Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-01437/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-01437-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
George Philip Drake
Plaintiff
Debora C. Griffith
Defendant
Ronald W. Griffith
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GEORGE PHILIP DRAKE, trustee of the 

GEORGE PHILIP DRAKE REVOCABLE 

TRUST,

Plaintiff,

v.

RONALD W. GRIFFITH and DEBORA 

C. GRIFFITH,

Defendants.

No. 1:16-cv-01437-DAD-JLT

ORDER ADOPTING FINDINGS AND 

RECOMMENDATIONS REMANDING THE 

MATTER TO KERN COUNTY SUPERIOR 

COURT FOR LACK OF JURISDICTION, 

AND DENYING DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS 

TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAPERIS AS 

MOOT

(Doc. No. 7)

Ronald and Debora Griffith seek removal of an unlawful detainer action filed in the Kern 

County Superior Court, Case No. MCL-16-000378. (See Doc. No. 1.) Because an action for 

unlawful detainer arises under state law and defenses raised in the answer do not invoke federal 

jurisdiction, the assigned magistrate judge determined that this court lacks subject matter 

jurisdiction over this action. (Doc. No. 7.) Accordingly, the magistrate judge recommended the 

matter be remanded to Kern County Superior Court, and the pending motions to proceed in forma 

pauperis be denied as moot. (Id. at 4.)

The parties were given fourteen days to file any objections to the magistrate judge’s 

findings and recommendations. (Id.) To date, no objections have been filed to those findings and 

recommendations.

Case 1:16-cv-01437-DAD-JLT Document 8 Filed 10/27/16 Page 1 of 2
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In accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636 (b)(1)(C) and Britt v. Simi Valley 

United School Dist., 708 F.2d 452, 454 (9th Cir. 1983), this court conducted a de novo review of 

the case. Having carefully reviewed the file, the court finds the findings and recommendations 

are supported by the record and proper analysis. Accordingly, 

1. The September 28, 2016 findings and recommendations (Doc. No. 7) are adopted in 

full;

2. This action is remanded forthwith to the Kern County Superior Court for lack of 

subject matter jurisdiction;

3. Defendants’ motions to proceed in forma pauperis (Doc. Nos. 4, 5) are denied as 

moot; and

4. The Clerk of the Court is directed to close this action.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 26, 2016 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:16-cv-01437-DAD-JLT Document 8 Filed 10/27/16 Page 2 of 2