Opinion ID: 2829694
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) Standards

Text: We review de novo the district court’s dismissal of an action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure Rule 12(b)(1) and for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted under Rule 12(b)(6). When a defendant challenges subject matter jurisdiction under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1), the plaintiff must meet the burden of proving jurisdiction. Golden v. Gorno Bros., Inc., 410 F.3d 879, 881 (6th Cir. 2005). -4- No. 14-5732 Wilburn v. United States Here, the Government’s motion to dismiss was a facial attack on the complaint—it did not contest the veracity of Plaintiffs’ allegations. If a motion attacks the face of the complaint, the plaintiff’s burden “is not onerous.” Musson Theatrical, Inc. v. Federal Express Corp., 89 F.3d 1244, 1248 (6th Cir.1996). The plaintiff need only demonstrate that the complaint alleges a “substantial” federal claim, meaning that prior decisions do not inescapably render the claim frivolous. Id. A court evaluating a facial attack must consider the allegations of fact in the complaint to be true. Gentek Bldg. Prods., Inc. v. Sherwin-Williams Co., 491 F.3d 320, 330 (6th Cir. 2007). Thus, “the plaintiff can survive the motion by showing any arguable basis in law for the claim made.” Musson Theatrical, 89 F.3d at 1248. In deciding a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim under Rule 12(b)(6), the court will “construe the complaint in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, accept its allegations as true, and draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the plaintiff.” Directv, Inc. v. Treesh, 487 F.3d 471, 476 (6th Cir. 2007). Under Rule 8(a)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a complaint must provide a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief in order to give the defendant fair notice of what the claim is and the grounds upon which it rests. Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007). This notice pleading standard does not require “detailed” factual allegations, but it does require more than the bare assertion of legal conclusions. Id. To establish the “facial plausibility” required to “unlock the doors of discovery,” the plaintiff must plead “factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678-79 (2009). -5- No. 14-5732 Wilburn v. United States