Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-02008/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-02008-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 365
Nature of Suit: Personal Injury - Product Liability
Cause of Action: 28:1446 Petition for Removal- Personal Injury

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MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP 

5 RIVER PARK PLACE EAST

FRESNO, CA 93720-1501 

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STIPULATION & (PROPOSED) ORDER TO TRANSFER ACTION TO FRESNO DIVISION 

2: 06CV2008 LKK KJM 

Daniel P. Lyons, # 95334 

McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard, 

Wayte & Carruth LLP 

P.O. Box 28912 

5 River Park Place East 

Fresno, CA 93720-1501 

Telephone: (559) 433-1300 

Facsimile: (559) 433-2300 

Attorneys for Defendant 

WALBRO ENGINE MANAGEMENT LLC 

(erroneously sued herein as Walbro Corporation) 

(SPACE BELOW FOR FILING STAMP ONLY) 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT 

ALICE HOLMES AND VERNON 

HOLMES, 

Plaintiffs, 

v. 

HOME DEPOT USA, INC.; MTD 

PRODUCTS, INC.; BRIGGS & 

STRATTON CORPORATION; WALBRO 

CORPORATION; AND DOES 1 to 50, 

Inclusive, 

Defendants. 

Case No. 2: 06CV2008 DFL KJM 

STIPULATION AND ORDER FOR INTRADISTRICT TRANSFER FROM 

SACRAMENTO DIVISION TO FRESNO 

DIVISION PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. §1404(a) 

AND UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF 

CALIFORNIA LOCAL RULE 3-120(f) 

I. 

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

Plaintiffs ALICE HOLMES AND VERNON HOLMES allege that they were injured in a 

fire that occurred on August 7, 2005 on the plaintiffs’ property in Coulterville, Mariposa County, 

California. Plaintiffs contend that the fire was caused by a failure or malfunction of a MTD 

riding lawn mower, operated by Mr. Holmes at the time of the incident. Plaintiffs allege that 

defendants MTD CONSUMER GROUP, INC. (erroneously sued herein as MTD PRODUCTS, 

INC.); BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION; and WALBRO ENGINE MANAGEMENT 

LLC (erroneously sued herein as WALBRO CORPORATION) designed, manufactured, and/or 

assembled the riding lawn mower and/or the component parts of the lawn mower and that 

Case 2:06-cv-02008-DFL -KJM Document 18 Filed 10/31/06 Page 1 of 6
MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP 

5 RIVER PARK PLACE EAST

FRESNO, CA 93720-1501 

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STIPULATION & (PROPOSED) ORDER TO TRANSFER ACTION TO FRESNO DIVISION 

2: 06CV2008 LKK KJM 

defendant HOME DEPOT USA, INC. sold the lawn mower to the public. On July 18, 2006, 

plaintiffs filed a Complaint in Fresno County Superior Court seeking damages from the abovenamed defendants. On September 8, 2006, defendant MTD CONSUMER GROUP, INC. filed a 

Notice of Removal of the state court action with this Court, Sacramento Division, on the basis 

that the action is between citizens of different states and the matter in controversy exceeds the 

sum of $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs. 

28 U.S.C. §1441(a) provides that “any civil action brought in a State court of which the 

district courts of the United States have original jurisdiction, may be removed by the defendant or 

the defendants to the district court of the United States for the district and division embracing the 

place where the action is pending.” (emphasis added.) The parties recognize that the State court 

case should have been removed to the Fresno Division of this Court, not the Sacramento Division 

of this Court, and the parties have entered into the Stipulation set forth below to request an intradistrict transfer of the matter from the Sacramento Division of this Court to the Fresno Division 

of this Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1404(a) and Local Rule of Court 3-120(f). 

II. 

STIPULATION

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED TO by and between Plaintiffs ALICE 

HOLMES AND VERNON HOLMES, Defendant HOME DEPOT USA, INC., Defendant MTD 

CONSUMER GROUP, INC. (erroneously sued herein as MTD PRODUCTS, INC.), Defendant 

BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION; and Defendant WALBRO ENGINE 

MANAGEMENT, LLC (erroneously sued herein as WALBRO CORPORATION) by and 

through their respective counsel as follows: 

WHEREAS this matter was removed from the Superior Court of California in and for the 

County of Fresno to the United States District Court in and for the Eastern District of California, 

Sacramento Division; 

AND WHEREAS the Fresno Division of this Court embraces Fresno County; 

AND WHEREAS the accident that underlies this matter occurred in Mariposa County; 

AND WHEREAS the Fresno Division of this Court embraces Mariposa County; 

Case 2:06-cv-02008-DFL -KJM Document 18 Filed 10/31/06 Page 2 of 6
MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP 

5 RIVER PARK PLACE EAST

FRESNO, CA 93720-1501 

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STIPULATION & (PROPOSED) ORDER TO TRANSFER ACTION TO FRESNO DIVISION 

2: 06CV2008 LKK KJM 

AND WHEREAS the Fresno Division of this Court is a proper court for the trial of the 

action, having original jurisdiction of the subject matter of this action under 28 U.S.C. 

§1332(a)(1); 

AND WHEREAS Good Cause has been set forth in the Declaration of Daniel P. Lyons, 

attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and filed herewith, and incorporated herein by reference;

AND WHEREAS the parties have agreed to have this action transferred to the Fresno 

Division of the United States District Court in and for the Eastern District of California pursuant 

to 28 U.S.C. §1404(a) and Local Rule of Court 3-120(f); 

THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY AGREED AND STIPULATED by the Parties that the 

Court may issue, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1404(a) and Local Rule of Court 3-120(f), the 

(Proposed) Order for an Intra-District Transfer of this Action from the Sacramento Division of 

the United States District Court in and for the Eastern District of California to the Fresno Division 

of the United States District Court in and for the Eastern District of California; 

The parties agree that this STIPULATION may be signed by counsel pursuant to Local 

Court Rule 7-131(e) and that all counsel listed below have authorized the submission of this 

Stipulation to this Court. 

IT IS SO STIPULATED: 

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Case 2:06-cv-02008-DFL -KJM Document 18 Filed 10/31/06 Page 3 of 6
MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP 

5 RIVER PARK PLACE EAST

FRESNO, CA 93720-1501 

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STIPULATION & (PROPOSED) ORDER TO TRANSFER ACTION TO FRESNO DIVISION 

2: 06CV2008 LKK KJM 

Dated: October 25, 2006 McCORMICK, BARSTOW, SHEPPARD, 

WAYTE & CARRUTH LLP 

By: /s/ Daniel P. Lyons 

Daniel P. Lyons 

Attorneys for Defendant 

WALBRO ENGINE MANAGEMENT 

LLC (erroneously sued herein as Walbro 

Corporation) 

Dated: October 23, 2006 OREN & PABOOJIAN 

By: /s/ Warren Paboojian (as authorized on 

October 23, 2006) 

Warren R. Paboojian 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

ALICE HOLMES and VERNON 

HOLMES 

Dated: October 24, 2006 PORTER, SCOTT, WEIBERG & 

DELEHANT 

By: /s/ Anthony S. Warburg (as authorized on 

October 24, 2006) 

Anthony S. Warburg 

Attorneys for Defendants 

HOME DEPOT and MTD PRODUCTS, 

INC. 

Dated: October 24, 2006 DRYDEN, MARGOLES, SCHIMANECK & 

WERTZ 

By: /s/ Lawrence A. Margoles (as authorized 

on October 24, 2006) 

Lawrence A. Margoles 

Attorneys for Defendants 

BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION 

Case 2:06-cv-02008-DFL -KJM Document 18 Filed 10/31/06 Page 4 of 6
MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP 

5 RIVER PARK PLACE EAST

FRESNO, CA 93720-1501 

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STIPULATION & (PROPOSED) ORDER TO TRANSFER ACTION TO FRESNO DIVISION 

2: 06CV2008 LKK KJM 

ORDER

GOOD CAUSE HAVING BEEN SHOWN AND THE PARTIES HAVING 

STIPULATED TO THE SAME, the Court finds that the Fresno Division of this Court is the 

proper place for trial of this action and that good cause exists for an intra-district transfer of this 

case from the Sacramento Division of the United States District Court in and for the Eastern 

District of California to the Fresno Division of the United States District Court in and for the 

Eastern District of California pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1404(a) and Local Rule of Court 3-120(f). 

IT IS SO ORDERED 

Dated: October 30, 2006 

 /s/ David F. Levi_____________________

 DAVID F. LEVI, U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE 

1023313.v1 

Case 2:06-cv-02008-DFL -KJM Document 18 Filed 10/31/06 Page 5 of 6
MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP 

P.O. BOX 28912 

FRESNO, CA 93729-8912 

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STIPULATION & (PROPOSED) ORDER TO TRANSFER ACTION TO FRESNO DIVISION 

2:06CV 2: 06CV2008 LKK KJM 

Case Name: HOLMES v. HOME DEPOT USA, INC., et al. 

Case No.: 2:06-CV-2008 Eastern District Court

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

DECLARATION OF SERVICE

I am a citizen of the United States and employed in Fresno County, California; I am over 

the age of 18 years and not a party to the within action; my business address is 5 River Park Place 

East, Fresno, CA 93720. I am familiar with my law firm’s practice whereby the mail, after being 

placed in a designated area, is given the appropriate postage and is deposited in a U.S. mailbox in 

the City of Fresno, California. On the date below I served the attached: STIPULATION AND 

(PROPOSED) ORDER FOR INTRA-DISTRICT TRANSFER FROM SACRAMENTO 

DIVISION TO FRESNO DIVISION PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. §1404(a) AND UNITED 

STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

LOCAL RULE 3-120(f) 

 ̈ BY MAIL: by placing the document(s) listed above in a sealed envelope with 

postage thereon fully prepaid, in the United States mail at Fresno, California 

addressed as set forth below. 

 ̈ BY OVERNIGHT MAIL: by causing document(s) to be picked up by an 

overnight delivery service company for delivery to the addressee(s) on the next 

business day. 

ý BY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION: per court order, submitted electronically by 

Verilaw to be posted to the website and notice given to all parties that the 

document has been served.

addressed as follows: 

Warren R. Paboojian 

Oren & Paboojian 

225 West Shaw Avenue, Suite 105 

Fresno, CA 93704 

Anthony S. Warburg 

Porter, Scott, Weiberg & Delehant 

350 University Avenue, Suite 200 

Sacramento, CA 95825 

Lawrence A. Margoles 

Dryden Margoles, et al. 

101 California Street, Suite 2050 

San Francisco, CA 94111 

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the 

above is true and correct. 

Executed on October 26, 2006, at Fresno, California. 

 /s/ Jennifer DeBoer 

Jennifer DeBoer 

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