Opinion
Argued and Submitted February 7, 2006.
NOT FOR PUBLICATION. (See Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure Rule 36-3)
Charles K. Wiggins, Esq., Wiggins & Masters, Bainbridge Island, WA, Robert W. Moak, Esq., Bogue Chitto, MS, Timothy M. O'Brien, Esq., Kim E. Evers, Esq., Levin Papantonio Thomas Mitchell Ecsher & Proctor, Pensacola, FL, Philip E. Carby, Esq., Natchez, MS, for Plaintiffs--Appellants.
Frank A. Wood, Jr., Walter T. Johnson, Esq., Joseph Jason Stroble, Esq., Brandi J. McKay, Esq., Ronald E. McMillan, Esq., Watkins & Eager the Emporium Building, Donna Brown Jacobs, Butler Snow O'Mara Stevens & Cannada, William M. Dalehite, Jr., Esq., Steen Dalehite & Pace, Luther M. Dove, Jr., Esq., Dove & Chill, Edley H. Jones, III, Esq., Wells Marble Hurst, Tianna Shontel Hill, Esq., Walter H. Boone, Esq., Forman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy, Robert J. Arnold, III, Esq., Silas W. McCaren, Esq., Daniel Coker Horton & Bell, James Ryan Perkins, Esq., William A. Patterson, Esq., Wilkins Stephens & Tipton, Jackson, MS, Edley H. Jones, III, Esq., Law Offices of Edley H. Jones III, PLLC, Ridgeland, MS, Terry Tottenham, Austin, TX, Douglas A. Hofmann, Esq., Jeffrey R. Johnson, Esq., P. Arley Harrel, Esq., Williams Kastner & Gibbs, PLLC, D. Joseph Hurson, Lane Powell, PC, Randy J. Aliment, Teresa N. Cavenagh, Esq., Seattle, WA, James K. Lehman, Esq., Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarbrough, Columbia, SC, Alan J. Lazarus, Esq., Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, San Francisco, CA, Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold, LLP, Los Angeles, CA, Lori B. Leskin, Esq., Kaye Scholer, LLP, New York, NY, Richard G. Placey, Esq., Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, Teresa N. Cavenagh, Esq., Duane Morris LLP, Philadelphia, PA, Jennifer Jansen Bouchard, Esq., Ulmer Berne LLP, Cincinnati, OH, for Defendants--Appellees.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Barbara Jacobs Rothstein, District Judge, Presiding. D.C. No. MD-01-01407-BJR.
Before: D.W. NELSON, RYMER, and FISHER, Circuit Judges.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and may not be cited to or by the courts of this circuit except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.
This memorandum applies to the parties listed in Exhibit A.
James E. Anderson, et al. appeal from the district court's dismissal of their action, arguing that removal jurisdiction is lacking. We agree, and reverse.
Bayer, whose burden it is to establish removal jurisdiction, California ex rel. Lockyer v. Dynegy, Inc., 375 F.3d 831, 838, amended by 387 F.3d 966 (9th Cir.2004), did not show that the joint complaint obviously fails to state a cause of action under Mississippi law against resident defendants, see McCabe v. Gen. Foods Corp., 811 F.2d 1336, 1339 (9th Cir.1987) (establishing standard for fraudulent joinder). No evidence was presented to pierce the pleadings, therefore we look only to the allegations in the complaint. Assuming (without needing to decide) that Mississippi requires knowledge on the part of retailers or pharmacists, paragraphs 70, 73 and 118 of the complaint sufficiently aver it for purposes of notice pleading. Miss. R. Civ. P. 8(a). We are not obliged to follow federal district court decisions upon which Bayer relies, but in any event do not read them as controlling here given the specific allegations in Anderson's complaints.
No basis appears in the record or in our case law for severing the claims of the eight plaintiffs who have named non-diverse defendants. Accordingly, we reverse and remand to the district court with instructions to vacate its dismissal orders and its order to file individualized complaints, as both were without jurisdiction, and to order the action, in the form it was at the time of removal, remanded to state court.
Given this disposition, it is unnecessary to reach Anderson's alternative argument that the complaints should not have been dismissed for that issue is moot.
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
EXHIBIT A
MDL Former
Plaintiff Name Case Name State Case No. Case No.
1. Anderson, Jr., James James Anderson, Jr. v. MS C04"1058 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
2. Anderson, James E. James E. Anderson v. MS C04"1449 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
3. Anderson, John R. John R. Anderson v. MS C04"1059 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
4. Archer, Jack Jack Archer v. Bayer MS C04"1060 C04"0022
Corp. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
5. Bailey, Dorothy Dorothy Bailey v. Bayer MS C04"1062 C04"0022
Corp. et al.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
6. Bailey, Louis Louis Bailey v. Bayer MS C04"1061 C04"0022
Corp. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
7. Barkley, Sheila Sheila Barkley v. MS C04"1063 C04"0022
Block, et al.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
8. Bradham, Kathy Kathy Bradham v. Bayer MS C04"1064 C04"0022
Corp. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
9. Butler, Eddie Eddie Butler V. Bayer MS C04"1065 C04"0022
Corp. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
10. Carter, Ethel Ethel Carter v. Bayer MS C04"1066 C04"0022
Corp. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
11. Dale, Ernestine Earnestine Dale v. MS C04"1068 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
12. Elmore, Elizabeth Elizabeth Elmore v. MS C04"1070 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
13. Green, Robert Robert Green v. Wyeth MS C04"1450 C04"0022
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
14. Harris, Daisy Daisy Harris v. Bayer MS C04"1048 C04"0022
Corp., et al.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
15. Henard, Leeida Leeida Henard v. Bayer MS C04"1072 C04"0022
Corp. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
16. Hendry, Robert Robert Hendry v. AHP MS C04"1073 C04"0022
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
17. Jacob, Dollas Dollas Jacob v. Bristol MS C04"1074 C04"0022
Myers Squibb
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
18. King, Ollie L. Ollie L. King v. Bayer MS C04"1075 C04"0022
Corp. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
19. Lang, James James Lang v. Block et MS C04"1076 C04"0022
al. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
20. Magee, William C. William C. Magee v. MS C04"1077 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
21. Maier, Glen Glen and Paula Maier v. MS C04"1451 C04"0022
Bayer AG
22. Maier, Paula Glenn and Paula Maier MS C04"1451 C04"0022
v. Bayer AG
23. Marshall, Mildred Mildred Marshall v. MS C04"1034 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
24. Merrick, Belain Belain Merrick v. Block MS C04"1255 C04"0022
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
25. Mitchell, Valerie Valerie Mitchell v. MS C04"1035 C04"0022
Block, et al.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
26. Netterville, Charles Charles and Melanie MS C04"1256 C04"0022
Netterville v.
Procter & Gamble, et
al. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
27. Netterville, Melanie Charles and Melanie MS C04"1256 C04"0022
Netterville v.
Procter & Gamble, et
al. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
28. Nickelson, Veronica Veronica Nickelson v. MS C04"1036 C04"0022
McNeil (Originally in
James
E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
29. Pace, LilAnn LilAnn Pace v. Wyeth, MS C04"1037 C04"0022
et al. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
30. Pickering, Joy Joy Pickering v. Block, MS C04"1038 C04"0022
et al. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
31. Pritchard, Elizabeth Elizabeth Pritchard v. MS C04"1039 C04"0022
Wyeth (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
32. Schuette, Edward Edward Schuette v. MS C04"1040 C04"0022
Bayer Corp., et al.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
33. Smith, Levi Levi Smith v. Bayer MS C04"1041 C04"0022
Corp. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
34. Thompson, Willie Willie Thompson v. MS C04"1042 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
35. Twyner, Shraon Sharon Twyner b. Bayer MS C04"1044 C04"0022
Corp., et al.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
36. Vaughn, Alfanette Alfanette Vaughn v. MS C04"1346 C04"0022
GlaxoSmithKline
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
37. Warren, Della Della Warren v. Bayer MS C04"1045 C04"0022
Corp., et al.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
38. Washington, Lois Lois Washington v. MS C04"1046 C04"0022
Bayer Corp., et al.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
39. Washington, Shawanda Shawanda Washington v. MS C04"1047 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
40. Welch, Charles Charles Welch v. Bayer MS C04"1049 C04"0022
Corp. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
41. Wells, Patricia Patricia Wells v. Bayer MS C04"1050 C04"0022
Corp. et al.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
42. Wicks, Martha Martha Wicks v. Wyeth MS C04"1051 C04"0022
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
43. Williams, Nathaniel Nathaniel Williams v. MS C04"1053 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
44. Wilson, Roger Dale Roger Dale Wilson v. MS C04"1054 C04"0022
Bayer Corp.
(Originally in James
E. Anderson, et al.
v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
45. Woods, Delores Delores Woods v. Bayer MS C04"1055 C04"0022
Corp. (Originally in
James E. Anderson, et
al. v. Bayer Corp. et
al.)
46. James E. Anderson, James E. Anderson, et MS C04"0022
al. v.
Mildred Marshall, Bayer Corp. et al.
Valerie Mitchell,
Veronica Nickelson,
Lillian Pace,
Joy and
Judd Pickering,
Elizabeth Pritchard,
Edward Schuette,
Levi and
Marjorie Smith,
Willie and
Mae Thompson,
Sharon Twyner,
Della Warren,
Lois Washington,
Shawanda Washington,
Daisy Harris,
Charles Welch,
Patricia Wells,
Martha Wicks,
Nathaniel and
Bobbie Williams,
Roger and
Wilma Wilson,
Delores Woods,
James Anderson,
John Anderson,
Jack Archer,
Louis and
Barbara Bailey,
Dorothy Bailey"Banks,
Sheila Barkley,
Kathy Bradham,
Eddie Butler,
Ethel Carter,
Ernestine and
M.J. Dale,
Elizabeth Elmore,
Leeida Henard,
Robert Hendry,
Dollas and
Eugene Jacob,
Ollie King,
James Lang,
William and
Rosie Magee,
Belain Merrick,
Melanie and
Charles Netterville,
Alfanette Vaughn,
Robert Green,
Glen and
Paula Maier.
Page 23.