Opinion ID: 2765251
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Removal of the Complaint

Text: Ameritrade filed a Notice of Removal based on diversity jurisdiction, 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b)(1). Plaintiff contends that the district court erred in allowing the removal of the state case to federal court because (1) the underlying claims involved purely state-law issues and the application of state law, and (2) Ameritrade is registered to conduct business in Ohio, has an office in Ohio and is a citizen of Ohio, thereby destroying diversity with plaintiff, an Ohio resident. Plaintiff’s arguments are untenable. There is complete diversity between the parties -8- Case No. 14-3466 Andrews v. TD Ameritrade, Inc. because plaintiff is a citizen of Ohio and Ameritrade is a citizen of New York, where it is incorporated, and Nebraska, where it maintains its headquarters and “principal place of business.” The amount in controversy exceeds $75,000. The fact that Ameritrade maintains an office in Ohio does not destroy diversity jurisdiction unless plaintiff can show that the office there is the “principal place of business” or “the nerve center” of the company. Hertz Corp. v. Friend, 559 U.S. 77, 92-95 (2010) (corporation has only one principal place of business). Plaintiff submitted no evidence to rebut Ameritrade’s affidavit stating that its principal place of business is in Nebraska or any evidence to show that the Ohio office is Ameritrade’s “nerve center” or otherwise functions as its “principal place of business.” Plaintiff also argues that the state law claims, which here encompass all of plaintiff’s claims, should be severed and heard in state court. Because removal was based on diversity under § 1441(b)(1), not federal question jurisdiction under § 1441(a) or (c), the federal court has the authority to hear the state-law claims and, in fact, could not decline to hear the state-law claims. Charvat v. NMP, LLC, 656 F.3d 440, 446 (6th Cir. 2011).