Opinion ID: 2205569
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Does the federal equitable tolling doctrine apply only to cases dismissed for improper venue?

Text: The genesis of the equitable tolling doctrine is found in Burnett v. New York Central R.R., 380 U.S. 424, 436, 85 S.Ct. 1050, 1058-59, 13 L.Ed.2d 941, 950 (1965). In Burnett, the plaintiff filed his federal employer's liability claim in state court. Id. at 424, 85 S.Ct. at 1052, 13 L.Ed.2d at 943. Although the state court had jurisdiction over the claim, the claim was dismissed because of improper venue. Id. at 425, 85 S.Ct. at 1053, 13 L.Ed.2d at 943. Plaintiff refiled in federal court eight days later but after the statute of limitations had run. Id. The federal district court dismissed the action as untimely. Id. On appeal, the Supreme Court adopted the federal common-law doctrine of equitable tolling, which tolls a federal statute of limitations on claims dismissed in one forum and promptly refiled in the proper forum as long as the defendant has proper service of process and the service adequately informed the defendant of the claim in the original forum. [7] Id. at 434-35, 85 S.Ct. at 1058, 13 L.Ed.2d at 949. The State argues the equitable tolling doctrine only applies to cases dismissed for improper venue, not for jurisdictional defects. We disagree. Courts have applied the doctrine to cases dismissed due to jurisdictional defects. In Platoro Ltd., Inc. v. Unidentified Remains of a Vessel, 614 F.2d 1051, 1054-55 (5th Cir.1980), the Fifth Circuit relied on the reasoning in Burnett to toll the statute of limitations in an action originally filed in a court that lacked jurisdiction. The Fifth Circuit found it was reasonable for the plaintiff to conclude the court had jurisdiction over the sunken treasure in the district where the plaintiff recovered it. Id. at 1054. Relying heavily on plaintiff's due diligence in filing the original claim and the notice it provided to the defendant, the court applied the doctrine of equitable tolling and allowed the plaintiff to proceed with the claim. Id. at 1054-55. The Sixth Circuit in Fox v. Eaton Corp., 615 F.2d 716 (6th Cir.1980), also relied on Burnett to toll the statute of limitations when the state court dismissed an action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Id. at 720-21. In Fox, the plaintiff brought a Title VII action in state court within ninety days after she received her right-to-sue letter. Id. at 717. At the time she brought the action in state court, there were conflicting opinions as to whether the federal courts had exclusive jurisdiction over Title VII actions. Id. at 719-20. There was no controlling decision by the Ohio Supreme Court indicating that the federal courts had exclusive jurisdiction over Title VII actions. Id. at 720. At the trial level, the court entered judgment on the merits. Id. at 717. The court of appeals affirmed the trial court's decision on appeal. Id. On appeal to the Supreme Court of Ohio, the supreme court sua sponte held state courts do not have subject matter jurisdiction over Title VII matters. Id. Plaintiff refiled in federal court. Id. The federal district court dismissed the action as untimely, because plaintiff filed the action more than ninety days after she received her right to sue letter. Id. at 718. The Sixth Circuit concluded it would be impossible for the plaintiff, even with the assistance of her attorney, to predict the jurisdictional theory the Ohio Supreme Court would adopt. Id. at 720. Because the plaintiff exercised great diligence in pursuing her claim and her only misfortune was the selection of an inappropriate forum, which she selected on a reasonable basis, the court found the ninety-day statute of limitation was tolled while the case was pending in state court. Id. At the time the peace officers filed this action in federal court, the federal circuit courts deciding this issue consistently held Union Gas gave the federal courts subject matter jurisdiction over FLSA actions when a state is the defendant. Brinkman v. Dep't of Corr., 21 F.3d 370, 371-72 (10th Cir.1994); Reich v. New York, 3 F.3d 581, 590 (2d Cir.1993); Hale v. Arizona, 993 F.2d 1387, 1391-92 (9th Cir.1993). At the time the peace officers filed this action in federal court, no person could reasonably predict the Supreme Court would overrule Union Gas. The peace officers' choice of forum was reasonable at the time they filed their action in federal court. The peace officers properly served process on the State in the federal court action and gave the State adequate notice of their claims. Under these facts, we believe the federal common-law doctrine of equitable tolling applies even though the federal courts dismissed their claims on jurisdictional grounds. See Ahern v. State, 244 A.D.2d 7, 676 N.Y.S.2d 232, 235 (1998) (holding the federal equitable tolling doctrine applies to an FLSA action refiled in state court after the action was dismissed from federal court for lack of subject matter jurisdiction).