Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_19-cv-01032/USCOURTS-cand-3_19-cv-01032-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 896
Nature of Suit: Other Statutes - Arbitration
Cause of Action: 09:1 U.S. Arbitration Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CONCIERGE AUCTIONS, LLC, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

ANTHONY J. MARTERIE, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 19-cv-01032-VC 

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO 

DISMISS

Re: Dkt. No. 9

The Marteries’ motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction is denied because “there was no 

showing of the requisite exceptional circumstances” necessary to dismiss pursuant to the 

Colorado River doctrine. Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital v. Mercury Construction Corp., 460 

U.S. 1, 19 (1983). The Supreme Court’s decision in Moses H. Cone, a case with very similar 

facts, dictates the result here. See id. at 4. Only the factor of “paramount” concern – the danger of 

piecemeal litigation – warrants discussion here. See id. at 19. In Moses H. Cone, Party A had an 

arbitration agreement with Party B, but not with Party C. Therefore, if the petition to compel was 

granted, Party A’s dispute with Party B would proceed in arbitration, while Party A’s dispute 

with Party C would remain in state court. The Supreme Court recognized that it was the 

arbitration agreement, not the district court’s exercise of jurisdiction, that caused the splintering 

of the lawsuit. See id. at 19-20. The fact that, in this case, Party A’s dispute with Party C is also 

governed by an arbitration agreement (albeit a different one) does not change the result. If this

whole dispute is ultimately litigated in separate proceedings, it would again be the fault of the 

arbitration agreements – in this case two instead of one. 

The motion to dismiss for improper venue is also denied. The Marteries argue that the 

Case 3:19-cv-01032-VC Document 30 Filed 06/11/19 Page 1 of 2
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proper venue for this case is Sonoma County, a state court venue, rather than the County of San 

Francisco. That argument makes little sense in federal court, however, given that both counties 

fall within the federal Northern District of California. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 11, 2019

______________________________________

VINCE CHHABRIA

United States District Judge

Case 3:19-cv-01032-VC Document 30 Filed 06/11/19 Page 2 of 2