Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-alnd-2_06-cv-01201/USCOURTS-alnd-2_06-cv-01201-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Tyson Angel
Plaintiff
Brookwood Health Services, Inc.
Defendant
Brookwood Medical Center
Defendant
Paul Parks
Defendant
Luesther Skipwith
Plaintiff
Tenet Healthcare Corporation
Defendant

Document Text:

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

SOUTHERN DIVISION

LUESTHER SKIPWITH; TYSON

ANGEL,

Plaintiffs,

vs.

DR. P A U L P A R K S ; TENET

HEALTHCARE CORPORATION;

BROOKWOOD HEALTH SERVICES,

INC.; BROOKWOOD MEDICAL

CENTER,

Defendants.

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CV 06-B-1201-S

MEMORANDUM OPINION

On September 28, 2006, this court entered a Show Cause Order, ordering plaintiffs

to show cause why their claims against Dr. Paul Parks should not be dismissed. (Doc. 7.)

Plaintiffs responded:

Dr. Parks is not a defendant in [the] litigation pending before this Court.

Plaintiffs filed their original Complaint in the Circuit Court of Jefferson

County Alabama. In that Complaint they alleged State Law causes of action

against Dr. Paul Parks and alleged causes of action against the remaining

defendants (the Tenet defendants). Those claims against the Tenet defendants

were removed and were assigned to this Court. The attorney for the Tenet

defendants then filed a Motion to require arbitration, and the plaintiffs did not

oppose the same. This Court has already entered its Order referring that case

to arbitration.

An Answer was filed by Dr. Paul Parks in the Circuit Court of Jefferson

County Alabama. Dr. Parks has not filed a Notice of Removal, and those State

Law claims alleged against Dr. Parks have been severed from the claims

alleged against the Tenet defendants in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County

Alabama.

FILED

 2007 Mar-09 PM 03:13

U.S. DISTRICT COURT

N.D. OF ALABAMA

Case 2:06-cv-01201-SLB Document 11 Filed 03/09/07 Page 1 of 3
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The NOTICE OF REMOVAL TO FEDERAL COURT which was

filed in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County Alabama references that the

defendants Tenet Healthcare Corporation, Brookwood Health Services, Inc.

and Brookwood Medical Center sought removal. The defendant Dr. Paul

Parks did not join in that Notice of Removal nor did he file a Notice of

Removal himself.

(Doc. 8 at 1-2.)

Contrary to plaintiffs’ assertions, cases may not be removed in pieces. While §

1441(c) allows the federal court to remand “separate and independent” claims, nothing

allows for selective or partial removal. After the notice of removal is filed, “the State court

shall proceed no further unless and until the case is remanded.” 28 U.S.C. §

1446(d)(emphasis added); see also Sobkowski v. Wyeth, Inc., 2004 WL 3569702, *1 n.1

(M.D. Fla. 2004)(quoting Yarnevic v. Brink’s Inc., 102 F.3d 753, 754 (4th Cir. 1996)(“A

proper filing of a notice of removal immediately strips the state court of its jurisdiction.”)).

“[E]ven if a case is later remanded, it is under the sole jurisdiction of the federal court from

the time of filing until the court remands it back to state court. In re Diet Drugs, 282 F.3d

220, 232 n.6 (3d Cir. 2002)(citing California ex rel. Sacramento Metro. Air Quality Mgmt.

Dist. v. United States, 215 F.3d 1005, 1011 (9th Cir. 2000)).

Therefore, the state court has no jurisdiction over the plaintiffs’ claims against Parks.

Nevertheless, the court finds no reason to dismiss the claims against Parks for failure to

prosecute, as plaintiffs represent that Parks has answered in the state court proceedings.

Therefore, the court will remand the remaining claims against Parks to the Circuit Court of

Jefferson County pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1441(c).

Case 2:06-cv-01201-SLB Document 11 Filed 03/09/07 Page 2 of 3
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An Order remanding plaintiffs’ claims against Parks will be entered

contemporaneously with this Memorandum Opinion.

DONE, this the 9th day of March, 2007.

 

SHARON LOVELACE BLACKBURN

CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 

Case 2:06-cv-01201-SLB Document 11 Filed 03/09/07 Page 3 of 3