Opinion ID: 613119
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Order of Jurisdiction

Text: We next consider the order in which the forums obtained jurisdiction. As a technical matter, Street is correct that the district court was the first to exercise jurisdiction over the specific claims in the Federal Action. Prior to the Federal Action, Vulcan had filed claims against Street/National Union in the Vulcan Action, but no claims had been asserted between Transport and Street/National Union. Our analysis does not end here, however. The Supreme Court has instructed that instead of taking a mechanical approach, courts must apply this factor in a pragmatic, flexible manner with a view to the realities of the case at hand. Moses H. Cone, 460 U.S. at 21, 103 S.Ct. 927 (giving little weight to the dates of filing when the same relative progress had been made in the state and federal proceedings). Here, the state court was the first to exercise jurisdiction over the subject matter involved in the Federal Action. Although this might not be relevant in every case, the progress of the Vulcan Action and Street/National Union's involvement in the Vulcan Action make this an important consideration in this case. Between the filing of the Vulcan Action in 2005 and the filing of the Federal Action in 2009, the state court made significant progress in the Vulcan Action. The court already interpreted the relevant provisions of the 1981 Policy and was positioned to fully adjudicate the broader coverage dispute between Vulcan and Transport. The court had conducted discovery, initiated a phased approach to the litigation and issued an order concerning foundational legal matters. In fact, much of this progress occurred after Vulcan brought Street/National Union into the action in 2008. Cf. Colorado River, 424 U.S. at 820, 96 S.Ct. 1236 (noting the existing participation by the Government in similar state court proceedings). Additionally, both the parties and the court acknowledged Street/National Union's unlitigated claims against Transport, and the state court expressly reserved any decisions regarding these claims for a later phase of the litigation. Considering the realities of this case, the district court properly concluded that the state court's progress in the Vulcan Action weighs against jurisdiction.