Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_08-cv-00942/USCOURTS-cand-3_08-cv-00942-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RELIEF,

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RELIEF, and

STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION OF

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Petitioners,

 v.

INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE WEST,

Co-Petitioner,

 /

No. C 08-00942 JSW

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE RE

SUBJECT MATTER

JURISDICTION

On February 14, 2008, Petitioners filed a Petition for Naming of Neutral Arbitrator. The

Petition was filed pursuant to an arbitration agreement between Petitioners and Insurance

Company of the West and a provision in that agreement that pertains to the method by which

arbitrators are to be selected.

Federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction and have a duty to raise and decide

issues of subject matter jurisdiction sua sponte at any time it appears subject matter jurisdiction

may be lacking. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12; Augustine v. United States, 704 F.2d 1074, 1077 (9th Cir.

1983). Federal courts can only adjudicate cases which the Constitution or Congress authorize

them to adjudicate: those cases involving diversity of citizenship (where the parties are from

diverse states), or a federal question, or those cases to which the United States 

is a party. See, e.g., Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America, 511 U.S. 375

(1994). 

Case 3:08-cv-00942-JSW Document 3 Filed 02/22/08 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Federal courts are presumptively without jurisdiction over civil cases and the burden of

establishing the contrary rests upon the party asserting jurisdiction. Id. at 377. Although the

arbitration agreement refers to submitting a dispute of this sort to the federal court, the basis for

this Court’s jurisdiction is not evident from the petition.

Accordingly, Petitioners are HEREBY ORDERED TO SHOW CAUSE why this matter

should not be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. Petitioners’ response shall be due by no later

than March 7, 2008. Petitioners are FURTHER ORDERED to serve a copy of this Order on

Insurance Company of the West.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 22, 2008 

JEFFREY S. WHITE

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:08-cv-00942-JSW Document 3 Filed 02/22/08 Page 2 of 2