Opinion ID: 2973615
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: As a threshold matter, Appellants contend that Appellees’ claims fail the $75,000 amount-incontroversy requirement for this court’s exercise of diversity jurisdiction. This court “should consider the amount alleged in a complaint and should not dismiss a complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction unless it appears to a legal certainty that the plaintiff in good faith cannot claim the jurisdictional amount.” Massachusetts Cas. Ins. Co. v. Harmon, 88 F.3d 415, 416 (6th Cir. 1996) (quotation omitted) (setting out the standard for district courts); see also Kovacs v. Chesley, 406 F.3d 393 (6th Cir. 2005) (finding jurisdiction in the absence of a legal certainty that the plaintiff’s claim did not meet the jurisdictional amount). Appellees alleged “damages in excess of $75,000.00” for, among other things, sums paid to Scott for his services, for the time and expense involved in procuring replacement consultants/witnesses, and for punitive damages or statutory treble damages under TENN. CODE ANN. § 47-50-109 (2004). Nothing indicates that Appellees could not in good faith claim the jurisdictional amount at the time they filed their complaint. See Kovacs, 406 F.3d 395-96 (noting that events occurring after filing do not oust jurisdiction). This court being unconvinced to a “legal certainty that the claim is really for less than the jurisdictional amount,” we reach the merits of this suit. St. Paul Mercury Indem. Co. v. Red Cab Co., 303 U.S. 283, 289 (1938).