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JS 44 (Rev. 04/21) Case 8:22-cv-00868 Document 1-5 Filed 04/12/22 Page 1 of 2 PageID 22 CIVIL COVER SHEET

The JS 44 civil cover sheet and the information contained herein neither replace nor supplement the filing and service of pleadings or other papers as required by law, except as 

provided by local rules of court. This form, approved by the Judicial Conference of the United States in September 1974, is required for the use of the Clerk of Court for the 

purpose of initiating the civil docket sheet. (SEE INSTRUCTIONS ON NEXT PAGE OF THIS FORM.) 

I. (a) PLAINTIFFS DEFENDANTS 

Lithionics Battery, LLC United States of America Steven Tartaglia 

(b) County of Residence of First Listed Plaintiff County of Residence of First Listed Defendant Pinellas County 

(EXCEPT IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES) (IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES ONLY) 

NOTE: IN LAND CONDEMNATION CASES, USE THE LOCATION OF

THE TRACT OF LAND INVOLVED. 

Attorneys (If Known)

(c) Attorneys (Firm Name, Address, and Telephone Number) 

Deborah S. Sohn and Zachary L. Cowan, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 5th Street 

NW, Washington, DC 20530; 202-305-9983; Lacy R. Harwell, U.S. Attorney's Office Richard Brosnick, Akerman LLP, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 37th Floor, 

for the Middle District of Florida, 400 North Tampa Street, Suite 3200, Tampa, FL New York, NY 10020; 212-880-3834; John L. Dicks II, Akerman LLP, 401 E. 

33602; 813-301-3008 Jackson Street, Suite 1700, Tampa, FL 33602; 813-223-7333

II. BASIS OF JURISDICTION (Place an “X” in One Box Only) III. CITIZENSHIP OF PRINCIPAL PARTIES (Place an “X” in One Box for Plaintiff 

(For Diversity Cases Only) and One Box for Defendant) 

✖ 1 U.S. Government 3 Federal Question PTF DEF PTF DEF 

Plaintiff (U.S. Government Not a Party) Citizen of This State 1 1 Incorporated or Principal Place 4 4 

of Business In This State 

2 U.S. Government 4 Diversity Citizen of Another State 2 2 Incorporated and Principal Place 5 5 

Defendant (Indicate Citizenship of Parties in Item III) of Business In Another State 

Citizen or Subject of a 3 3 Foreign Nation 6 6 

Foreign Country 

IV. NATURE OF SUIT (Place an “X” in One Box Only) Click here for: Nature of Suit Code Descriptions. 

CONTRACT TORTS FORFEITURE/PENALTY BANKRUPTCY OTHER STATUTES 

110 Insurance PERSONAL INJURY PERSONAL INJURY 625 Drug Related Seizure 422 Appeal 28 USC 158 375 False Claims Act 

120 Marine 310 Airplane 365 Personal Injury - of Property 21 USC 881 423 Withdrawal 376 Qui Tam (31 USC 

130 Miller Act 315 Airplane Product Product Liability 690 Other 28 USC 157 3729(a)) 

140 Negotiable Instrument Liability 367 Health Care/ 400 State Reapportionment 

150 Recovery of Overpayment 320 Assault, Libel & Pharmaceutical PROPERTY RIGHTS 410 Antitrust 

& Enforcement of Judgment Slander Personal Injury 820 Copyrights 430 Banks and Banking 

151 Medicare Act 330 Federal Employers’ Product Liability 830 Patent 450 Commerce 

152 Recovery of Defaulted Liability 368 Asbestos Personal 835 Patent - Abbreviated 460 Deportation 

Student Loans 340 Marine Injury Product New Drug Application 470 Racketeer Influenced and 

(Excludes Veterans) 345 Marine Product Liability 840 Trademark Corrupt Organizations 

153 Recovery of Overpayment Liability PERSONAL PROPERTY LABOR 880 Defend Trade Secrets 480 Consumer Credit 

of Veteran’s Benefits 350 Motor Vehicle 370 Other Fraud 710 Fair Labor Standards Act of 2016 (15 USC 1681 or 1692) 

160 Stockholders’ Suits 355 Motor Vehicle 371 Truth in Lending Act 485 Telephone Consumer 

190 Other Contract Product Liability 380 Other Personal 720 Labor/Management SOCIAL SECURITY Protection Act 

195 Contract Product Liability 360 Other Personal Property Damage Relations 861 HIA (1395ff) 490 Cable/Sat TV 

196 Franchise Injury 385 Property Damage 740 Railway Labor Act 862 Black Lung (923) 850 Securities/Commodities/ 

362 Personal Injury - Product Liability 751 Family and Medical 863 DIWC/DIWW (405(g)) Exchange 

Medical Malpractice Leave Act 864 SSID Title XVI 890 Other Statutory Actions 

REAL PROPERTY CIVIL RIGHTS PRISONER PETITIONS 790 Other Labor Litigation 865 RSI (405(g)) 891 Agricultural Acts 

210 Land Condemnation 440 Other Civil Rights Habeas Corpus: 791 Employee Retirement 893 Environmental Matters 

220 Foreclosure 441 Voting 463 Alien Detainee Income Security Act FEDERAL TAX SUITS 895 Freedom of Information 

230 Rent Lease & Ejectment 442 Employment 510 Motions to Vacate 870 Taxes (U.S. Plaintiff Act 

240 Torts to Land 443 Housing/ Sentence or Defendant) 896 Arbitration 

245 Tort Product Liability Accommodations 530 General 871 IRS—Third Party 899 Administrative Procedure 

290 All Other Real Property 445 Amer. w/Disabilities - 535 Death Penalty IMMIGRATION Act/Review or Appeal of 

Employment Other: 462 Naturalization Application Agency Decision

446 Amer. w/Disabilities - 540 Mandamus & Other 465 Other Immigration 950 Constitutionality of 

Other 550 Civil Rights Actions State Statutes 

448 Education 555 Prison Condition 

560 Civil Detainee -

Conditions of 

Confinement 

26 USC 7609 

INTELLECTUAL 

✖

V. ORIGIN (Place an “X” in One Box Only) 

✖ 1 Original 2 Removed from 3 Remanded from 4 Reinstated or 5 Transferred from 6 Multidistrict 8 Multidistrict 

Proceeding State Court Appellate Court Reopened Another District Litigation - Litigation -

(specify) Transfer Direct File 

Cite the U.S. Civil Statute under which you are filing (Do not cite jurisdictional statutes unless diversity): 

Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 45(a)(1), 45(m)(1)(A)

VI. CAUSE OF ACTION Brief description of cause: 

Monetary civil penalties, permanent injunction, and other relief for violations of Section 5 of the FTC Act and 16 CFR Part 323. 

CHECK IF THIS IS A CLASS ACTION DEMAND $ CHECK YES only if demanded in complaint: 

COMPLAINT: UNDER RULE 23, F.R.Cv.P. JURY DEMAND: 

VII. REQUESTED IN 

Yes No 

VIII. RELATED CASE(S) 

(See instructions): IF ANY JUDGE DOCKET NUMBER 

DATE SIGNATURE OF ATTORNEY OF RECORD 

Apr 12, 2022 /s/ Deborah S. Sohn 

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY 

RECEIPT # AMOUNT APPLYING IFP JUDGE MAG. JUDGE 
JS 44 Reverse (Rev. 04/21) Case 8:22-cv-00868 Document 1-5 Filed 04/12/22 Page 2 of 2 PageID 23 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS COMPLETING CIVIL COVER SHEET FORM JS 44 

Authority For Civil Cover Sheet 

The JS 44 civil cover sheet and the information contained herein neither replaces nor supplements the filings and service of pleading or other papers as 

required by law, except as provided by local rules of court. This form, approved by the Judicial Conference of the United States in September 1974, is 

required for the use of the Clerk of Court for the purpose of initiating the civil docket sheet. Consequently, a civil cover sheet is submitted to the Clerk of 

Court for each civil complaint filed. The attorney filing a case should complete the form as follows: 

I.(a) Plaintiffs-Defendants. Enter names (last, first, middle initial) of plaintiff and defendant. If the plaintiff or defendant is a government agency, use 

only the full name or standard abbreviations. If the plaintiff or defendant is an official within a government agency, identify first the agency and then 

the official, giving both name and title.

 (b) County of Residence. For each civil case filed, except U.S. plaintiff cases, enter the name of the county where the first listed plaintiff resides at the 

time of filing. In U.S. plaintiff cases, enter the name of the county in which the first listed defendant resides at the time of filing. (NOTE: In land 

condemnation cases, the county of residence of the "defendant" is the location of the tract of land involved.) 

(c) Attorneys. Enter the firm name, address, telephone number, and attorney of record. If there are several attorneys, list them on an attachment, noting 

in this section "(see attachment)". 

II. Jurisdiction. The basis of jurisdiction is set forth under Rule 8(a), F.R.Cv.P., which requires that jurisdictions be shown in pleadings. Place an "X" 

in one of the boxes. If there is more than one basis of jurisdiction, precedence is given in the order shown below. 

United States plaintiff. (1) Jurisdiction based on 28 U.S.C. 1345 and 1348. Suits by agencies and officers of the United States are included here. 

United States defendant. (2) When the plaintiff is suing the United States, its officers or agencies, place an "X" in this box. 

Federal question. (3) This refers to suits under 28 U.S.C. 1331, where jurisdiction arises under the Constitution of the United States, an amendment 

to the Constitution, an act of Congress or a treaty of the United States. In cases where the U.S. is a party, the U.S. plaintiff or defendant code takes 

precedence, and box 1 or 2 should be marked. 

Diversity of citizenship. (4) This refers to suits under 28 U.S.C. 1332, where parties are citizens of different states. When Box 4 is checked, the 

citizenship of the different parties must be checked. (See Section III below; NOTE: federal question actions take precedence over diversity 

cases.) 

III. Residence (citizenship) of Principal Parties. This section of the JS 44 is to be completed if diversity of citizenship was indicated above. Mark this 

section for each principal party. 

IV. Nature of Suit. Place an "X" in the appropriate box. If there are multiple nature of suit codes associated with the case, pick the nature of suit code 

that is most applicable. Click here for: Nature of Suit Code Descriptions. 

V. Origin. Place an "X" in one of the seven boxes. 

Original Proceedings. (1) Cases which originate in the United States district courts. 

Removed from State Court. (2) Proceedings initiated in state courts may be removed to the district courts under Title 28 U.S.C., Section 1441. 

Remanded from Appellate Court. (3) Check this box for cases remanded to the district court for further action. Use the date of remand as the filing 

date. 

Reinstated or Reopened. (4) Check this box for cases reinstated or reopened in the district court. Use the reopening date as the filing date. 

Transferred from Another District. (5) For cases transferred under Title 28 U.S.C. Section 1404(a). Do not use this for within district transfers or 

multidistrict litigation transfers.

Multidistrict Litigation – Transfer. (6) Check this box when a multidistrict case is transferred into the district under authority of Title 28 U.S.C. 

Section 1407. 

Multidistrict Litigation – Direct File. (8) Check this box when a multidistrict case is filed in the same district as the Master MDL docket. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS NOT AN ORIGIN CODE 7. Origin Code 7 was used for historical records and is no longer relevant due to 

changes in statute. 

VI. Cause of Action. Report the civil statute directly related to the cause of action and give a brief description of the cause. Do not cite jurisdictional 

statutes unless diversity. Example: U.S. Civil Statute: 47 USC 553 Brief Description: Unauthorized reception of cable service. 

VII. Requested in Complaint. Class Action. Place an "X" in this box if you are filing a class action under Rule 23, F.R.Cv.P. 

Demand. In this space enter the actual dollar amount being demanded or indicate other demand, such as a preliminary injunction. 

Jury Demand. Check the appropriate box to indicate whether or not a jury is being demanded. 

VIII. Related Cases. This section of the JS 44 is used to reference related pending cases, if any. If there are related pending cases, insert the docket 

numbers and the corresponding judge names for such cases. 

Date and Attorney Signature. Date and sign the civil cover sheet.