Federal Courts Jurisdiction and Venue Clarification Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1636
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2011-10-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Federal district courts
Foreign and international corporations
Immigration status and procedures
Insurance industry and regulation
Judicial procedure and administration
Jurisdiction and venue

Summary:
action_date: 2011-10-03
text: 
Federal Courts Jurisdiction and Venue Clarification Act of 2011 - Amends the federal judicial code to declare that, with respect to diversity of citizenship, the U.S. district courts shall not have original jurisdiction of any civil action between citizens of a state and citizens or subjects of a foreign state who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States and are domiciled in the same state.
 
Modifies the citizenship rules to treat corporations as citizens of any foreign state: (1) by which it has been incorporated, and (2) where it has its principal place of business. Treats insurers as citizens of any foreign state: (1) of which the insured is a citizen, (2) by which the insurer has been incorporated, and (3) where the insurer has its principal place of business.
 
Separates the removal requirements governing civil cases and those governing criminal cases into two separate categories.
 
Declares that, upon removal of any civil action with both removable and nonremovable claims, the district court shall sever from the action all nonremovable claims and remand them to the state court from which the action was removed.
 
Prescribes requirements for filing notices of removal. Sets forth the circumstances under which such notices may assert the amount in controversy.
 
Allows removal of a case based on diversity of citizenship more than one year after commencement of the action if the district court finds that the plaintiff has acted in bad faith in order to prevent a defendant from removing the action.
 
Requires the proper venue of any civil action brought in a U.S. district court to be determined without regard to whether the action is local or transitory in nature. 
Repeals the &quot;local action&quot; rule that any civil action, of a local nature, involving property located in different districts in the same state, may be brought in any of such districts. 
Allows a district court to transfer a civil action to any district or division to which all parties have consented. 
Prohibits transfers from a U.S. district court to the District Court of Guam, the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, or the District Court of the Virgin Islands.
action_date: 2011-10-17
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Federal Courts Jurisdiction and Venue Clarification Act of 2011 - 
Title I: Jurisdictional Improvements
 - (Sec. 101) Amends the federal judicial code to declare that, with respect to diversity of citizenship, the U.S. district courts shall not have original jurisdiction of any civil action between citizens of a state and citizens or subjects of a foreign state who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States and are domiciled in the same state.
 
(Sec. 102) Modifies the citizenship rules to treat corporations as citizens of any foreign state: (1) by which it has been incorporated, and (2) where it has its principal place of business. Treats insurers as citizens of any foreign state: (1) of which the insured is a citizen, (2) by which the insurer has been incorporated, and (3) where the insurer has its principal place of business.
 
(Sec. 103) Separates the removal requirements governing civil cases and those governing criminal cases into two separate categories.
 
Declares that, upon removal of any civil action with both removable and nonremovable claims, the district court shall sever from the action all nonremovable claims and remand them to the state court from which the action was removed. Requires only defendants against whom a removable claim has been asserted to join in or consent to removal of the action.
 
Prescribes requirements for filing notices of removal, including assertion in the notice of the amount in controversy, when it exceeds the necessary amount, if the initial pleading seeks: (1) nonmonetary relief; or (2) a money judgment, but the state practice either does not permit demand for a specific sum or permits recovery of damages in excess of the amount demanded.
 
Allows removal of a case based on diversity of citizenship more than one year after commencement of the action if the district court finds that the plaintiff has acted in bad faith in order to prevent a defendant from removing the action.
 

Title II: Venue and Transfer Improvements
 - (Sec. 202) Revises general requirements for the scope of venue of civil actions. Requires the proper venue of any civil action brought in a U.S. district court to be determined without regard to whether the action is local or transitory in nature. 
 
(Sec. 203) Repeals the "local action" rule that any civil action, of a local nature, involving property located in different districts in the same state, may be brought in any of such districts. 
 
(Sec. 204) Allows a district court to transfer a civil action to any district or division to which all parties have consented. 
 
Prohibits transfers from a U.S. district court to the District Court of Guam, the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, or the District Court of the Virgin Islands. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-17
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 198.
action_date: 2011-10-17
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2011-10-17
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. Without written report.
action_date: 2011-10-13
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2011-10-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2011-10-03
text: Introduced in Senate