Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_09-cv-00705/USCOURTS-azd-2_09-cv-00705-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Breach of Contract

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Lieberman & Associates, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

GVSW Surprise Plaza LLC; GVSW

Surprise Plaza 15, LLC; Glimcher Co., 

Defendants. 

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No. CV 09-705-PHX-JAT

ORDER

On May 7, 2009, the Court ordered the following:

“Inquiring whether the court has jurisdiction is a federal judge’s first duty

in every case.” Belleville Catering Co. v. Champaign Market Place, L.L.C., 350 F.3d 691, 693 (7th Cir. 2003). Additionally, federal courts are courts of

limited jurisdiction. Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of Am., 511 U.S. 375,

377 (1994). The party asserting jurisdiction bears the burden of proving a

jurisdictional basis exists. Id.

In this case, the Complaint fails to sufficiently plead jurisdiction. See 28

U.S.C. § 1332; Johnson v. Columbia Properties Anchorage, 437 F.3d 894, 899

(9th Cir. 2006); Industrial Tectonics v. Aero Alloy, 912 F.2d 1090, 1092 (9th

Cir. 1990). First, the Complaint fails to allege the citizenship of every member

of each limited liability company. Second, the Complaint fails to allege the

state of incorporation and the principal place of business for the corporate

Plaintiff. Finally, the Complaint fails to allege any form of citizenship for

Defendant Glimcher.

Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED that by May 22, 2009, Plaintiff shall file an amended

complaint properly alleging federal subject matter jurisdiction, or this case will

be dismissed without prejudice for lack of federal subject matter jurisdiction.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the amended complaint shall not

include fictitiously-named defendants unless Plaintiff shows cause to allow

them. See Craig v. U.S., 413 F.2d 854, 856 (9th Cir. 1969).

Case 2:09-cv-00705-JAT Document 20 Filed 05/26/09 Page 1 of 2
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Doc. #17.

Plaintiff timely filed an amended complaint, and alleged as follows: “Upon

information and belief...Design ...believes...that each and every member of GVSW Surprise

[LLC] is a resident of the state of Arizona” and “Upon information and

belief...Design...believes...that each and every member of GVSW 15 [LLC] is a resident of

the state of Arizona.” Doc. #18 at 2. Further, the amended complaint states, “Upon

information and belief, Glimcher Co. is a business entity, form unknown, ....Design is

informed, believes and based thereon alleges that each and every member/shareholder/owner

of Glimcher is a resident of the State of Arizona.” Doc. #18 at 2.

As discussed in the May 7, 2009 order, federal courts are courts of limited

jurisdiction; the result of which is that the party asserting jurisdiction must prove to the Court

that it has jurisdiction. Accordingly, jurisdiction may not be plead on information and belief.

Lyerla v. Amco Insurance Co., 462 F.Supp.2d 931, 931 (S.D. Ill. 2006) (“Allegations of

federal subject matter jurisdiction may not be made on the basis of information and belief,

only personal knowledge.”) Thus, Plaintiff’s jurisdictional allegations for the two LLC

defendants is insufficient.

Further, in the event Glimcher Co. is a corporation, Plaintiff has not pleaded based on

information and belief or personal knowledge, the state of incorporation of Glimcher Co.

Based on all of the foregoing, Plaintiff has failed to prove that federal subject matter

jurisdiction exists. See Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of Am., 511 U.S. 375, 377

(1994); see also Valdez v. Allstate, 372 F.3d 1115, 1116-17 (9th Cir. 2004). Therefore,

IT IS ORDERED that this case is dismissed, without prejudice, for lack of federal

subject matter jurisdiction.

DATED this 22nd day of May, 2009.

Case 2:09-cv-00705-JAT Document 20 Filed 05/26/09 Page 2 of 2