a

New Jersey-based employment relationship . . . Arizona’s contact with this

lawsuit stems solely from Mr. Conte’s personal decision to move [t]here well

after his employment relationship started, though he continued to report to

New Jersey up to and including the date of his employment termination.

Ginsey does not have offices, real estate, manufacturing facilities, or

employees (with the exception of Mr. Conte) in Arizona. Ginsey does not

advertise or promote business in Arizona, and Arizona sales constitute les[s]

than one percent of its total sales volume.

Doc. 10 at 2. Moreover, Defendants argue that Ginsey is subject to personal jurisdiction in

New Jersey because a substantial part of the events giving rise to Plaintiff’s claim occurred

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in New Jersey—the location of Ginsey’s headquarters and its principle place of business. Id.

at 5. Thus, Defendants argue that transfer under § 1404(a) to the District of New Jersey is

proper because the action might have been brought there. 

In response, Plaintiff argues that his decision to file in his home forum should be

given “substantial weight” and that Defendants have failed to prove they have no contacts

with Arizona. Doc. 11 at 2. Specifically, Plaintiff cites Ginsey’s product sales in Arizona

(through its website and several large retailers such as Target and Walmart) as evidence of

those contacts. Id. Plaintiff also highlights that he is a resident of Arizona and worked

remotely for Ginsey during the entirety of his employment. Id. at 3. 

This Court has the “discretion to adjudicate motions for transfer according to an

individualized, case-by-case consideration of convenience and fairness.” Jones, 211 F.3d at

498. Since it is not disputed that this case could have been brought in the District of New

Jersey, the relevant inquiry is which forum best serves the convenience of the parties and

witnesses and the interest of justice.

A. Convenience of Parties and Witnesses

With regard to convenience of the parties, a plaintiff’s choice of forum is usually

given “substantial deference” where the plaintiff has chosen its home forum. Piper Aircraft

Co., 454 U.S. at 266. However, although Plaintiff in this case chose his home forum, this

factor is not dispositive when the parties’ contacts with Plaintiff’s chosen forum are limited.

See Pacific Car & Foundry Co. v. Pence, 403 F.2d 949, 954 (9th Cir. 1968). 

Here, Defendants argue that the Jones factors favor transferring this action to the

District of New Jersey. First, Defendants argue that Plaintiff’s employment contract with

Ginsey was negotiated when he was a resident of Georgia, and that Plaintiff’s personal

decision to move to Arizona was unrelated to the formation or execution of his employment

relationship. Defendants also note that Plaintiff was required to report to the company’s

headquarters in New Jersey during the course of his employment, and that the “decision to

terminate [Plaintiff’s] employment was made and communicated to him by Ginsey

executives in New Jersey and New York.” Doc. 10 at 6. On the other hand, Plaintiff argues

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that because his employment relationship with Ginsey was partially executed and ultimately

terminated while he was a resident of Arizona, transfer is disfavored under the first factor of

the Jones test. Doc. 11 at 3. However, given the Ninth Circuit’s preference for transfer to

“the location where the relevant employment agreements were negotiated and executed,”

Jones, 211 F.3d at 498, this Court finds Defendants’ argument stronger. Since Ginsey had

“no business need or desire for [Plaintiff] to reside in the west,” Doc. 10-1 at 3, and Plaintiff

continuously reported to and was overseen by New Jersey-based Ginsey managers

throughout the duration of his employment, the Court finds that this factor weights in favor

of granting Defendants’ Motion.

Second, Defendants argue that New Jersey is the state most familiar with the laws

implicated in this case. The Court agrees. Plaintiff’s wrongful termination, retaliatory

termination, and discrimination allegations are brought pursuant to the CEPA and

NJLAP—both New Jersey state laws. Still, Plaintiff contends that Arizona is equally capable

of interpreting and applying New Jersey law because “Arizona district courts have similar

access to electronic legal research such as Westlaw or Lexis.” Id. The Court finds this

argument unpersuasive. As the Ninth Circuit notes, a state’s familiarity with the governing

law (rather than its ability to merely access or research that law) does factor into the

appropriateness of venue transfer. Jones, 211 F.3d at 498. Accordingly, this Court finds that

the District of New Jersey’s familiarity with the CEPA and NJLAP weighs in favor of

transfer. 

Third, Defendants argue that Plaintiff’s choice of forum should be given minimal

weight because Arizona lacks any significant connection to Plaintiff’s employment or the

parties’ cause of action. Defendants cite Plaintiff’s personal choice to relocate to Arizona in

October 2009, as well as his obligation to travel extensively and report to Ginsey

management in New Jersey during the course of his employment, as evidence of Arizona’s

lack of connection to the parties’ cause of action. The only argument Plaintiff offers to rebut

Defendants’ contention is that he was a resident of, and was present in, Arizona when Ginsey

terminated him by telephone on March 16, 2012. Doc. 11 at 3. Since Plaintiff’s choice of

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forum is not dispositive, this Court finds that Ginsey’s decision to terminate Plaintiff while

in New Jersey, coupled with Plaintiff’s contention that his termination constitutes an

exclusive violation of New Jersey state law, favors transfer. See Impra, Inc. v. Quinton

Instruments Co., 1990 WL 284713, *1 (D. Ariz. June 26, 1990).

Fourth, Defendants argue that “[t]he availability of compulsory process to compel

attendance of unwilling non-party witnesses and the ease of access to sources of proof weigh

in favor of transferring this action to New Jersey.” Doc. 10 at 8. Specifically, Defendants

argue that all pertinent witnesses, with the exception of Plaintiff, are located outside the

subpoena power of the District of Arizona. Id. If transfer is granted to the District of New

Jersey, however, all “New York and Connecticut witnesses [would] be within the District

Court’s subpoena power and this would be most convenient for the various Ginsey

employee-witnesses.” Id. Defendants also believe that the New Jersey-based location of all

applicable Ginsey employment and performance documents similarly weighs in favor of

transfer. Id. 

Plaintiff argues that although several key witnesses, including New York-based Fetch

CEO Steven Shweky, are not subject to compulsory process in Arizona, these witnesses can

be compelled to attend depositions in their home states by subpoena pursuant to Rule

45(b)(2)(C) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Doc. 11 at 4. As Plaintiff himself

concedes, however, there is a strong preference for oral testimony in open court. Under Rule

43(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure: 

At trial, the witnesses’ testimony must be taken in open court unless a federal

statute, the Federal Rules of Evidence, these rules, or other rules adopted by

the Supreme Court provide otherwise. For good cause in compelling

circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony

in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.

Fed. R. Civ. P. 43. Because Plaintiff fails to argue why the circumstances in this case justify

substituting live, in-person testimony of non-party witnesses for that of a contemporaneous

transmission or video testimony, the Court concludes that considerations of witness access

and convenience favor transfer to New Jersey. 

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B. Transfer and the Interest of Justice

Aside from the convenience of parties and witnesses, another important factor for this

Court to consider is the interest of justice. Defendants argue that transfer is favored because

“New Jersey has an equally strong public [interest in] deciding controversies brought under

its laws.” Doc. 10 at 9. The Court agrees and finds that transfer will ensure that this litigation,

with respect to all parties and claims, proceeds in the most expeditious and efficient manner

possible, thereby promoting public policy interest in judicial economy. Although Plaintiff

is correct that “Arizona has a strong interest in ensuring that its citizens are compensated for

their injuries,” New Jersey has an equal, if not stronger, interest in litigating cases that

exclusively implicate its legal principles and statutes. Doc. 11 at 3. As the Supreme Court

notes: “The purpose of [§ 1404] is to prevent the waste of time, energy and money to protect

litigants, witnesses and the public against unnecessary inconvenience and expense.” Van

Dusen v. Barrack, 376 U.S. 612, 616 (1964) (citing Cont’l Grain Co. v. The FBL-585, 364

U.S. 19, 27 (1960) (internal quotations omitted)). This Court finds that transfer will ensure

the fair and expeditious treatment of both parties. Further, Defendants’ requested venue is

more convenient for an overwhelming majority of parties and witnesses, and the District of

New Jersey is more familiar with and has a greater interest in adjudicating Plaintiff’s CEPA

and NJLAD claims. The Court therefore finds that in the interest of justice, transferring the

case to New Jersey is appropriate.

IV. CONCLUSION

Based on the foregoing, 

IT IS ORDERED that Defendants’ Motion to Transfer Venue (Doc. 10) is granted.

DATED this 30th day of July, 2012.

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