Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America v. American Home Realty Network, Inc. et al
Filing
34
ORDER by Judge Hamilton granting 19 Motion to Dismiss; terminating 25 Motion for Summary Judgment (pjhlc1, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/24/2013)
1
2
3
4
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
5
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
6
7
8
9
TRAVELERS CASUALTY INSURANCE
COMPANY OF AMERICA, et al.,
11
For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
10
Plaintiffs,
No. C 12-2637 PJH
12
v.
ORDER GRANTING MOTION
TO DISMISS
13
14
AMERICAN HOME REALTY
NETWORK, INC., et al.,
15
Defendants.
_______________________________/
16
17
Defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint in the above-entitled action came on for
18
hearing before this court on January 16, 2013. Plaintiffs appeared by their counsel
19
Nicholas J. Boos, and defendants appeared by their counsel Alexander J. Berline. Having
20
read the parties’ papers and carefully considered their arguments and the relevant legal
21
authority, the court hereby GRANTS the motion as follows.
22
23
BACKGROUND
In this insurance coverage action, plaintiffs Travelers Casualty Insurance Company
24
of America and Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut (collectively, “Travelers”)
25
seek a judicial declaration that they have no duty to defend defendants American Home
26
Realty Network, Inc. (“AHR”) and Jonathan Cardella (“Cardella”) in two underlying copyright
27
infringement actions pending in, respectively, the U.S. District Court for the District of
28
Maryland and the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.
Travelers issued three commercial general liability insurance policies that are at
1
2
issue in this lawsuit. On March 28, 2012, Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc.
3
(“Metropolitan”) filed a complaint against AHR, Cardella, and the National Association of
4
Realtors in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland (No. C-12-0954) (the
5
“Metropolitan action”). Metropolitan asserts claims against AHR for copyright infringement
6
(direct, induced, contributory, and vicarious), false designation of origin, unfair competition
7
under the Lanham Act, conversion, and unjust enrichment, based on defendants’ alleged
8
misappropriation of information and photographs from Metropolitan’s copyrighted Multiple
9
Listing Services (“MLS”) database that serves Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, and
portions of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia.
11
For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
10
On April 18, 2012, the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota filed a
12
complaint against AHR in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota (No. C-12-
13
0965) (the “Regional action”), alleging copyright infringement of compilation content, and
14
copyright infringement of photographs, based on defendants’ alleged misappropriation of
15
the plaintiff’s copyrighted MLS database serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
16
AHR notified Travelers of the pendency of the Metropolitan complaint on April 9,
17
2012, and requested a defense and indemnity for AHR and Cardella. After an
18
investigation, Travelers sent a letter dated June 7, 2012, in which it accepted the tender of
19
defense under a full reservation of rights. AHR also notified Travelers of the pendency of
20
the Regional complaint on April 25, 2012, and requested a defense and indemnity for AHR.
21
After investigating the matter, Travelers declined the tender, in a letter dated June 19,
22
2012.
23
Travelers filed the present action on May 22, 2012, seeking a judicial declaration as
24
to whether it has a duty to defend AHR or Cardella in the Metropolitan action and as to
25
whether it has a duty to defend AHR in the Regional action; and also seeking
26
reimbursement of its attorneys’ fees and expenses already incurred in the defense of the
27
Metropolitan action. On September 18, 2012, Travelers filed a first amended complaint
28
(“FAC”).
2
Defendants now seek an order dismissing the FAC, or in the alternative, staying it
1
2
pending resolution of the Metropolitan action.
3
4
5
DISCUSSION
A.
Legal Standard
Under the Declaratory Judgment Act (“DJA”), the Court “may declare the rights and
“actual controversy.” 28 U.S.C. § 2201(a); see also U.S. Const. art. III, § 2, cl. 1 (limiting
8
the federal judicial power to actual cases and controversies). “[T]he question in each case
9
is whether the facts alleged, under all the circumstances, show that there is a substantial
10
controversy, between parties having adverse legal interests, of sufficient immediacy and
11
For the Northern District of California
other legal relations of any interested party seeking such declaration” when there is an
7
United States District Court
6
reality to warrant the issuance of a declaratory judgment.” MedImmune, Inc. v. Genentech,
12
Inc., 549 U.S. 118, 127 (2007) (quoting Maryland Cas. Co. v. Pac. Coal & Oil Co., 312 U.S.
13
270, 273 (1941).
14
The burden is on the party seeking declaratory relief to establish the existence of an
15
actual controversy. DaimlerChrysler Corp. v. Cuno, 547 U.S. 332, 342 (2006). If the court
16
determines that an actual controversy does not exist, it may dismiss the declaratory relief
17
action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1).
18
If the court determines that an actual controversy does exist, it must then decide
19
“whether to exercise its discretion to take jurisdiction over the declaratory judgment action.”
20
Principal Life Ins. Ca v. Robinson, 394 F.3d 665, 669 (9th Cir. 2004). In making this
21
determination, “[t]he district court should avoid needless determination of state law issues;
22
it should discourage litigants from filing declaratory actions as a means of forum shopping;
23
and it should avoid duplicative litigation.” Government Emps. Ins. Co. v. Dizol, 133 F.3d
24
1220, 1225 (9th Cir.1998) (citing Brillhart v. Excess Ins. Co. of Am., 316 U.S. 491 (1942));
25
see also id. at 1225 n.5 (citing additional relevant factors).
26
Nevertheless, “there is no presumption of abstention in declaratory actions
27
generally, nor in insurance coverage cases specifically.” Id. at 1225. That is, there is no
28
authority barring an insurer from invoking diversity jurisdiction to bring a declaratory
3
1
judgment action against an insured on an issue of coverage. Id. Moreover, if other claims
2
are joined with an action for declaratory relief, the district court should not, as a general
3
rule, remand or decline to entertain the claims for declaratory relief. Id.
On the other hand, the mere presence of a claim for monetary relief does not mean
4
5
that the district court must accept jurisdiction, where the action is “primarily declaratory in
6
nature.” United Nat’l Ins. Co. v. R&D Latex Corp., 242 F.3d 1102, 1112 (9th Cir. 2001).
7
Rather, the court must analyze
8
whether the claim for monetary relief is independent in the sense that it could
be litigated in federal court even if no declaratory claim had been filed. In
other words, the district court should consider whether it has subject matter
jurisdiction over the monetary claim alone, and if so, whether that claim must
be joined with one for declaratory relief.
9
11
For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
10
Id. at 1113.
12
B.
13
Defendants’ Motion
Defendants make four main arguments in support of their motion – that this case
14
should be dismissed because exercising jurisdiction under the circumstances presented by
15
this case constitutes reversible error, and even if it does not, the Declaratory Judgment Act
16
favors dismissal; that dismissal is also appropriate because the court lacks subject matter
17
jurisdiction; that dismissal is further appropriate because this claim is not ripe for
18
adjudication; and that if the court finds that jurisdiction is mandatory with regard to the
19
Metropolitan action claims, a stay is appropriate until after the Metropolitan action has been
20
resolved.
21
As the court indicated at the hearing, there is nothing per se improper about a
22
federal district court exercising jurisdiction under the Declaratory Judgment Act over an
23
insurance coverage dispute, regardless of where the underlying action is pending.
24
Nevertheless, the court must have jurisdiction over the complaint.
25
The Declaratory Judgment Act does not create an independent basis for subject
26
matter jurisdiction. See Vaden v. Discovery Bank, 556 U.S. 49, 70 n.19 (2009) (“the
27
Declaratory Judgment Act does not enlarge the jurisdiction of the federal courts; it is
28
procedural only”) (quotations omitted); Gritchen v. Collier, 254 F.3d 807, 811 (9th Cir.
4
1
2001) (“The Declaratory Judgment Act . . . applies only if federal jurisdiction independently
2
exists”); Staacke v. United States Secretary of Labor, 841 F.2d 278, 280 (9th Cir. 1988)
3
(Declaratory Judgment Act does not itself confer federal subject matter jurisdiction; rather,
4
a declaratory judgment plaintiff must establish an independent basis for such jurisdiction.).
5
Here, Travelers asserts diversity jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332. Defendants
6
contend that dismissal is warranted because the amount-in-controversy requirement has
7
not been met, and thus, the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction.
Atlas Global Group, LP, 541 U.S 567, 570-72 (2004); see also Morongo Band of Mission
10
Indians v. Calif. State Bd. of Equalization, 858 F.2d 1376, 1380 (9th Cir. 1988) (looking to
11
For the Northern District of California
Diversity jurisdiction is measured at the time the lawsuit is filed. Grupo Dataflux v.
9
United States District Court
8
original complaint, and not amended complaint, for subject matter jurisdiction).
12
Defendants assert that because Travelers declined coverage under the
13
Regional action, there is no amount in controversy as to that case. As for both the
14
Metropolitan case and the Regional case, defendants argue that because Travelers had
15
not issued a coverage decision as of May 22, 2012 when the original complaint was filed
16
(and as to the Metropolitan case, had not sent the reservation of rights agreeing to defend
17
in that case), there was no amount in controversy as of that date as to either of the
18
underlying actions. For this reason, defendants assert, Travelers’ defense costs at the
19
time the present action was commenced were close to zero – and at any rate, nowhere
20
near the $75,000 jurisdictional minimum.
21
The court finds that Travelers’ motion to dismiss the case for lack of subject matter
22
jurisdiction must be GRANTED. As noted above, diversity jurisdiction is determined as of
23
the time the complaint is filed. See Morongo Band, 858 F.2d at 1380. Since Travelers did
24
not notify defendants that it had accepted the tender of the Metropolitan action until June 7,
25
2012, and had not incurred any defense costs until that point, there was no amount in
26
controversy as of May 22, 2012 when the complaint was filed – and thus, no diversity
27
jurisdiction. Also, while Travelers has incurred defense costs in the Metropolitan action
28
since June 2012 when it accepted the tender, it appears that there has never been an
5
1
amount in controversy as to the Regional action, since Travelers refused the tender and
2
has not provided any defense.
3
Travelers’ position, as stated in its papers and by counsel at the hearing, is that
4
when it filed the complaint, it alleged in “good faith” that there was $75,000 in controversy,
5
and that the court is required to accept that representation. However, it seems clear that
6
when Travelers filed the complaint on May 22, 2012, it was fully aware that it had not
7
accepted the tender of defense as of that date.
8
9
Having found that there was no subject matter jurisdiction at the time the original
complaint was filed, the court finds it unnecessary to address defendants’ arguments
regarding the Dizol/Brillhart factors and the discretionary exercise of jurisdiction over claims
11
For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
10
brought under the Declaratory Judgment Act, other than to observe that it finds Travelers’
12
arguments to be more persuasive. The alternative motion to stay is DENIED as moot.
13
CONCLUSION
14
In accordance with the foregoing, the motion to dismiss is GRANTED. Should
15
Travelers opt to re-file the action, seeking a judicial declaration regarding their duty to
16
defend in both the Metropolitan and Regional actions, the court notes that the joinder of
17
claims relating to both underlying actions may be improper. See Federal Rules of Civil
18
Procedure 20, 21.
19
20
IT IS SO ORDERED.
21
Dated: January 24, 2013
_________________________
PHYLLIS J. HAMILTON
United States District Judge
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
6
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?