Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_19-cv-01213/USCOURTS-caed-1_19-cv-01213-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Christian Brink
Plaintiff
Central Valley Auto Transport, Inc.
Defendant
David Maier
Plaintiff

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STIPULATION TO REMAND CASE TO 1 Case No. 19-cv-01213-AWI-SKO

THE TULARE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT; 

[PROPOSED] ORDER

David Mara, Esq. (SBN 230498)

Jill Vecchi, Esq. (SBN 299333)

MARA LAW FIRM, PC

2650 Camino Del Rio North, Suite 205

San Diego, California 92108

Telephone: (619) 234-2833

Facsimile: (619) 234-4048

Attorneys for Plaintiff CHRISTIAN BRINK

on behalf of himself, all others similarly situated, and on 

behalf of the general public. 

David J. Cooper, Esq. (SBN 47615)

Vanessa Franco Chavez, Esq. (SBN 266724)

Mayra Estrada, Esq. (SBN 317178)

KLEIN DENATALE GOLDNER COOPER 

ROSENLIEB KIMBALL LLP

4550 California Avenue, 2nd Floor

Bakersfield, California 93309

Telephone: 661.395.1000

Facsimile: 661.326.0418 

Attorneys for Defendant CENTRAL 

VALLEY AUTO TRANSPORT, INC.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, FRESNO DIVISION

CHRISTIAN BRINK and DAVID MAIER on 

behalf of themselves and all others similarly 

situated, and on behalf of the general public,

Plaintiffs,

v.

CENTRAL VALLEY AUTO TRANSPORT, 

INC.; and DOES 1-100;

Defendants.

Case No.: 19-cv-1213-AWI-SKO

STIPULATION TO REMAND CASE 

TO THE TULARE COUNTY 

SUPERIOR COURT; [PROPOSED] 

ORDER

Dept.: 7

Judge: Hon. Sheila K. Oberto

Complaint Filed: June 6, 2018

FAC Filed: December 13, 2018

Trial Date: None Set

Case 1:19-cv-01213-AWI-SKO Document 16 Filed 05/20/20 Page 1 of 4
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28 STIPULATION TO REMAND CASE TO 2 Case No. 19-cv-01213-AWI-SKO

THE TULARE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT; 

[PROPOSED] ORDER

TO THE HONORABLE SHEILA K. OBERTO:

Plaintiffs CHRISTIAN BRINK and DAVID MAIER (hereinafter collectively “Plaintiffs”)

and Defendant CENTRAL VALLEY AUTO TRANSPORT, INC. (hereinafter “Defendant”) 

(Plaintiffs and Defendant are referred to herein as the “Parties”) by and through their respective 

counsel of record, stipulate and agree as follows:

WHEREAS, on June 6, 2018, Plaintiff Christian Brink filed this wage and hour class action 

in the Tulare County Superior Court;

WHEREAS, on December 13, 2018, Plaintiff Christian Brink filed a First Amended 

Complaint adding Plaintiff David Maier as a Plaintiff in this action and adding a cause of action 

pursuant to the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (“PAGA”);

WHEREAS, on or about August 22, 2019, the Parties entered into and filed a Stipulation to 

allow Plaintiffs to file a proposed Second Amended Complaint in Tulare County Superior Court 

adding, among other things, a “Misclassification Class”;

WHEREAS, on August 30, 2019, Defendant removed this action to this Court under the Class 

Action Fairness Act of 2005 (“CAFA”), 28 U.S.C. § 1332 et seq., alleging, among other things, that 

the majority of the newly alleged Misclassification Class are residents of states other than California;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Parties’ stipulation and this Court’s subsequent order, on 

January 30, 2020, Plaintiffs filed their Second Amended Complaint;

WHEREAS, Defendant filed its Answer to the Second Amended Complaint on February 28, 

2020;

WHEREAS, the Parties agreed to conduct informal discovery on the issue of federal court

jurisdiction and agreed on a Belaire West notice to be sent to prospective Class Members;

WHEREAS, in determining who to send the Belaire West notice to, the Parties met and 

conferred further regarding the scope of the proposed Misclassification Class;

WHEREAS, during these meet and confer efforts, Plaintiffs agreed that the putative 

Misclassification Class is limited to individuals, as opposed to entities, who directly signed a contract

Case 1:19-cv-01213-AWI-SKO Document 16 Filed 05/20/20 Page 2 of 4
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28 STIPULATION TO REMAND CASE TO 3 Case No. 19-cv-01213-AWI-SKO

THE TULARE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT; 

[PROPOSED] ORDER

with Defendant and have driven for Defendant within the State of California, excluding those 

subhaulers who contracted with Defendant through a dispatch service;

WHEREAS, this Court’s jurisdiction is based on the diversity of putative class members who 

fall within the definition of the proposed class, so redefining the proposed Misclassification Class 

and identifying who these individuals are and where they reside was critical to determining whether 

this Court continues to have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C., § 1332(d);

WHEREAS, Defendant’s investigation has revealed that, as redefined, a majority of the 

putative Misclassification Class Members reside inside of California;

WHEREAS, since the putative Misclassification Class has been redefined, the Parties do not 

believe that this Court continues to have diversity jurisdiction over the case under 28 U.S.C., § 

1332(d).

NOW, THEREFORE, by and between the Parties, through their respective attorneys of 

record, subject to the Court’s approval, that this action is remanded to the Tulare County Superior 

Court, Case No. VCU274266. This Stipulation is without prejudice to the rights, claims, defenses, 

and arguments of all parties. 

IT IS SO STIPULATED.

Dated: May 19, 2020 MARA LAW FIRM, PC

 By: /s/ Jill Vecchi

David Mara, Esq. 

Jill Vecchi, Esq.

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

Dated: May 19, 2020 KLEIN DENATALE GOLDNER COOPER 

ROSENLIEB KIMBALL LLP

 By: /s/ Vanessa Franco Chavez (authorized on 5/19/20)

Vanessa Franco Chavez, Esq. 

Attorneys for Defendant

Case 1:19-cv-01213-AWI-SKO Document 16 Filed 05/20/20 Page 3 of 4
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28 STIPULATION TO REMAND CASE TO 4 Case No. 19-cv-01213-AWI-SKO

THE TULARE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT; 

[PROPOSED] ORDER

[PROPOSED] ORDER

Based on the foregoing stipulation of the Parties, and good cause appearing for the same, it 

is hereby ordered that this action is remanded back to the Tulare County Superior Court.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 19, 2020 

 SENIOR DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:19-cv-01213-AWI-SKO Document 16 Filed 05/20/20 Page 4 of 4