Opinion
5:12-CV-1145
01-23-2013
WILLIAM TRIMM, JR. and HELEN TRIMM, Plaintiffs, v. 3M COMPANY, formerly known as Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company; 84 LUMBER COMPANY; A.W. CHESTERTON CO., INC.; ABEX CORPORATION, formerly known as American Brake Shoe Company; AIR & LIQUID SYSTEMS CORPORATION, as successor by merger to Buffalo Pumps, Inc.; AMERICAN STANDARD, INC., individually and on behalf of its division The Trane Company; ARMSTRONG INTERNATIONAL, INC.; ARVINMERITOR, INC.; BORG WARNER CORPORATION; CARLISLE COMPANIES INCORPORATED; CBS CORPORATION, formerly known as Viacom, Inc., formerly known as Westinghouse Electric Corporation; CERTAINTEED CORPORATION; CLEAVER-BROOKS INC.; CRANE CO.; CRANE PUMPS & SYSTEMS, INC.; DANA CORPORATION; DAP PRODUCTS, INC.; EATON ELECTRICAL, INC., formerly known as Cutler Hammer; FEDERAL-MOGUL ASBESTOS PERSONAL INJURY TRUST, as successor to Felt Products Manufacturing Co.; FMC CORPORATION, individually and as Successor to Northern Pump Company and Coffin; FORD MOTOR COMPANY; FOSTER WHEELER, LLC; GARDNER DENVER, INC.; GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; GENUINE PARTS COMPANY; GEORGIA-PACIFIC LLC, formerly known as Georgia-Pacific Corporation; GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY; GOODRICH CORPORATION, formerly known as B.F. Goodrich Company; GOULDS PUMPS, INCORPORATED; HB SMITH COMPANY INCORPORATED; HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC., as success-in-interest to The Bendix Corporation formerly known as Alliedsignal, Inc.; HOWDEN BUFFALO, INC.; IMO INDUSTRIES, INC; ITT INDUSTRIAL, INC., individually and as successor-in-interest to Foster Engineering, Inc.; INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY; J.H. FRANCE REFRACTORIES COMPANY; JOHN CRANE, INC.; KAISER GYPSUM COMPANY, INC.; KEELER/DORR-OLIVER BOILER COMPANY; KENTILE FLOORS, INC.; MACK TRUCKS, INC.; MAREMONT CORPORATION; NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION; NAVISTAR INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION; PECORA CORP.; REXNORD INDUSTRIES, LLC, individually and as Successor in Interest to The Falk Corporation; ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, INC., formerly known as Rockwell International Corporation; SPIRAX SARCO, INC.; STANDARD AUTO PARTS; NASH ENGINEERING COMPANY (THE); UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION; VELAN VALVE CORP.; WARREN PUMPS, INC.; WEIL MCLAIN, a division of The Marley Company; WHITE'S LUMBER; YARWAY CORPORATION; CATERPILLAR, INC.; and ROBERT BOSCH CORPORATION, as successor in interest to Bosch Braking Systems Corporation, Defendants.
LEVVY PHILLIPS & KONIGSBERG, LLP Attorneys for Plaintiffs AMBER R. LONG, ESQ. LAVIN, O'NEIL, RICCI, CEDRONE & DISIPIO Attorneys for Defendant 3M Company BERNADETTE WEAVER-CATALANA, ESQ. BARRY MCTIERNAN & MOORE Attorneys for Defendants 84 Lumber Company and John Crane, Inc. WILLIAM A. COONEY, ESQ. BROWN & KELLY, LLP Attorneys for Defendant Air & Liquid Systems Corporation KENNETH A. KRAJEWSKI, ESQ. KASOWITZ, BENSON, TORRES & FRIEDMAN LLP Attorneys for Defendants Arvinmeritor, Inc. and Maremont Corporation PEGGY L. PAN, ESQ. DONOHUE, SABO, VARLEY & HUTTNER, LLP Attorneys for Defendant Borg Warner Corporation BRUCE S. HUTTNER, ESQ. WARD GREENBERG HELLER & REIDY LLP Attorneys for Defendants Carlisle Companies Incorporated and Georgia-Pacific LLC THOMAS E. REIDY, ESQ. DANIEL P. PURCELL, ESQ. DARGER ERRANTE YAVITZ & BLAU LLP Attorneys for Defendants Certainteed Corporation, Dana Corporation and Union Carbide Corporation JUDITH A. YAVITZ, ESQ. MACKENZIE HUGHES LLP Attorneys for Defendant Cleaver-Brooks Inc. STEPHEN S. DAVIE, ESQ. K & L GATES LLP Attorneys for Defendants Crane Co. and Crane Pumps & Systems, Inc. ANGELA DIGIGLIO, ESQ. NICOLE M. KOZIN, ESQ. MCGIVNEY & KLUGER, P.C. AXA Tower - 1 Attorneys for Defendants DAP Products, Inc., Pecora Corp., and Rexnord Industries, LLC ERIC M. GERNANT, II, ESQ. GOLDBERG SEGALLA LLP Attorneys for Defendants Eaton Electrical, Inc., Gould Pumps, Inc. and Howden Buffalo, Inc. SUSAN E. VAN GELDER, ESQ. WILSON, ELSER, MOSKOWITZ, EDELMAN & DICKER LLP Attorneys for Defendant Federal- Mogul Asbestos Personal Injury Trust JULIE R. EVANS, ESQ. GIBSON, MCASKILL & CROSBY, LLP Attorneys for Defendant Ford Motor Company CHARLES C. BRIDGE, ESQ. PAULETTE E. ROSS, ESQ. SEGAL MCCAMBRIDGE SINGER & MAHONEY, LTD Attorneys for Defendant Gardner Denver, Inc. KATRINA H. MURPHY, ESQ. DAMON MOREY LLP Attorneys for Defendants Genuine Parts Company and National Automotive Parts Association CAROL G. SNIDER, ESQ. PHILLIPS LYTLE LLP Attorneys for Defendant Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company MARY JO HERRSCHER, ESQ. SMITH, STRATTON, WISE, HEHER & BRENNAN, LLP Attorneys for Defendant Goodrich Corporation PATRICK J. DWYER, ESQ. MARIN GOODMAN, LLP Attorneys for Defendant Keeler/ Door-Oliver Boiler Company RICHARD P. MARIN, ESQ. TREVETT CRISTO SALZER & ANDOLINA P.C. Attorneys for Defendant Mack Trucks, Inc. VALERIE L. BARBIC, ESQ. OFFICE OF DONALD A. W. SMITH, PC Attorneys for Defendant Navistar International Corporation DONALD A. W. SMITH, ESQ. MCELROY, DEUTSCH MULVANEY & CARPENTER, LLP Attorneys for Defendant Rockwell Automation, Inc. JOSEPH P. LASALA, ESQ. BOUVIER PARTNERSHIP, LLP Attorneys for Defendant Spirax Sarco, Inc. PAULA M. EADE-NEWCOMB, ESQ. MCCARTER & ENGLISH, LLP Attorneys for Defendant Velan Valve Corp. RICHARD P. O'LEARY, ESQ. LEADER & BERKON LLP Attorneys for Defendant Warren Pumps, Inc. AMY ZUMSTEG, ESQ. HURWITZ & FINE, P.C. Attorneys for Defendant Weil McLain V. CHRISTOPHER POTENZA, ESQ. SLYE & BURROWS Attorneys for Defendant White's Lumber CHRISTINA E. STONE, ESQ. A.W. CHESTERTON CO., INC. NO APPEARANCE ABEX CORPORATION NO APPEARANCE AMERICAN STANDARD, INC. NO APPEARANCE ARMSTRONG INTERNATIONAL, INC. NO APPEARANCE CBS CORPORATION NO APPEARANCE FMC CORPORATION NO APPEARANCE FOSTER WHEELER, LLC NO APPEARANCE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY NO APPEARANCE HB SMITH COMPANY INCORPORATED NO APPEARANCE HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC. NO APPEARANCE IMO INDUSTRIES, INC. NO APPEARANCE ITT INDUSTRIAL, INC. NO APPEARANCE INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY NO APPEARANCE J.H. FRANCE REFRACTORIES COMPANY NO APPEARANCE KAISER GYPSUM COMPANY, INC. NO APPEARANCE KENTILE FLOORS, INC. NO APPEARANCE STANDARD AUTO PARTS NO APPEARANCE NASH ENGINEERING COMPANY NO APPEARANCE YARWAY CORPORATION NO APPEARANCE CATERPILLAR, INC. NO APPEARANCE ROBERT BOSCH CORPORATION NO APPEARANCE
(FJS/ATB)
APPEARANCES
LEVVY PHILLIPS &
KONIGSBERG, LLP
Attorneys for Plaintiffs
OF COUNSEL
AMBER R. LONG, ESQ.
LAVIN, O'NEIL, RICCI,
CEDRONE & DISIPIO
Attorneys for Defendant 3M
Company
BERNADETTE WEAVER-CATALANA, ESQ.
BARRY MCTIERNAN & MOORE
Attorneys for Defendants 84 Lumber
Company and John Crane, Inc.
WILLIAM A. COONEY, ESQ.
BROWN & KELLY, LLP
Attorneys for Defendant Air
& Liquid Systems Corporation
KENNETH A. KRAJEWSKI, ESQ.
KASOWITZ, BENSON, TORRES
& FRIEDMAN LLP
Attorneys for Defendants
Arvinmeritor, Inc. and Maremont
Corporation
PEGGY L. PAN, ESQ.
DONOHUE, SABO, VARLEY
& HUTTNER, LLP
Attorneys for Defendant Borg
Warner Corporation
BRUCE S. HUTTNER, ESQ.
WARD GREENBERG HELLER
& REIDY LLP
Attorneys for Defendants Carlisle
Companies Incorporated and
Georgia-Pacific LLC
THOMAS E. REIDY, ESQ.
DANIEL P. PURCELL, ESQ.
DARGER ERRANTE YAVITZ
& BLAU LLP
Attorneys for Defendants
Certainteed Corporation,
Dana Corporation and Union
Carbide Corporation
JUDITH A. YAVITZ, ESQ.
MACKENZIE HUGHES LLP
Attorneys for Defendant
Cleaver-Brooks Inc.
STEPHEN S. DAVIE, ESQ.
K & L GATES LLP
Attorneys for Defendants
Crane Co. and Crane Pumps &
Systems, Inc.
ANGELA DIGIGLIO, ESQ.
NICOLE M. KOZIN, ESQ.
MCGIVNEY & KLUGER, P.C.
AXA Tower - 1
Attorneys for Defendants DAP
Products, Inc., Pecora Corp., and
Rexnord Industries, LLC
ERIC M. GERNANT, II, ESQ.
GOLDBERG SEGALLA LLP
Attorneys for Defendants Eaton
Electrical, Inc., Gould Pumps, Inc.
and Howden Buffalo, Inc.
SUSAN E. VAN GELDER, ESQ.
WILSON, ELSER,
MOSKOWITZ, EDELMAN
& DICKER LLP
Attorneys for Defendant Federal-
Mogul Asbestos Personal Injury
Trust
JULIE R. EVANS, ESQ.
GIBSON, MCASKILL
& CROSBY, LLP
Attorneys for Defendant Ford
Motor Company
CHARLES C. BRIDGE, ESQ.
PAULETTE E. ROSS, ESQ.
SEGAL MCCAMBRIDGE
SINGER & MAHONEY, LTD
Attorneys for Defendant
Gardner Denver, Inc.
KATRINA H. MURPHY, ESQ.
DAMON MOREY LLP
Attorneys for Defendants Genuine
Parts Company and National
Automotive Parts Association
CAROL G. SNIDER, ESQ.
PHILLIPS LYTLE LLP
Attorneys for Defendant Goodyear
Tire & Rubber Company
MARY JO HERRSCHER, ESQ.
SMITH, STRATTON, WISE,
HEHER & BRENNAN, LLP
Attorneys for Defendant
Goodrich Corporation
PATRICK J. DWYER, ESQ.
MARIN GOODMAN, LLP
Attorneys for Defendant Keeler/
Door-Oliver Boiler Company
RICHARD P. MARIN, ESQ.
TREVETT CRISTO SALZER
& ANDOLINA P.C.
Attorneys for Defendant Mack
Trucks, Inc.
VALERIE L. BARBIC, ESQ.
OFFICE OF DONALD A. W.
SMITH, PC
Attorneys for Defendant Navistar
International Corporation
DONALD A. W. SMITH, ESQ.
MCELROY, DEUTSCH
MULVANEY & CARPENTER, LLP
Attorneys for Defendant Rockwell
Automation, Inc.
JOSEPH P. LASALA, ESQ.
BOUVIER PARTNERSHIP, LLP
Attorneys for Defendant Spirax
Sarco, Inc.
PAULA M. EADE-NEWCOMB, ESQ.
MCCARTER & ENGLISH, LLP
Attorneys for Defendant Velan
Valve Corp.
RICHARD P. O'LEARY, ESQ.
LEADER & BERKON LLP
Attorneys for Defendant
Warren Pumps, Inc.
AMY ZUMSTEG, ESQ.
HURWITZ & FINE, P.C.
Attorneys for Defendant Weil
McLain
V. CHRISTOPHER POTENZA, ESQ.
SLYE & BURROWS
Attorneys for Defendant
White's Lumber
CHRISTINA E. STONE, ESQ.
A.W. CHESTERTON CO., INC.
NO APPEARANCE
ABEX CORPORATION
NO APPEARANCE
AMERICAN STANDARD, INC.
NO APPEARANCE
ARMSTRONG INTERNATIONAL,
INC.
NO APPEARANCE
CBS CORPORATION
NO APPEARANCE
FMC CORPORATION
NO APPEARANCE
FOSTER WHEELER, LLC
NO APPEARANCE
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
NO APPEARANCE
HB SMITH COMPANY
INCORPORATED
NO APPEARANCE
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL,
INC.
NO APPEARANCE
IMO INDUSTRIES, INC.
NO APPEARANCE
ITT INDUSTRIAL, INC.
NO APPEARANCE
INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY
NO APPEARANCE
J.H. FRANCE REFRACTORIES
COMPANY
NO APPEARANCE
KAISER GYPSUM COMPANY,
INC.
NO APPEARANCE
KENTILE FLOORS, INC.
NO APPEARANCE
STANDARD AUTO PARTS
NO APPEARANCE
NASH ENGINEERING COMPANY
NO APPEARANCE
YARWAY CORPORATION
NO APPEARANCE
CATERPILLAR, INC.
NO APPEARANCE
ROBERT BOSCH CORPORATION
NO APPEARANCE
SCULLIN, Senior Judge
MEMORANDUM-DECISION AND ORDER
I. INTRODUCTION
Currently before the Court is Plaintiffs' motion to remand this case to New York State Supreme Court, County of Onondaga. See Dkt. No. 103. None of the remaining Defendants in this case has filed any papers in opposition to this motion.
II. BACKGROUND
Plaintiffs filed this civil action in New York Supreme Court, County of Onondaga, on March 30, 2012. Defendant Viad Corp. filed a Notice of Removal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1442(a)(1) and 1446 on July 13, 2012, on the ground that it intended to invoke a government- contractor defense that raised a federal question, thereby giving this Court jurisdiction over the entire case pursuant to § 1442. See Dkt. No. 1.
Plaintiffs initially moved for remand on procedural grounds, see Dkt. No. 33; and Defendant Viad opposed that motion, see Dkt. No. 46. Subsequently, Plaintiffs agreed to dismiss Defendant Viad from this case; and Defendant Viad consented to remand of this case back to the state court where it was originally filed. See Stipulation of Dismissal, Dkt. No. 103-4; Dkt. No. 103-5, Stipulation of Remand. Shortly thereafter, Plaintiff William Trimm passed away, and his wife was appointed representative of his estate.
III. DISCUSSION
Defendant Viad removed this action from state court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1442(a)(1), which provides, in pertinent part, as follows:
(a) A civil action . . . that is commenced in a State court and that is against or directed to any of the following may be removed by them to the district court of the United States for the district and division embracing the place wherein it is pending:28 U.S.C. § 1442(a)(1).
(1) The United States or any agency thereof or any officer (or any person acting under that officer) of the United States or of any agency thereof, in an official or individual capacity, for or relating to any act under color of such office . . . .
Since § 1442(a)(1) "authorizes removal of the entire case even if only one of the controversies it raises involves a federal officer or agency, the section creates a species of statutorily-mandated supplemental subject-matter jurisdiction." 14C Charles Alan Wright, Arthur R. Miller, Edward H. Cooper & Joan E. Steinman, Federal Practice and Procedure § 3726 (4th ed. 2009). Furthermore, even if the claim against the federal party is dismissed after removal, the court does not lose its ancillary jurisdiction over the remaining state claims against the non-federal parties. See Torres v. CBS News, 879 F. Supp. 309, 321 (S.D.N.Y. 1995) (quotation and other citation omitted). Thus, as the Torres court noted, in such a situation, "it is a matter of this court's discretion whether or not to retain the case . . . ." Id.
When deciding whether to retain jurisdiction or to remand, the court should consider "comity, federalism, judicial economy and fairness to the litigants." Id. (citations omitted). The Torres court concluded that, "[w]hen the federal party is eliminated shortly after removal and there has been 'no substantial commitment of judicial resources' to the remaining state-law claims, remand to the state court is clearly warranted." Id. (quotation and other citations omitted).
In this case, it appears that all of the claims in Plaintiffs' second amended complaint are state-law claims. Furthermore, Plaintiffs contend that the parties have taken some depositions in state court and that, prior to removal, Plaintiffs' and Defendants' counsel had agreed in principle to a case management order that would govern the case going forward and were about to send a proposed order to the state court for approval. See Dkt. No. 103-1 at 3. On the other hand, all that appears to have occurred in this action since the time of removal is that some of the Defendants have filed Notices of Appearance, Corporate Disclosure Statements, jury demands, and answers to the second amended complaint. Therefore, the Court finds that all the relevant factors weigh in favor of remand.
IV. CONCLUSION
After reviewing the record in this matter, Plaintiffs' submissions and the applicable law, and for the above-stated reasons, the Court hereby
ORDERS that Plaintiffs' motion to remand this case to New York State Supreme Court, Onondaga County, is GRANTED; and the Court further
ORDERS that the Clerk of the Court shall mail a certified copy of this Order to the Clerk of New York State Supreme Court, Onondaga County, as 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c) requires.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: January 23, 2013
Syracuse, New York
______________________
Frederick J. Scullin , Jr.
Senior United States District Court Judge