Opinion ID: 754286
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: 2 The present case was removed from state court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1441. Jurisdiction was proper in the district court based upon 28 U.S.C. § 1332. Jurisdiction on appeal is proper based upon 28 U.S.C. § 1291. The notice of appeal was timely filed under Rule 4(a) of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.Background 3 The facts in this case, as set forth in the district court's order, are largely undisputed and presented in the light most favorable to Mullins, the non-moving party. Mullins was an employee of Little Rock Electrical Contractors (LRE), an independent contractor hired by Tyson to perform electrical work at Tyson's production plant in Sedalia, Missouri (the plant). LRE's contract work at the plant began in October 1993 and initially involved running temporary lights throughout the plant. LRE continued to perform electrical jobs at the plant including, among other things, installing permanent lights and electrical wire for motorized electrical doors throughout the main hallway which runs through the north side of the plant. LRE completed its work in the main hallway by June 1994, but continued to perform other electrical work at the plant. 4 In June 1994 Tyson began processing operations in the production area located on the west side of the plant. Tyson employees transported chicken from the production area, through the main hallway, to freezers located in the northeast and east areas of the plant. Waste and fluids from the chickens sometimes fell to the floor in the hallway while the chickens were being transported. Tyson employees occasionally mopped the floor of the main hallway using a liquid cleaner and cleaned the area using large machines, but sometimes left behind cleaning solution and the waste and fluid from the chickens. Although the floor of the production area was covered with a non-slick toughcoat surface, the main hallway was not. 5 On July 5, 1994, Mullins had been working on the north side of the plant when he went on his lunch break. He started to walk down the main hallway and, as he turned the northeast corner of the main hallway, he slipped and fell, injuring his back. It is assumed that he slipped on a combination of waste and fluids from the processed chickens, water, and cleaning solution. Mullins filed a workers' compensation claim and settled with LRE's workers' compensation insurance carrier for approximately $22,453.00. 6 On September 11, 1996, Mullins filed the present action in Missouri state court. Tyson removed the case to the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri on the basis of diversity jurisdiction. Tyson subsequently moved for summary judgment on the ground that relief for Mullins was foreclosed under Matteuzzi v. Columbus Partnership, L.P., 866 S.W.2d 128 (Mo.1993) (en banc) (Matteuzzi ) (abolishing the inherently dangerous activity doctrine for injuries sustained by an independent contractor's employee who is covered by workers' compensation insurance and holding that such employee may establish negligence as an invitee only if the landowner retained possession and control of the premises). The district court granted Tyson's motion holding that, under Matteuzzi, for liability to attach, a landowner must substantially control the job site, the physical activities of the independent contractor's employees, and the details of the manner in which the work was done, and that Tyson did not have such control in the present case. Slip op. at 5, 12. This appeal followed.