Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-01337/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-01337-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1331ed Fed. Question: Employment Discrimination

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

BRYAN OVERHOLT, 

Plaintiff,

v. 

AIRISTA FLOW INC., a Delaware 

corporation; AIRISTA LLC, a Maryland 

limited liability company; and RYAN 

MADIGAN, an individual, 

Defendants.

Case No.: 17cv1337-MMA (AGS)

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S 

MOTION TO REMAND; 

[Doc. No. 7] 

GRANTING SPECIALLY 

APPEARING DEFENDANTS 

AIRISTA LLC AND RYAN 

MADIGAN’S MOTION TO DISMISS 

FOR LACK OF JURISDICTION 

[Doc. No. 10] 

Plaintiff Bryan Overholt (“Plaintiff”) filed the instant action against Defendants 

Airista Flow Inc., Airista LLC, and Ryan Madigan (collectively, “Defendants”) in the 

Superior Court of California for the County of San Diego on May 16, 2017. See Doc. 

No. 1 at 2. On June 30, 2017, Airista Flow, Inc. removed the action to this Court on the 

basis of diversity jurisdiction. See id. In his Complaint, Plaintiff asserts five state-law 

causes of action for: (1) age discrimination in violation of California’s Fair Employment 

and Housing Act (“FEHA”), Cal. Gov’t. Code § 12940, et seq.; (2) failure to prevent 

discrimination in violation of FEHA, Cal. Gov’t. Code § 12940, et seq.; (3) wrongful 

termination in violation of public policy; (4) failure to pay earned wages upon discharge 

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in violation of Cal. Lab. Code § 201, et seq.; and (5) restitution for unfair business 

practices, in violation of Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200. See Doc. No. 1-1 (hereinafter 

“Complaint”). 

On July 31, 2017, Plaintiff filed a motion to remand the action back to state court, 

claiming that Airista Flow Inc. failed to sufficiently establish in its notice of removal that 

the parties are diverse. See Doc. No. 7. Airista Flow, Inc. filed an opposition to 

Plaintiff’s motion, to which Plaintiff replied. See Doc. Nos. 9, 12. Additionally, on 

August 30, 2017, specially appearing defendants Airista LLC and Ryan Madigan filed a 

motion to dismiss. See Doc. No. 10. Plaintiff filed an opposition, to which Airista LLC 

and Ryan Madigan replied. See Doc. Nos. 17, 18. The Court found the matters suitable 

for determination on the papers and without oral argument pursuant to Civil Local Rule 

7.1.d.1. For the reasons set forth below, the Court DENIES Plaintiff’s motion to remand, 

and GRANTS Airista LLC and Ryan Madigan’s motion to dismiss. 

BACKGROUND

This action arises out of events involving the termination of Plaintiff’s employment 

from Airista Flow Inc. (“Airista Flow”) in October 2016. See Complaint ¶ 20. At all 

relevant times, Plaintiff has resided in San Diego County. Id. ¶ 1. Plaintiff alleges 

Defendant Airista Flow is incorporated under the laws of Delaware, and has its principal 

place of business in Maryland. Id. ¶ 2. Moreover, Plaintiff claims Defendant Airista 

LLC is a Maryland limited liability company “doing business in California,” and that 

Airista Flow is a subsidiary of Airista LLC. Id. ¶ 3. Plaintiff contends Defendant Ryan 

Madigan (“Madigan”) is a resident of Maryland. Id. ¶ 4. 

On or around November 13, 2006, Ekahau, Inc. (“Ekahau”) hired Plaintiff to work 

for it as a Systems Engineer. Id. ¶ 17. On or around October 12, 2013, Ekahau 

terminated Plaintiff’s employment, and rehired him as an independent contractor. Id. 

However, in July 2014, Ekahau converted Plaintiff to a W-2 employee. Id. 

In approximately March 2016, Plaintiff alleges Airista Flow and Airista LLC 

“acquired Ekahau and assumed and controlled Ekahau’s business practices.” Id. ¶ 19. 

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Due to the acquisition, Plaintiff alleges he became an employee of Airista Flow and 

Airista LLC. See id. Madigan served as Airista Flow’s President during this time. See 

id. 

In October 2016, Defendants terminated Plaintiff’s employment due to a 

“reorganizing [of] the company.” Id. ¶ 20. Plaintiff alleges he was the only employee 

terminated as a result of the reorganization. See id. “Plaintiff was 63 years old at the 

time of the termination and was substantially older than Defendants’ other employees.” 

Id. Plaintiff asserts that “Defendants replaced [him] with substantially younger 

employees and these employees assumed [his] job and responsibilities.” Id. ¶ 21. 

Plaintiff alleges Defendants terminated his employment because of his age. Id. ¶ 22. 

Further, upon Plaintiff’s termination, Plaintiff alleges “Defendants failed to pay 

Plaintiff earned non-discretionary bonuses, accrued vacation time, and expenses.” Id. ¶ 

23. Plaintiff alleges Madigan “was primarily involved in the decision not to pay 

Plaintiff” his final wages. Id. ¶ 49. As a result, Plaintiff commenced the instant action. 

PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO REMAND

In its notice of removal, Airista Flow asserts “[t]he two other named Defendants 

[Airista LLC and Ryan Madigan], who have not yet been served, are also non-California 

residents.” Doc. No. 1. at 6. Specifically, Airista Flow contends that Airista LLC is a 

Maryland limited liability company and Defendant Ryan Madigan is a Maryland resident. 

Id. Plaintiff argues Airista Flow’s assertions are insufficient to establish the citizenship 

of Airista LLC and Madigan for purposes of diversity jurisdiction, and that the Court 

should remand this action.1

 See Doc. No. 7 at 3-4. 

/ / / 

                                               

1

 Plaintiff does not challenge Airista Flow’s citizenship. For purposes of diversity jurisdiction, a 

corporation “shall be deemed a citizen of any State by which it has been incorporated and of the State 

where it has its principal place of business.” 28 U.S.C. § 1332(c)(1). Airista Flow is incorporated under 

the laws of the state of Delaware, and has its principal place of business in Maryland. See Doc. No. 1 at 

5-6; Complaint ¶ 2. 

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1. Legal Standard 

Federal courts are of limited jurisdiction. Lowdermilk v. U.S. Bank Nat’l Ass’n, 

479 F.3d 994, 997 (9th Cir. 2007). Federal courts possess only that power authorized by 

the Constitution or a statute. See Bender v. Williamsport Area Sch. Dist., 475 U.S. 534, 

541 (1986). Pursuant to Title 28 of the United States Code, section 1332(a)(1), a federal 

district court has jurisdiction over “all actions where the matter in controversy exceeds 

the sum or value of $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs,” and the dispute is between 

citizens of different states. 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a)(1). The Supreme Court has interpreted § 

1332 to require “complete diversity of citizenship,” meaning each plaintiff must be 

diverse from each defendant. Caterpillar Inc. v. Lewis, 519 U.S. 61, 67-68 (1996). 

Title 28 of the United States Code, section 1441(a), provides for removal of a civil 

action from state to federal court if the case could have originated in federal court. If a 

matter is removable solely on the basis of diversity jurisdiction pursuant to § 1332, the 

action may not be removed if any properly joined and served defendant is a citizen of the 

forum state. See 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b)(2). The statute is construed strictly against 

removal, and “[f]ederal jurisdiction must be rejected if there is any doubt as to the right 

of removal in the first instance.” Gaus v. Miles, Inc., 980 F.2d 564, 566 (9th Cir.1992). 

As the removing party, the defendant bears the burden of establishing that the court has 

subject matter jurisdiction. Abrego Abrego v. The Dow Chemical Co., 443 F.3d 676, 685 

(9th Cir. 2006). 

2. Analysis 

Plaintiff argues that remand is appropriate for the following reasons: (a) Airista 

Flow’s opposition to the instant motion is essentially an amendment to its notice of 

removal and should be deemed untimely; (b) the declarations of Messrs. M. Sajjad and S. 

Sajjad fail to establish diversity of the LLC members; (c) Airista Flow failed to establish 

diversity of citizenship as to Madigan; and (d) Airista Flow failed to establish all of the 

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defendants consented to removal.2

 See Doc. Nos. 7, 12. Plaintiff further requests an 

award of attorney’s fees and costs arising out of the instant motion as Airista Flow’s 

“clear procedural and sloppy errors . . . forced Plaintiff to file this motion.” Doc. No. 12 

at 6. The Court considers Plaintiff’s arguments in turn. 

a. Timeliness of Amendment 

In opposition to the instant motion, Airista Flow submitted the declarations of both 

of Airista LLC’s members, and Madigan’s declaration. See Doc. Nos. 9-2, 9-3, 9-4. 

Plaintiff argues that “this clear attempt at amending their Notice of Removal is untimely 

because it was not amended within the thirty-day period in which an action may be 

removed.” Doc. No. 12 at 2. 

28 U.S.C. § 1446(b) requires defendants to file a notice of removal within thirty 

days after being served with the complaint. 28 U.S.C. § 1446(b). A defendant’s notice 

of removal may be amended freely prior to the expiration of the initial thirty-day period 

established by Section 1446(b). Pinter v. Arthury J. Gallagher Serv. Co., LLC, 2016 WL 

614348, at *5 (C.D. Cal. Feb. 16, 2016) (citing Smiley v. Citibank (S.D.) N.A., 863 F. 

Supp. 1156, 1158 (C.D. Cal. 1993)). The Ninth Circuit, however, permits defendants to 

amend defective allegations of jurisdiction in their notice beyond the initial thirty-day 

period, as long as the initial notice of removal was timely filed and sets forth the same 

legal grounds for removal. See Barrow Dev. Co. v. Fulton Ins. Co., 418 F.2d 316, 318 

(9th Cir. 1969) (allowing the defendant to amend notice of removal to cure inadequate 

allegation of the citizenship of the defendant corporation). However, when a defendant 

attempts to assert new grounds for removal, or “to create jurisdiction where none 

existed,” a court should deny leave to amend. Rockwell Int’l Credit Corp. v. U.S. 

Aircraft Ins. Grp., 823 F.2d 302, 304 (9th Cir. 1987), overruled on other grounds by 

Partington v. Gedan, 923 F.2d 686 (9th Cir. 1991). Courts are free to construe a 

                                               

2

 Plaintiff does not challenge Airista Flow’s contention that the amount in controversy 

requirement is satisfied. As such, the Court does not analyze this requirement. 

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defendant’s opposition to a motion to remand as an amendment to the notice of removal. 

See Willingham v. Morgan, 395 U.S. 402, 407 n.3 (1969). 

 Here, the Court finds that Airista Flow timely amended its notice of removal. 

Importantly, Airista Flow is not asserting a new ground for removal. In its notice of 

removal, Airista Flow asserts jurisdiction is proper because the parties are diverse. 

Specifically, the notice of removal indicates that all three defendants (Airista Flow, a 

corporation, Airista LLC, a limited liability company, and Madigan) were diverse from 

Plaintiff. See Doc. No. 1 at 5-6. Airista Flow now seeks to supplement its notice of 

removal with the declarations of the members of Airista LLC, and Madigan in support of 

its claim that the parties are diverse. The Ninth Circuit expressly permits such an 

amendment after the expiration of the initial thirty-day period in which an action may be 

removed. See Barrow Dev. Co., 418 F.2d at 317 (noting that “the removal petition 

cannot be . . . amended to add allegations of substance but solely to clarify ‘defective’ 

allegations of jurisdiction previously made.”); Geerlof v. C & S Wholesale Grocers, Inc., 

2014 WL 1415974, at *5 (E.D. Cal. Apr. 14, 2014) (permitting amendment where the 

defendants “merely seek to supplement their original Notice of Removal with facts that 

support” diversity jurisdiction.); 28 U.S.C. § 1653 (“Defective allegations of jurisdiction 

may be amended, upon terms, in the trial or appellate courts.”). Accordingly, the Court 

finds that the evidence Airista Flow submits is timely, and considers such evidence in 

reaching its conclusion below. 

b. Airista LLC’s Citizenship 

Plaintiff next contends that Airista Flow failed to establish the citizenship of each 

member of Airista LLC, a limited liability company, in its notice of removal. See Doc. 

No. 7 at 3. In opposition, Airista Flow asserts that Airista LLC has two members, both of 

whom are citizens of Maryland. See Doc. No. 9 at 5. Thus, Airista Flow claims Airista 

LLC’s members are diverse from Plaintiff. See id. 

Limited liability companies are citizens of all states of which their members are 

citizens. Johnson v. Columbia Props. Anchorage, LP, 437 F.3d 894, 899 (9th Cir. 2006). 

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For purposes of diversity jurisdiction, an individual is a citizen of the state in which he or 

she is domiciled. See Gilbert v. David, 235 U.S. 561, 565–71 (1915); Munoz v. Small 

Bus. Admin., 644 F.2d 1361, 1365 (9th Cir. 1981). “A person’s domicile is her 

permanent home, where she resides with the intention to remain or to which she intends 

to return.” Kanter v. Warner-Lambert Co., 265 F.3d 853, 857 (9th Cir. 2001) (citing Lew 

v. Moss, 797 F.2d 747, 749 (9th Cir. 1986)). 

 Here, the Court finds that Airista Flow has sufficiently alleged that Airista LLC’s 

members are diverse from Plaintiff. In its opposition, Airista Flow submits the 

declarations of two individuals: Mr. Masoud Sajjad, and Mr. Simon Sajjad. See Doc. 

Nos. 9-3 (hereinafter “M. Sajjad Decl.”), 9-4 (hereinafter “S. Sajjad Decl.”). Messrs. M. 

Sajjad and S. Sajjad aver that they are the only two members of Airista LLC. M. Sajjad 

Decl. ¶ 5; S. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 5. Mr. S. Sajjad declares that he is “currently a Maryland 

citizen and was a Maryland resident at the time this lawsuit was filed and at the time of 

removal.” S. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 4. Mr. M. Sajjad declares that he is currently a resident of 

Maryland, and was a Maryland resident at the time of filing and at the time of removal. 

M. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 4. 

Plaintiff argues that these declarations are inadequate because “they fail to address 

the citizenship of the declarants.” Doc. No. 12 at 5 (emphasis added). Plaintiff 

emphasizes that Messrs. M. Sajjad and S. Sajjad only refer their residence and fail to 

indicate whether they “ever resided in California or ever had an intention of remaining in 

California or Maryland.” Id. Plaintiff’s argument, however, is misplaced because 

“numerous courts have treated a person’s residence as prima facie evidence of 

citizenship.” Garcia v. Task Ventures, LLC, 2016 WL 7093915, at *4 (S.D. Cal. Dec. 6, 

2016); see also Anderson v. Watts, 138 U.S. 694, 706 (1891) (“The place where a person 

lives is taken to be his domicile until facts adduced establish the contrary[.]”); 

Mondragon v. Capital One Auto Fin., 736 F.3d 880, 886 (9th Cir. 2013) (recognizing that 

“numerous courts treat a person’s residence as prima facie evidence of the person’s 

domicile”); 13E Charles Alan Wright & Arthur R. Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure 

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§ 3612 (3d ed. 2013) (“It is assumed, for example, that a person’s current residence is 

also his domicile[.]”). Thus, because Messrs. M. Sajjad and S. Sajjad aver that they 

reside in Maryland, and because Plaintiff presents no evidence to the contrary, the Court 

presumes that the individuals are domiciled in Maryland for purposes of diversity 

jurisdiction. 

 Plaintiff further contends that the declarations of Messrs. M. Sajjad and S. Sajjad 

are inadequate because they do not indicate “whether they were the only LLC members 

at the time of removal.” Doc. No. 12 at 5 (emphasis in original). Yet, nothing in the 

declarations suggests that there are, or have ever been, any other members of Airista 

LLC. In fact, Mr. S. Sajjad claims that “[t]he only other member of AIRISTA, LLC is 

Masoud Sajjad.” S. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 5. Similarly, Mr. M. Sajjad declares that “[t]he only 

other member of AIRSITA, LLC is Simon S. Sajjad.” M. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 5. As such, the 

Court is not persuaded by Plaintiff’s argument, and finds that Airista Flow has 

sufficiently alleged that Airista LLC is a citizen of Maryland for purposes of diversity 

jurisdiction. 

c. Ryan Madigan’s Citizenship 

Plaintiff also argues that Airista Flow failed to establish Madigan’s citizenship in 

its notice of removal. See Doc. No. 7 at 4. As discussed in the previous section, for 

purposes of diversity jurisdiction, an individual is a citizen of the state in which he or she 

is domiciled. See Gilbert, 235 U.S. at 565–71; Munoz, 644 F.2d at 1365. 

 Here, Madigan declares that he resided in New York at the time this action was 

filed, still resides in New York, and has “lived in New York for three years.” Doc. No. 9-

2 (hereinafter “Madigan Decl.”) ¶ 2. Further, Madigan asserts that he has “never been a 

resident of the state of California.” Id. ¶ 3. Plaintiff appears to abandon this argument in 

his reply brief, and does not respond to Madigan’s declaration. Accordingly, the Court 

finds that Airista Flow has sufficiently alleged Madigan is a citizen of New York for 

purposes of diversity jurisdiction. 

/ / / 

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d. Unanimity of Consent 

Furthermore, Plaintiff argues for the first time in his reply brief that Airista Flow 

failed to establish unanimity of consent of all defendants before filing its notice of 

removal; thus remand is appropriate. See Doc. No. 12 at 5. Plaintiff’s argument is 

problematic for three reasons. First, courts generally do not consider arguments raised 

for the first time in a reply brief. See United States v. Bohn, 956 F.2d 208, 209 (9th Cir. 

1992). Plaintiff could have raised this argument in his motion to remand, but failed to do 

so. 

Second, Plaintiff waived such an argument. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c), “[a] 

motion to remand the case on the basis of any defect other than lack of subject matter 

jurisdiction must be made within 30 days after the filing of the notice of removal under 

section 1446(a).” 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c). Here, Airista Flow filed its notice of removal on 

June 30, 2017. See Doc. No. 1. While Plaintiff timely filed a motion to remand, Plaintiff 

did not raise this argument in his motion to remand. Rather, Plaintiff asserts this 

argument for the first time in his reply brief, filed on September 1, 2017. See Doc. No. 

12. The Ninth Circuit has held that a party must raise a procedural defect as a basis for 

removal within thirty days of the notice of removal, regardless of whether the motion to 

remand is timely. N. Cal. Dist. of Laborers v. Pittsburg-Des Moines Steel Co., 69 F.3d 

1034, 1038 (9th Cir. 1995) (emphasis added). “[T]he critical date is not when a motion 

to remand is filed, but when the moving party asserts a procedural defect as a basis for 

remand. Any other reading of [Section 1447(c)] would elevate form over substance.” Id. 

As such, Plaintiff waived the right to challenge this procedural defect. 

Third, even if the Court were to consider this argument, Plaintiff’s argument fails 

on the merits. Section 1446(b)(2)(A) provides that “[w]hen a civil action is removed 

solely under section 1441(a), all defendants who have been properly joined and served 

must join in consent to the removal of the action.” 28 U.S.C. § 1446(b)(2)(A). This is 

known as the rule of unanimity. “Where fewer than all the defendants have joined in a 

removal action, the removing party has the burden under section 1446(a) to explain 

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affirmatively the absence of any co-defendants in the notice of removal.” Prize Frize, 

Inc. v. Matrix (U.S.) Inc., 167 F.3d 1261, 1266 (9th Cir. 1999), superseded by statute on 

other grounds. 

In Prize Frize, not all of the defendants joined in the notice of removal, and the 

only explanation provided was that the removing defendants “have been informed and 

believe that many of the defendants named in the fourth amended complaint caption have 

not been properly served in this matter.” Id. (emphasis in original). The Ninth Circuit 

found that because “the words ‘many’ and ‘all’ are not synonymous, the notice was 

facially deficient for failing to explain why all non-joining defendants had not 

consented.” Id. (emphasis in original). 

Here, in contrast, Airista Flow noted in its notice of removal that based upon its 

knowledge, “the other named defendants, who are not alleged to be California residents, 

have not been served (Compl. ¶¶ 4, 5) and [Airista Flow] has no reason to believe they 

would object to removal.” Doc. No. 1 at 2 (emphasis added). The Court finds that 

Airista Flow’s explanation is sufficient to explain the absence of the remaining codefendants in the notice of removal. The Court notes that Plaintiff summarily asserts that 

“all defendants have been served with the Complaint in this action,” and Airista Flow 

“has not shown all Defendants consent to the Removal.” Doc. No. 12 at 6. Yet, Plaintiff 

submits no evidence (i.e., executed summons, declarations, etc.) that at the time of 

removal, all of the defendants had been properly served in this action. See Destfino v. 

Reiswig, 630 F.3d 952, 956 (9th Cir. 2011) (observing that only defendants who have 

been properly served must consent to removal). Nor does Plaintiff cite to any binding 

case law in support of his position that remand is appropriate simply because Plaintiff 

asserts in his reply brief, without submitting any evidence, that all of the defendants have 

been served.3

 As such, the Court finds that Airista Flow has met its burden in explaining 

                                               

3

 Even if the Court determined that Airista Flow’s notice of removal is facially deficient, which 

it does not, Airista LLC and Madigan manifested their consent to removal. “Where consent is not 

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the absence of the other defendants in its notice of removal. Accordingly, remand on this 

basis is inappropriate. 

e. Attorney’s Fees and Costs 

Finally, Plaintiff claims that even if the Court “is inclined to accept Defendant’s 

amendment to its Notice of Removal, Plaintiff respectfully requests an award of 

attorney’s fees and costs arising out of the Motion to Remand as Defendant’s clear and 

procedural and sloppy errors in the Petition for Removal forced Plaintiff to file this 

motion.” Doc. No. 12 at 6. The Court disagrees. 

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c), “[a]n order remanding the case may require 

payment of just costs and expenses, including attorney fees, incurred as a result of the 

removal.” 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c). As the Supreme Court has indicated, “[a]bsent unusual 

circumstances, courts may award attorney’s fees under § 1447(c) only where the 

removing party lacked an objectively reasonable basis for seeking removal.” Martin v. 

Franklin Capital Corp., 546 U.S. 132, 141 (2005); see also Chan Healthcare Grp., PS v. 

Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 844 F.3d 1133, 1141 (9th Cir. 2017). Moreover, “the standard

for awarding fees should turn on the reasonableness of the removal.” Martin, 546 U.S at 

141. 

Plaintiff relies on Navarro v. Servisair, LLC in support of his request for fees and 

costs. 2008 WL 3842984 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 14, 2008). In Navarro, the “notice of removal 

treated [the] defendant as a corporation, not an LLC. This prompted [the] plaintiff to file 

a motion to remand.” Id. at *7. The district court noted that in opposition to the 

plaintiff’s motion to remand, the defendant sufficiently demonstrated that diversity of 

citizenship exists, despite not specifying the citizenship of the members of the LLC in the 

                                               

explicit, courts have considered other indications of non-removing defendants’ consent to removal.” 

Manikan v. Pac. Ridge Neighborhood Homeowners Assoc., 2017 WL 2953958, at *3 (S.D. Cal. July 10, 

2017). In Manikan, the district court considered the fact that the non-consenting defendant never 

objected to removal, and filed a motion to dismiss; thus the court found the defendant “manifested its 

consent to removal.” Id. Similarly here, Airista LLC and Madigan did not object to removal, and filed a 

motion to dismiss based on lack of personal jurisdiction. See Doc. No. 10. 

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notice of removal. See id. The court awarded the plaintiff reasonable attorney’s fees and 

costs “in order to dissuade sloppy drafting and eliminate perverse incentives[.]” Id. 

Here, the Court finds Airista Flow did not lack an objectively reasonable basis for 

seeking removal, nor does the Court find that unusual circumstances exist. In fact, 

Plaintiff’s own allegations in his Complaint, albeit inaccurate with respect to Madigan’s 

citizenship, support diversity jurisdiction. See Complaint ¶¶ 1-4. Moreover, Navarro is 

distinguishable from the case at bar. In Navarro, unlike here, the notice of removal 

treated the defendant as a corporation, not an LLC. See id. Here, in contrast, Airista 

Flow indicated in its notice of removal that Airista LLC as a limited liability company. 

Airista Flow even asserted that Airista LLC is “a Maryland resident,” and noted that 

Madigan worked for Airista Flow in the state of New York and his last known address 

was in the state of New York. Doc. No. 1 at 6. While Airista Flow could have been 

more specific in its notice of removal about the citizenship of Airista LLC’s members, 

and Madigan’s citizenship, the Court finds that an award of fees and costs, under these 

circumstances, is improper. See Martin, 546 U.S at 141 (“The appropriate test for 

awarding fees under § 1447(c) should recognize the desire to deter removals sought for 

the purpose of prolonging litigation and imposing costs on the opposing party . . . .”). As 

such, the Court DENIES Plaintiff’s request for attorney’s fees and costs. 

3. Conclusion 

In sum, the Court concludes that Airista Flow’s amendment to its notice of 

removal is proper and timely. Additionally, the Court finds that Airista Flow has 

sufficiently demonstrated that Airista LLC is a citizen of Maryland, and that Madigan is a 

citizen of New York. Airista Flow also asserts, and Plaintiff does not contest, that Airista 

Flow is a citizen of Delaware and Maryland, and that Plaintiff is a citizen of California. 

See Doc. No. 1 at 4-5. Thus, because all defendants are diverse from Plaintiff, remand is 

inappropriate. Lastly, Plaintiff’s unanimity of consent argument is without merit, and the 

Court finds an award of fees and costs is not proper under these circumstances. 

Accordingly, the Court DENIES Plaintiff’s motion to remand. 

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AIRISTA LLC AND RYAN MADIGAN’S MOTION TO DISMISS

Specially appearing defendants Airista LLC and Madigan move to dismiss 

Plaintiff’s claims against them for lack of personal jurisdiction pursuant to Federal Rule 

of Civil Procedure 12(b)(2). See Doc. No. 10. Airista LLC and Madigan contend that 

this Court lacks either general or specific personal jurisdiction over them. Plaintiff 

asserts Airista LLC and Madigan have sufficient contacts with California because Airista 

LLC and Madigan employed Plaintiff, a California employee. See Doc. No. 17 at 1-2. 

1. Airista LLC and Madigan’s Evidentiary Objections 

Airista LLC and Madigan have submitted various evidentiary objections to the 

declarations of Plaintiff Bryan Overholt and Andrea Jones, Esq., submitted in support of 

Plaintiff’s opposition to the motion to dismiss. See Doc. No. 18-1. The Court addresses 

the specific objections in turn. 

a. Objections to Declaration of Andrea Jones, Esq. 

Airista LLC and Madigan object to several excerpts of Ms. Jones’ declaration 

(Doc. No. 17-4, hereinafter “Jones Decl.”) on the grounds that such statements lack 

foundation, lack personal knowledge, are speculative, and conclusory. See id. at 1-2. In 

reaching its conclusion below, the Court does not rely on any statements that lack 

foundation, lack personal knowledge, are speculative, conclusory, or otherwise 

inadmissible. Thus, to the extent the Court considers such statements, the Court 

OVERRULES Airista LLC and Madigan’s objections to Ms. Jones’ declaration. 

Moreover, Airista LLC and Madigan object to Exhibits 1-4 attached to Ms. Jones’ 

declaration on the grounds that the documents have not been properly authenticated or 

are irrelevant to the case at bar. See id. Exhibit 1 is a copy of one of Plaintiff’s wage 

statements dated April 15, 2016 (Doc. No. 17-5); Exhibit 2 is a copy of Airista LLC’s 

articles of incorporation (Doc. No. 17-6); Exhibit 3 is a “copy of online research showing 

Airista Flow, Inc. and Airista LLC purchased Ekahau, Inc. (Plaintiff’s former employer)” 

(Doc. No. 17-7); and Exhibit 4 is a copy of a complaint filed in Texas against Airista 

LLC and Ekahau, Inc. (Doc. No. 17-8). 

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Airista LLC and Madigan object to Exhibit 1 on the ground that the wage 

statement has not been properly authenticated. See Doc. No. 18-1 at 1. Federal Rule of 

Evidence 901 provides in part, “[t]o satisfy the requirement of authenticating or 

identifying an item of evidence, the proponent must produce evidence sufficient to 

support a finding that the item is what the proponent claims it is.” Fed. R. Evid. 901(a). 

Ms. Jones declares that this document is an accurate copy of one of Plaintiff’s wage 

statements “produced to Plaintiff by Defendants.” Jones Decl. ¶ 4. Thus, Ms. Jones has 

properly authenticated the document. Accordingly, the Court OVERRULES Airista 

LLC and Madigan’s objection to Exhibit 1. See also Fed. R. Evid. 901(b)(1). 

Airista LLC and Madigan object to Exhibit 2 ground that Airista LLC’s articles of 

incorporation have not been properly authenticated. See Doc. No. 18-1 at 1. The Court 

finds that Ms. Jones has properly authenticated that Exhibit 2 is a copy of the articles of 

incorporation she found online on the Maryland Secretary of State’s website. As such, 

the Court OVERRULES Airista LLC and Madigan’s objection to Exhibit 2. 

Airista LLC and Madigan object to Exhibit 3 on the ground that the copy of Ms. 

Jones’ research has not been properly authenticated. Jones Decl. ¶ 4; see also Doc. No. 

18-1 at 2. The Court agrees. Federal Rule of Evidence 901 requires the proponent 

“produce evidence sufficient to support a finding that the item is what the proponent 

claims it is.” Fed. R. Evid. 901(a). Ms. Jones can properly authenticate that Exhibit 3 is 

the product of her online research, but Ms. Jones is unable to authenticate the content of 

Exhibit 3. Exhibit 3 consists of unverified statements on a website called “Relationship 

Science.” See Doc. No. 17-7. To the extent Ms. Jones seeks to authenticate these 

unverified statements to support the claim that “Airista Flow, Inc. and Airista, LLC 

purchased Ekahau, Inc.,” the document is hearsay and does not fall under any recognized 

exception. See Fed. R. Evid. 801, 803. Thus, the Court SUSTAINS Airista LLC and 

Madigan’s objection to Exhibit 3. 

Lastly, Airista LLC and Madigan object to Exhibit 4 on the ground that the patent 

infringement case filed in the Eastern District of Texas is irrelevant. Federal Rule of 

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Evidence 401 provides that “[e]vidence is relevant if: (a) it has a tendency to make a fact 

more or less probable than it would be without the evidence; and (b) the fact is of 

consequence in determining the action.” Fed. R. Evid. 401. The Court finds the 

objection well-taken, as a complaint filed against Airista LLC in a different state, alleging 

different claims, is irrelevant to the case at bar. As such, the Court SUSTAINS Airista 

LLC and Madigan’s objection to Exhibit. 4. 

b. Objections to Declaration of Bryan Overholt 

Airista LLC and Madigan further object to Plaintiff’s declaration (Doc. No. 17-1, 

hereinafter “Overholt Decl.”) in its entirety, with the exception of one sentence in 

paragraph 2, on the grounds that such statements constitute inadmissible hearsay, call for 

legal conclusions, are speculative, irrelevant, and lack foundation. See Doc. No. 18-1 at 

3-5. The Court does not rely on any statements in Plaintiff’s declaration that constitute 

hearsay, call for legal conclusions, lack foundation, are irrelevant, or are otherwise 

inadmissible. Rather, the Court relies only on objective facts supported by Plaintiff’s 

personal knowledge. As such, to the extent the Court considers such statements, the 

Court OVERRULES Airista LLC and Madigan’s objections to Plaintiff’s declaration. 

2. Legal Standard 

Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(2), a defendant may move for 

dismissal based on lack of personal jurisdiction. On a motion to dismiss for lack of 

personal jurisdiction, “the plaintiff bears the burden of establishing that jurisdiction 

exists.” Rio Props., Inc. v. Rio Int’l Interlink, 284 F.3d 1007, 1019 (9th Cir. 2002). 

Uncontroverted allegations in a complaint must be taken as true when a prima facie 

showing of personal jurisdiction is required. Am. Tel. & Tel. Co. v. Compagnie Bruxelles 

Lambert, 94 F.3d 586, 588 (9th Cir. 1996). However, the court “may not assume the 

truth of allegations in a pleading which are contradicted by affidavit.” Data Disc, Inc. v. 

Systems Tech. Assocs. Inc., 557 F.2d 1280, 1284 (9th Cir. 1977). Conflicts between facts 

contained in the parties’ affidavits must be resolved in favor of the party asserting 

jurisdiction when deciding whether there has been a prima facie showing of personal 

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jurisdiction. Am. Tel. & Tel., 94 F.3d at 588. 

The Court applies the personal jurisdiction law of the forum state where, as here, 

“there is no applicable federal statute governing personal jurisdiction[.]” Dole Food Co., 

Inc. v. Watts, 303 F.3d 1104, 1110 (9th Cir. 2002). “California’s long-arm jurisdictional 

statute is coextensive with federal due process requirements,” and so under California 

law a court can exert personal jurisdiction over a defendant if doing so would be 

consistent with constitutional due process. Id. A court may exercise personal jurisdiction 

“over a non-resident defendant” without offending constitutional principles if that 

defendant has “at least ‘minimum contacts’ with the relevant forum such that the exercise 

of jurisdiction ‘does not offend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice.’” 

Id. at 1111 (quoting Int’l Shoe Co. v. Washington, 326 U.S. 310, 316 (1945)). 

3. Analysis 

Airista LLC and Madigan first argue that this Court lacks general personal 

jurisdiction because the LLC and Madigan do not have systematic and continuous 

contacts with California. Second, Airista LLC and Madigan contend that the Court 

similarly lacks specific personal jurisdiction, arguing that neither Airista LLC nor 

Madigan have engaged in any behavior to purposefully avail themselves of the privilege 

of conducting business in California. In opposition, Plaintiff contends that Airista LLC 

and Madigan “employed, supervised, and wrongfully terminated Plaintiff, who is a 

California employee;” thus, “the Court should not dismiss Madigan and [Airista LLC] for 

mere lack of their ‘physical presence’ in the forum state[.]” Doc. No. 17 at 1-2. The 

Court addresses the defendants individually. 

a. Ryan Madigan 

Plaintiff argues that this Court may exercise specific personal jurisdiction over 

Madigan because he served as President of Airista Flow, supervised Plaintiff’s 

employment, allegedly wrongfully terminated Plaintiff’s employment, and allegedly 

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failed to pay all of Plaintiff’s wages owed upon termination.4

 See Doc. No. 17 at 3. 

Plaintiff asserts only one claim against Madigan: failure to pay earned wages upon 

discharge in violation of California Labor Code § 201. See Complaint ¶¶ 46-51. 

“[I]f a defendant has not had continuous and systematic contacts with the state 

sufficient to confer ‘general jurisdiction,’” Dole Food Co., 303 F.3d at 1111, specific 

personal jurisdiction may be established by showing the following: 

(1) The non-resident defendant must purposefully direct his activities or 

consummate some transaction with the forum or resident thereof; or perform 

some act by which he purposefully avails himself of the privilege of 

conducting activities in the forum, thereby invoking the benefits and 

protections of its laws; (2) the claim must be one which arises out of or 

relates to the defendant’s forum-related activities; and (3) the exercise of 

jurisdiction must comport with fair play and substantial justice, i.e. it must 

be reasonable. 

Picot v. Weston, 780 F.3d 1206, 1211 (9th Cir. 2015) (citing Schwarzenegger v. Fred 

Martin Motor Co., 374 F.3d 797, 802 (9th Cir. 2004)). Plaintiff bears the burden of 

satisfying the first two prongs of the test for specific jurisdiction. Dole Food Co., 303 

F.3d at 1111 (citing Sher v. Johnson, 911 F.2d 1357, 1361 (9th Cir. 1990)). 

The Ninth Circuit has emphasized that under the first prong of the specific personal 

jurisdiction test, purposeful availment and purposeful direction are two separate and 

distinct concepts. Specifically, “[t]he exact form of our jurisdictional inquiry depends on 

the nature of the claim at issue.” Picot, 780 F.3d at 1212. For claims sounding in 

contract, courts generally apply the “purposeful availment” analysis, which considers 

whether a defendant has purposefully availed himself of the privilege of conducting 

business with the forum state. Id. (citing Schwarzenegger, 374 F.3d at 802). For claims 

                                               

4

 Plaintiff does not contend that the Court has general personal jurisdiction over Madigan. 

Accordingly, the Court need not determine the issue as it relates to Madigan. See Sher v. Johnson, 911 

F.2d 1357, 1361 (9th Cir. 1990) (declining to determine whether general jurisdiction existed because 

plaintiff argued only specific jurisdiction existed). 

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sounding in tort, courts apply a “purposeful direction” test, and analyze whether the 

defendant “has directed his actions at the forum state, even if those actions took place 

elsewhere.” Id. (citing Schwarzenegger, 374 F.3d at 802-03). 

As an initial matter, the parties do not indicate which approach applies to the case 

at bar. In their respective briefs, the parties appear to apply the purposeful availment 

analysis, although Plaintiff also relies on a Ninth Circuit case that applies the purposeful 

direction approach. Plaintiff’s claim against Madigan for failure to pay earned wages 

upon discharge is neither a contract nor tort claim. In an analogous case, Rashidi v. 

Veritiss, LLC, the plaintiff asserted similar claims to those asserted here, including failure 

to pay wages due in violation of California Labor Code § 201. 2016 WL 5219448, at *2 

(C.D. Cal. Sept. 19, 2016). The district court noted that the plaintiff’s “claims are neither 

tort nor contract claims,” and addressed the first prong of the specific jurisdiction test 

under both the purposeful availment and purposeful direction approaches. Id. at *5; see 

also Senne v. Kansas City Royals Baseball Corp., 105 F. Supp. 3d 981, 1022 (N.D. Cal. 

2015) (applying both approaches and noting that “[w]age and hour claims asserted under 

the [Fair Labor Standards Act] and state law are neither tort nor contract claims.”). As 

such, the Court proceeds to analyze the first prong of the specific jurisdiction test under 

both approaches. 

i. Purposeful Availment 

In determining whether a defendant purposefully availed himself of the forum, 

there must be “actions by the defendant himself that create a ‘substantial connection’ 

with the forum State.” Burger King Corp. v. Rudzewicz, 471 U.S. 462, 475 (1985) 

(quoting McGee v. Int’l Life Ins. Co., 355 U.S. 220, 223 (1957)). The defendant must 

have “performed some type of affirmative conduct which allows or promotes the 

transaction of business within the forum state.” Sher, 911 F.2d at 1362 (quoting Sinatra 

v. Nat’l Enquirer, Inc., 854 F.2d 1191, 1195 (9th Cir. 1988)). “Merely ‘random, 

fortuitous, or attenuated’ contacts are not sufficient.” Picot, 780 F.3d at 1212 (quoting 

Burger King, 471 U.S. at 475). 

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 Here, Plaintiff contends that Madigan purposefully availed himself of the privilege 

of conducting business in California for the following reasons: (1) Madigan served as the 

Airista Flow’s President during the relevant time period; (2) Madigan supervised 

Plaintiff, a California employee; (3) Madigan “was responsible for [Airista Flow’s] 

payroll practices;” (4) Madigan participated in terminating Plaintiff; and (5) Madigan 

failed to issue Plaintiff’s final wages, making him individually liable. Doc. No. 17 at 4; 

see Overholt Decl. ¶¶ 3-4, 6-7. Even assuming the truth of these allegations, Plaintiff 

fails to explain how such conduct, without more, is sufficient to establish Madigan 

purposefully availed himself of the privilege of conducting business in California. 

Madigan asserts that while working for Airista Flow, he “carried out” his work “from 

[his] home office in the state of New York and at times traveled to Maryland and Virginia 

to do work.” Doc. No. 10-4 (hereinafter “Madigan Decl.”) ¶ 4. Though Plaintiff submits 

one email Madigan sent to Plaintiff and several other Airista Flow employees, dated 

April 19, 2016, this contact, alone, is insufficient to show Madigan has a “substantial 

connection” with California. See Overholt Decl., Exh. A. Moreover, Madigan “do[es] 

not maintain personal offices in or have any personal business ventures in California,” 

and has not been to California for more than one year. Madigan Decl. at ¶¶ 7, 11. Thus, 

Plaintiff fails to explain how Madigan’s performance of managerial duties outside of 

California demonstrates that Madigan purposefully availed himself of the privilege of 

conducting business in California. 

Accordingly, the Court finds that Plaintiff fails to demonstrate that Madigan “had 

sufficient minimum contacts with California to subject him to specific personal 

jurisdiction” here. Picot, 780 F.3d at 1212; see also Walden v. Fiore, 134 S. Ct. 1115, 

1123 (2014) (stating “[d]ue process requires that a defendant be haled into court in a 

forum State based upon his own affiliation with the State, not based on the ‘random, 

fortuitous, or attenuated’ contacts he makes by interacting with other persons affiliated 

with the State.”) (quoting Burger King, 471 U.S. at 475). 

ii. Purposeful Direction 

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The Court next considers whether Plaintiff can demonstrate specific personal 

jurisdiction under the purposeful direction analysis. See Calder v. Jones, 465 U.S. 783, 

789 (1984) (establishing the “effects” test). “Purposeful direction ‘requires that the 

defendant . . . have (1) committed an intentional act, (2) expressly aimed at the forum 

state, (3) causing harm that the defendant knows is likely to be suffered in the forum 

state.’” Morrill v. Scott Fin. Corp., 873 F.3d 1136, 1142 (9th Cir. 2017) (quoting Dole 

Food Co., 303 F.3d at 1111). 

Regarding the first prong of the Calder effects test, the Court finds that Plaintiff 

has established that Madigan committed an intentional act. An intentional act is one that 

denotes an external manifestation of the actor’s will, excluding any of its results, even the 

most direct, immediate, and intended. See Morrill, 873 F.3d at 1142. In his Complaint, 

Plaintiff alleges that “[u]pon information and belief, MADIGAN was primarily involved 

in the decision not to pay Plaintiff and may be held liable as the employer under 

California Labor Code § 558.1.” Complaint ¶ 49. In his declaration, Plaintiff avers that 

he “believe[s] Ryan Madigan was primarily involved in the decision not to pay all wages 

[he] was owed upon discharge because [he] understood [Madigan] was the individual 

primarily involved with the Company pay practices.” Overholt Decl. ¶ 7. Moreover, 

Plaintiff relies on Exhibit B in support of his argument that Madigan failed to pay all 

wages due, which consists of several emails between Plaintiff and Mr. Patrick Jenkins, 

Vice President of Airista Flow. See Overholt Decl., Exh. B. Mr. Jenkins indicates in his 

emails that Airista Flow will pay Plaintiff’s expenses, but notes that Plaintiff “will not be 

paid for the bonus and vacation time[.]” See id. Plaintiff acknowledges that although the 

“email is from Airista’s Vice President, Patrick Jenkins,” he “believe[s] Ryan Madigan 

made the decision as [Madigan] is the President of the company and the superior of 

Patrick Jenkins.” Overholt Decl. ¶ 7. Madigan does not contest these allegations. Thus, 

the Court presumes the truth of Plaintiff’s allegations. See Am. Tel. & Tel. Co., 94 F.3d 

at 588 (noting that uncontroverted allegations in a complaint must be taken as true when 

such allegations are not contradicted by affidavit). As such, the Court finds that Plaintiff 

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has sufficiently demonstrated Madigan committed an intentional act. 

The Court next looks to whether Madigan’s intentional act was “expressly aimed at 

the forum state[.]” Morrill, 873 F.3d at 1142. The “express aiming” requirement 

“depends to a significant degree on the specific type or tort or other wrongful conduct at 

issue.” Picot, 780 F.3d at 1206. However, courts are “limited to ‘the defendant’s suitrelated conduct.’” Id. at 1215 n.3 (quoting Walden, 134 S. Ct. at 1121). The Supreme 

Court has clarified that courts must look “to the defendant’s contacts with the forum State 

itself, not the defendant’s contacts with persons who reside there.” Walden, 134 S. Ct. at 

1122. “[T]he plaintiff cannot be the only link between the defendant and the forum,” and 

a “mere injury to a forum resident is not a sufficient connection to the forum.” Id. “The 

proper question is not where the plaintiff experienced a particular injury or effect but 

whether the defendant’s conduct connects him to the forum in a meaningful way.” Id. at 

1125. 

Plaintiff primarily relies on Jillella v. International Solutions Group, Inc., 507 F. 

App’x 706 (9th Cir. 2013), for the proposition that “employing a California employee 

sufficiently establishes jurisdiction.” Doc. No. 17 at 2. In Jillella, the Ninth Circuit 

found that the plaintiff satisfied the first and second prongs of the Calder effects test 

because the defendant corporation sent its employee (the plaintiff) to work for a third 

party in California for five months, and then allegedly refused to pay him. 507 F. App’x 

at 708. The Ninth Circuit, applying the purposeful direction analysis, reasoned that the 

defendant corporation “committed an intentional act expressly aimed at California, which 

would likely cause harm in California.” Id. 

Jillella is distinguishable from the case at bar for two reasons. First, Plaintiff 

claims that Madigan “supervised Plaintiff (a California employee).” Doc. No. 17 at 4. 

Plaintiff does not contend that Madigan, or Airista Flow, sent him to work in California. 

Nor does Plaintiff allege that Madigan performed any supervisory duties in California. 

Second, Plaintiff fails to note that in Jillella, the Ninth Circuit refused to determine 

whether the district court has personal jurisdiction over Mr. Ravi Puli, the defendant 

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corporation’s President. 507 F. App’x at 708-09. Mr. Puli argued that the district court 

lacks personal jurisdiction over him “because he works and lives in Virginia and has 

insufficient contacts with California.” Id. at 708. The Ninth Circuit noted that the district 

court did not apply the specific jurisdiction test to Mr. Puli individually, and remanded 

the issue to the district court. Id. at 709. Thus, Jillella does not support Plaintiff’s 

contention that the Court has specific personal jurisdiction over Madigan by virtue of his 

position as President of Airista Flow. 

In considering Plaintiff’s allegations, the Court finds that Plaintiff has not 

established a prima facie case that Madigan’s allegedly intentional act was “expressly 

aimed” at California. Plaintiff declares that “[w]hile employed by Airista,” he “lived and 

performed work in the State of California.”5

 Overholt Decl. ¶ 3; see also Complaint ¶ 1. 

Plaintiff also submits a copy of a wage statement issued by Airista Flow in support of his 

assertion that he is a California employee. Jones Decl., Exh. 1. The wage statement 

indicates that Plaintiff lives in Encinitas, California. See id. Plaintiff further alleges that 

Madigan “oversaw [Airista Flow’s] general payroll practices, including advising on how 

each employees’ wages would be taxed.” Overholt Decl. ¶ 4. Plaintiff’s allegations and 

proffered evidence, at most, establish that Madigan knew Plaintiff worked and resided in 

California. Mere knowledge that Plaintiff is a resident of the forum state at the time of 

the alleged wrongful conduct, however, is insufficient to establish specific personal 

jurisdiction. See Walden, 134 S. Ct. at 1126. 

Prior to the Supreme Court’s decision in Walden, the Ninth Circuit “repeatedly 

stated that the ‘express aiming’ requirement is satisfied, and specific jurisdiction exists, 

‘when the defendant is alleged to have engaged in wrongful conduct targeted at a plaintiff 

                                               

5

 The Court notes that Airista LLC and Madigan summarily assert in their reply brief that 

“Plaintiff never rendered services for Airista Flow in California.” Doc. No. 18 at 3. However, they 

submit no declarations in support of this contention. As such, the Court presumes the truth of Plaintiff’s 

allegations. See Am. Tel. & Tel. Co., 94 F.3d at 588 (noting that uncontroverted allegations in a 

complaint must be taken as true when such allegations are not contradicted by affidavit). 

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whom the defendant knows to be a resident of the forum state.’” Washington Shoe Co. v. 

A-Z Sporting Goods, Inc., 704 F.3d 668, 675 (9th Cir. 2012) (quoting Dole Foods Co., 

303 F.3d at 1111). However, in Walden, the Supreme Court stressed that even where an 

intentional tort is alleged, the “defendant’s suit-related conduct must create a substantial 

connection with the forum State,” and this “relationship must arise out of contacts that 

the ‘defendant himself’ creates with the forum State.” 134 S. Ct. at 1121-22 (emphasis in 

original) (quoting Burger King, 471 U.S. at 475). In 2015, the Ninth Circuit, addressing 

Walden, affirmed that conduct must be expressly aimed at the forum state itself, not 

merely a resident of the forum. See Picot, 780 F.3d at 1214. In Picot, the plaintiff 

alleged that the defendant interfered with a California contract “from his residence in 

Michigan, without entering California, contacting any person in California, or otherwise 

reaching out to California.” Id. at 1215. Although the contract was executed in 

California, the Ninth Circuit found no specific personal jurisdiction because “none of [the 

defendant’s] challenged conduct had anything to do with [California] itself.” Id. Thus, 

in light of Walden and Picot, the express aiming prong is not met where a defendant 

merely targets a California resident. See Walden, 134 S. Ct. at 1125 (“The proper 

question . . . is whether the defendant’s conduct connects him to the forum in a 

meaningful way.”) (emphasis added).

As noted previously, Madigan lives in New York, and has for several years, has 

never resided in California, did not perform services on behalf of Airista Flow in 

California, owns no real or personal property in California, and as of August 15, 2017, 

had not been to California for more than one year. See Madigan Decl. ¶¶ 2-4, 6, 11. 

Moreover, Madigan’s alleged decision to not pay Plaintiff’s final wages presumably 

occurred in New York, where Madigan lives and primarily works, or in Maryland or 

Virginia, where Madigan traveled to occasionally for work. Id. ¶ 4. Plaintiff does not 

allege Madigan traveled to California, met with Plaintiff in California, or otherwise 

engaged in numerous communications with Plaintiff while Plaintiff worked for Airista 

Flow in California. The only link between Madigan and California, as alleged, is that 

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Plaintiff resides in California and Plaintiff suffered harm in California. Such a 

connection is insufficient to satisfy the “express aiming” requirement. 

Therefore, because Plaintiff “cannot be the only link between the defendant and the 

forum,” Plaintiff has not shown that Madigan directed his conduct at California in a 

meaningful way. Walden, 134 S. Ct. at 1125 (emphasis added); see also Standard v. 

Cameron, 2017 WL 5466718, at *7 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 14, 2017) (concluding that the 

plaintiff failed to demonstrate purposeful direction where “[t]he only connection that 

Defendants have to California is that [the plaintiff] resides in California and [the plaintiff] 

experienced harm in California.”); Lycurgan, Inc. v. Griffith, 2017 WL 325079, at *5 

(S.D. Cal. July 31, 2017) (finding the plaintiff fails to show the defendant expressly 

aimed his activity at California where the plaintiff merely demonstrated that the 

defendant “intentionally targeted [the] Plaintiff who happens to reside in the state.”); cf. 

Phillippe Charriol Int’l Ltd. v. A’lor Int’l Ltd., 2014 WL 12284076, at *6 (S.D. Cal. May 

2014) (finding purposeful direction where the record shows that the counterdefendants 

“traveled to California, and frequently contacted [counterclaimant’s] personnel in 

California to conduct business via Skype videoconferencing, phone, email, and written 

communications. . . . Thus, unlike in Walden, [counterdefendants] have contacts with 

California beyond mere knowledge that [counterclaimant] has connections here.”). 

iii. Conclusion 

In sum, the Court finds that Plaintiff has failed to make a prima facie showing of 

specific jurisdiction over Madigan. Specifically, Plaintiff has not established that 

Madigan either purposefully availed himself of the privilege of conducting activities in 

California, or that Madigan expressly aimed his action at California. Plaintiff’s theory of 

jurisdiction is not compatible with the Supreme Court’s analysis in Walden, or the Ninth 

Circuit’s analysis in Picot. Accordingly, the Court concludes that it lacks personal 

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jurisdiction over Madigan.6

b. Airista LLC 

Plaintiff argues “personal jurisdiction exists as to Airista LLC” because “the LLC 

is in the same business” as Airista Flow; thus, Airista LLC has sufficient ties with 

California as Plaintiff’s joint employer. Doc. No. 17 at 5-6. Plaintiff asserts all five 

causes of action against Airista LLC for: (1) age discrimination; (2) failure to prevent 

discrimination; (3) wrongful termination in violation of public policy; (4) failure to pay 

earned wages upon discharge; and (5) restitution for unfair business practices. See 

Complaint. The Court notes that Plaintiff does not specify whether the Court has specific 

or general personal jurisdiction over Airista LLC. As such, the Court addresses both 

bases for personal jurisdiction. 

i. General Personal Jurisdiction 

Courts have general personal jurisdiction over nonresident defendants whenever 

the defendants’ activities within the forum state are “continuous and systematic.” 

Perkins v. Benguet Consol. Mining Co., 342 U.S. 437, 445 (1952). General jurisdiction 

has “an exacting standard . . . because a finding of general jurisdiction permits a 

defendant to be haled into court in the forum state to answer for any of its activities 

anywhere in the world.” Schwarzenegger, 374 F.3d at 801. Establishing general 

personal jurisdiction requires that the defendant’s contacts with a forum be “so 

substantial, continuous, and systematic that the defendant can be deemed to be present in 

that forum for all purposes.” Yahoo! Inc. v. La Ligue Contre Le Racisme, 433 F.3d 1199, 

1205 (9th Cir. 2006) (internal quotations omitted). 

 Here, Plaintiff alleges that Airista LLC is a limited liability company “doing 

business in California.” Complaint ¶ 3. Moreover, Plaintiff claims that Airista Flow is a 

                                               

6

 Because Plaintiff has failed to establish the first prong of the specific jurisdiction test under 

both the purposeful availment and purposeful direction approaches, the Court “need not address whether 

the suit arises out of [Madigan’s] forum-related activities, or whether the exercise of jurisdiction would 

be reasonable,” the remaining two prongs of the specific jurisdiction test. Picot, 780 F.3d at 1213 n.2. 

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subsidiary of Airista LLC, and is “either based in, authorized, or registered to conduct, or 

in fact conducts substantial business in the State of California, County of San Diego.” Id. 

¶¶ 3, 11. 

Airista LLC, however, submits the declarations of its two members, Messrs. S. 

Sajjad and M. Sajjad, to refute Plaintiff’s allegations. See Doc. No. 10-2 (hereinafter “S. 

Sajjad Decl.”); Doc. No. 10-3 (hereinafter “M. Sajjad Decl.”). Messrs. M. and S. Sajjad 

declare under penalty of perjury that: (1) Airista, LLC was formed under the laws of 

Maryland (M. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 3; S. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 3); (2) Messrs. M. Sajjad and S. Sajjad 

currently reside in Maryland, and resided in Maryland at the time the lawsuit was filed 

and at the time of removal (M. Sajjad Decl. ¶¶ 4, 8; S. Sajjad Decl. ¶¶ 4, 8); (3) Airista 

LLC is not registered to conduct business within the state of California, has never 

conducted business in California, and has never employed employees in California (M. 

Sajjad Decl. ¶ 8; S. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 8) (emphasis added); (4) Airista LLC has no property 

in California (M. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 9; S. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 9); and (7) Airista LLC has no bank 

accounts in California (M. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 10; S. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 10). Thus, given Airista 

LLC’s lack of systematic and continuous contacts with California, the Court concludes 

that it lacks general personal jurisdiction over Airista LLC. 

ii. Specific Personal Jurisdiction 

As set forth above, specific personal jurisdiction may be established by showing 

that three requirements are met: 1) the defendant purposefully directs his activities or 

conducts some transaction with the forum, or performs some act by which he 

purposefully avails himself of the privileges of conducting activities in the forum state, 

thereby invoking the protections of its law; 2) the claim arises out of the defendant’s 

forum-related activities; and 3) exercising jurisdiction is reasonable. See Picot, 780 F.3d 

at 1211. Plaintiff must satisfy the first two prongs of the test. See Dole Food Co., 303 

F.3d at 1111. Courts apply the purposeful availment analysis to claims sounding in 

contract, while courts apply the purposeful direction analysis to claims sounding in tort. 

See Picot, 780 F.3d at 1212. 

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Here, the Court finds that Plaintiff has not sufficiently alleged that Airista LLC 

actually employed him, which is fatal under both the purposeful availment and 

purposeful direction approaches. Plaintiff asserts that “the LLC is in the same business” 

as Airista Flow and that “the LLC has sufficient ties with the forum state as a joint 

employer.” Doc. No. 14 at 6. However, Plaintiff does not submit any admissible 

evidence demonstrating that Airista LLC actually employed him. In fact, Airista Flow 

and Airista LLC “are separate legal entities” and Airista LLC “is not involved in the 

business operations of [Airista Flow].” M. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 6; S. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 6. Airista 

LLC is not registered to conduct business in California, has never conducted business in 

California, and most importantly, “has never employed employees in California.” M. 

Sajjad Decl. ¶ 6; S. Sajjad Decl. ¶ 6. The declarations of Messrs. M. Sajjad and S. Sajjad 

directly contradict Plaintiff’s allegation that “the LLC is liable as Plaintiff’s employer 

with the power to control, fire, issue wages, and conduct other business matters as it 

relates to at least one California employee.” Doc. No. 17 at 6. 

Plaintiff submits as evidence Airista Flow’s initial disclosures in this case, wherein 

Airista Flow admits that Airista LLC’s members, Messrs. M. and S. Sajjad, “are 

witnesses in this matter.” Doc. No. 17 at 6. The initial disclosures indicate that Mr. S. 

Sajjad is Airista Flow’s CEO, and that Mr. M. Sajjad is Airista Flow’s CFO. See Doc. 

No. 17-9 at 2. Plaintiff seems to imply that because Messrs. M. and S. Sajjad serve as 

officers of Airista Flow, in addition to being the only two members of Airista LLC, 

Airista LLC is somehow Plaintiff’s joint employer. Plaintiff does not, however, explain 

this argument, or cite to any legal authority in support of this position. 

Plaintiff further contends that “Defendants do not deny” that a “parent-subsidiary 

relationship” exists between Airista Flow and Airista LLC. Doc. No. 17 at 6. Even 

assuming such a relationship exists, “[i]t is well-established that a parent-subsidiary 

relationship alone is insufficient to attribute the contacts of the subsidiary to the parent 

for jurisdictional purposes.” Harris Rutsky & Co. Ins. Servs., Inc. v. Bell & Clements 

Ltd., 328 F.3d 1122, 1134 (9th Cir. 2003). A subsidiary’s contacts may be imputed to the 

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parent only in two situations: (1) where the subsidiary is the parent’s alter ego, or (2) 

where the subsidiary acts as the general agent of the parent. See id. Plaintiff, however, 

fails to address the exceptions altogether. Thus, even if such a parent-subsidiary 

relationship exists, Plaintiff has not demonstrated that the contacts of Airista Flow may 

be attributed to Airista LLC for purposes of personal jurisdiction. 

In sum, considering Plaintiff’s admissible evidence, along with the declarations of 

Messrs. M. and S. Sajjad, the Court concludes that Plaintiff fails to make a prima facie 

showing of specific jurisdiction over Airista LLC. Specifically, the Court finds that 

Plaintiff has failed to demonstrate that Airista LLC has any connection to California. 

Thus, under the purposeful availment analysis, Plaintiff is unable to demonstrate that 

Airista LLC performed any “affirmative conduct which allows or promotes the 

transaction of business” within California. Sher, 911 F.2d at 1362. Regarding the 

purposeful direction analysis, Plaintiff is unable to establish that Airista LLC committed 

an intentional act expressly aimed at California. See Morrill, 873 F.3d at 1142. 

Accordingly, the Court concludes that it lacks personal jurisdiction over Airista LLC.7

c. Jurisdictional Discovery 

In his opposition to the instant motion, Plaintiff requests the Court allow the parties 

to conduct jurisdictional discovery “so that Plaintiff may make a more satisfactory 

showing” of Airista LLC and Madigan’s contacts with California. Doc. No. 17 at 6. 

Madigan and Airista LLC oppose Plaintiff’s request, noting that the declarations of 

Madigan, M. Sajjad, and S. Sajjad “make clear that Arista, LLC and Mr. Madigan 

conduct no business in California and lack sufficient ties to the state to establish 

jurisdiction.” Doc. No. 18 at 7. 

In the Ninth Circuit, jurisdictional discovery “should ordinarily be granted where 

                                               

7

 Because Plaintiff fails to satisfy the first prong of the specific personal jurisdiction test as to 

Airista LLC, the Court need not address whether the second and third prongs of the specific jurisdiction 

test are met. See Picot, 780 F.3d at 1213 n.2. 

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‘pertinent facts bearing on the question of jurisdiction are controverted or where a more 

satisfactory showing of the facts is necessary.’” Butcher’s Union Local No. 498 v. SDC 

Inv., Inc., 788 F.2d 535, 540 (9th Cir. 1986) (quoting Data Disc, Inc., 557 F.2d at 1285 n. 

1). The Ninth Circuit has indicated that courts should permit jurisdictional discovery 

where “[f]urther discovery . . . might well demonstrate facts sufficient to constitute a 

basis for jurisdiction[.]” Harris Rutsky & Co. Ins. Servs., Inc., 328 F.3d at 1135. 

However, courts may deny a request for jurisdictional discovery “if it is clear that further 

discovery would not demonstrate facts sufficient to constitute a basis for jurisdiction,” 

Wells Fargo & Co. v. Wells Fargo Exp. Co., 556 F.2d 406, 430 n.24 (9th Cir. 1977), or 

when the request is “based on little more than a hunch that it might yield jurisdictionally 

relevant facts,” Boschetto v. Hansing, 539 F.3d 1011, 1020 (9th Cir. 2008). 

Here, the Court finds that jurisdictional discovery is not warranted. With respect to 

Airista LLC, Plaintiff summarily asserts that “the LLC is the joint employer of Plaintiff 

and that the LLC and the Corporation are equally liable for Plaintiff’s claims.” Doc. No. 

17 at 7. However, Plaintiff submits no evidence in support of this proposition, nor does 

Plaintiff allege that Airista LLC paid him, or otherwise had any contact with him during 

his employment with Airista Flow. In fact, the wage statement that Plaintiff submits as 

Exhibit 1 to Ms. Jones’ declaration was issued by Airista Flow, Inc. and “Airista Flow 

LLC” does not appear anywhere on the wage statement. See Jones Decl., Exh. 1. 

Moreover, Messrs. M. and S. Sajjad declare under penalty of perjury that the LLC 

and Airista Flow are separate entities, Airista LLC does not conduct business in 

California, has never conducted business in California, and has never employed 

employees in California. M. Sajjad Decl. ¶¶ 6, 8; S. Sajjad Decl. ¶¶ 6, 8. Simply put, the 

declarations offered by Messrs. M. and S. Sajjad attest to a complete lack of contact with 

the forum state. As such, Plaintiff’s request for jurisdictional discovery cannot be said to 

be based on more than a “hunch” that it will yield relevant facts. Boschetto, 539 F.3d at 

1020; see also Terracom v. Valley Nat’l Bank, 49 F.3d 555, 562 (9th Cir. 1995) (“Where 

a plaintiff’s claim of personal jurisdiction appears to be both attenuated and based on bare 

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allegations in the face of specific denials made by defendants, the Court need not permit 

even limited discovery.”) (citation omitted) (emphasis added). 

With respect to Madigan, Plaintiff contends that “jurisdictional discovery may

show Madigan’s involvement with Plaintiff’s termination and the Company’s payroll 

practices of employees who are discharged in California.” Doc. No. 17 at 7 (emphasis 

added). Plaintiff’s speculation, however, is similarly insufficient to warrant jurisdictional 

discovery. See Butcher’s Union Local No. 498, 788 F.2d at 540 (upholding the denial of 

a request for jurisdictional discovery where plaintiffs stated only that they “believed” 

discovery would enable them to demonstrate sufficient California contacts to establish 

personal jurisdiction). Additionally, Plaintiff does not specify the discovery he seeks to 

conduct, or how it would be helpful in the Court’s jurisdictional analysis. See Getz v. 

Boeing Co., 654 F.3d 852, 860 (9th Cir. 2011) (noting that the district court did not abuse 

its discretion in denying the plaintiffs’ request for discovery in light of the plaintiffs’ 

failure to “identify any specific facts, transactions, or conduct that would give rise to 

personal jurisdiction over [the defendant] in California.”). Accordingly, the Court 

DENIES Plaintiff’s request for jurisdictional discovery. 

4. Conclusion 

In sum, the Court finds that Plaintiff has not met his burden in establishing that the 

Court has personal jurisdiction over Airista LLC and Madigan. Plaintiff has shown 

neither that Madigan purposefully availed himself of the privilege of conducting 

activities in California, nor that Madigan expressly aimed his conduct at the forum state. 

Moreover, Plaintiff has not demonstrated that Airista LLC has any contacts with the 

forum state. As such, the Court concludes that it lacks personal jurisdiction over Airista 

LLC and Madigan. Further, the Court finds that jurisdictional discovery is not warranted. 

Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Airista LLC and Madigan’s motion to dismiss for lack 

of personal jurisdiction. 

/ / / 

/ / / 

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CONCLUSION

Based on the foregoing, the Court DENIES Plaintiff’s motion to remand. 

Additionally, the Court GRANTS Airista LLC and Madigan’s motion pursuant to 

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(2), and DISMISSES Plaintiff’s claims against 

them without prejudice. Grigsby v. CMI Corp., 765 F.2d 1369, 1372 n.5 (9th Cir. 1985) 

(dismissal for lack of personal jurisdiction must be without prejudice). 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 10, 2018

 _____________________________ 

 HON. MICHAEL M. ANELLO 

United States District Judge 

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