Augustus v. Rusteen

Filing 6

ORDER REASSIGNING CASE to a district judge; REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS to remand case to start court; ORDER granting 2 MOTION for Leave to Proceed in forma pauperis filed by Christopher Rusteen. Objections to the report and recommendation are due by 6/23/2017. Signed by Judge Kandis A. Westmore on 6/6/2017. (kawlc2, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 6/6/2017) (Additional attachment(s) added on 6/6/2017: # 1 Certificate/Proof of Service) (sis, COURT STAFF).

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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MICHAEL AUGUSTUS,
Plaintiff,

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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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Case No. 4:17-cv-02705-KAW
ORDER REASSIGNING CASE TO A
DISTRICT JUDGE; REPORT AND
RECOMMENDATION TO REMAND
TO STATE COURT; ORDER
GRANTING IN FORMA PAUPERIS
APPLICATION

v.
CHRISTOPHER RUSTEEN,
Defendant.

Re: Dkt. Nos. 1 & 2

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On May 10, 2017, Defendant Christopher Rusteen removed this unlawful detainer action

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from Sonoma County Superior Court, and applied to proceed in forma pauperis. (Not. of

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Removal, Dkt. No. 1; IFP Appl., Dkt. No. 2.)

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As removal is clearly improper, and the parties have not consented to the undersigned, for

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the reasons set forth below, the Court reassigns this case to a district judge and recommends that

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the case be remanded to state court. Additionally, the Court grants Defendant’s application to

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proceed in forma pauperis.

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I.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Michael Augustus commenced this unlawful detainer action against Defendant in

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Sonoma County Superior Court on or around April 14, 2017. (Not. of Removal, Dkt. No. 1 ¶ 2.)

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The complaint contains a single cause of action for unlawful detainer. Id. The case is a “limited

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civil case,” in which Plaintiff seeks immediate possession of a certain property located in Santa

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Rosa, California, which Defendant occupies.

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On April 10, 2017, Plaintiff allegedly served a written notice on Defendant to pay rent or

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quit within three days. (Dkt. No. 1 at 11.) On April 14, 2017, Plaintiff filed the instant unlawful

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detainer suit in state court. (Compl., Dkt. No. 1 at 7.) On April 25, 2017, Defendant filed an

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answer. (Dkt. No. 1 at 13.) On May 10, 2017, Defendant removed the action to federal court on

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the grounds that it presents a federal question. (Not. of Removal at 2.)

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II.

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LEGAL STANDARD

Federal courts exercise limited jurisdiction. A “federal court is presumed to lack

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jurisdiction in a particular case unless the contrary affirmatively appears.” Stock W., Inc. v.

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Confederated Tribes, 873 F.2d 1221, 1225 (9th Cir. 1989) (citation omitted). A defendant may

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remove a civil action from state court to federal court if original jurisdiction would have existed at

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the time the complaint was filed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1441(a). “[R]emoval statutes are strictly

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construed against removal.” Luther v. Countrywide Homes Loans Servicing, LP, 533 F.3d 1031,
1034 (9th Cir. 2008). “Federal jurisdiction must be rejected if there is any doubt as to the right of

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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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removal in the first instance,” such that courts must resolve all doubts as to removability in favor

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of remand. Gaus v. Miles, Inc., 980 F.2d 564, 566 (9th Cir. 1992). The burden of establishing that

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federal jurisdiction exists is on the party seeking removal. See id. at 566-67.

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Federal district courts have original jurisdiction over actions that present a federal question

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or those based on diversity jurisdiction. See Wayne v. DHL Worldwide Express, 294 F.3d 1179,

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1183 & n.2 (9th Cir. 2002). Federal district courts have federal question jurisdiction over "all civil

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actions arising under the Constitution, laws or treaties of the United States." 28 U.S.C. § 1331.

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Federal question jurisdiction is governed by the well-pleaded complaint rule, which provides that

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the basis for federal jurisdiction must appear on the face of the properly pleaded complaint, either

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because the complaint directly raises an issue of federal law or because the plaintiff's "right to

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relief under state law requires resolution of a substantial question of federal law in dispute

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between the parties." Franchise Tax Bd. of Cal. v. Constr. Laborers Vacation Trust for S. Cal.,

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463 U.S. 1, 13 (1983). "[A] case may not be removed to federal court on the basis of a federal

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defense . . . , even if the defense is anticipated in the plaintiff's complaint . . . ." Caterpillar Inc. v.

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Williams, 482 U.S. 386, 393 (1987) (citation omitted).

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III.

DISCUSSION

Defendant removed this unlawful detainer action from state court on the grounds that the
district court has jurisdiction because the case presents a federal question.
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A.

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Defendant claims that a federal question exists because Plaintiff allegedly served a

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defective three day notice to pay rent or quit, which he contends violates the Protecting Tenants at

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Foreclosure Act. (Not. of Removal ¶ 8.) Defendant’s rights in an unlawful detainer action,

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however, depend on the interpretation of state law. Further, Defendant has not shown why the

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resolution of Plaintiff’s unlawful detainer claim will turn on a substantial question of federal law.

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The complaint, therefore, fails to present a federal question or a substantial question of federal

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law.

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Federal Question Jurisdiction

Moreover, the well-pleaded complaint rule prevents the Court from considering any
additional claims, such that a defendant cannot create federal question jurisdiction by adding

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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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claims or defenses to a notice of removal. See Provincal Gov't of Marinduque v. Placer Dome,

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Inc., 582 F.3d 1083, 1086 (9th Cir. 2009); see also McAtee v. Capital One, F.S.B., 479 F.3d 1143,

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1145 (9th Cir. 2007) (even previously asserted counterclaims raising federal issue will not permit

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removal). Accordingly, Defendant’s claim that service of the three-day notice was defective does

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not establish federal question jurisdiction in this matter. Thus, Defendant’s contention that there

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are federal questions at issue in this litigation is misplaced.

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Lastly, the limited scope of unlawful detainer proceedings precludes cross-complaints or

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counterclaims. See Knowles v. Robinson, 60 Cal. 2d 620, 626-27 (1963). Thus, to the extent that

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Defendants’ assertions could be contained in any such filing, they would, nonetheless, fail to

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introduce a basis for federal question jurisdiction.

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B.

Diversity Jurisdiction

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District courts also have original jurisdiction over all civil actions “where the matter in

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controversy exceeds the sum or value of $75,000, exclusive of interests and costs, and is between .

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. . citizens of different States.” 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a). When federal subject-matter jurisdiction is

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predicated on diversity of citizenship, complete diversity must exist between the opposing parties.

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Owen Equip. & Erection Co. v. Kroger, 437 U.S. 365, 373-74 (1978). Under the forum defendant

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rule, “a civil action otherwise removable solely on the basis of [diversity jurisdiction] may not be

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removed if any of the parties in interest properly joined and served as defendants is a citizen of the
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State in which such action is brought.” 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b). Here, Plaintiff’s citizenship is

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unknown, and Defendant is a citizen of California. Thus, the forum defendant rule applies, and

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the action is not removable on the basis of diversity jurisdiction. See 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b).
IV.

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CONCLUSION

For the reasons set forth above, the Court REASSIGNS this action to a district judge with

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the recommendation that the action be REMANDED to state court for further proceedings. The

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Court GRANTS Defendant’s request to proceed in forma pauperis.

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Any party may file objections to this report and recommendation with the district judge
within 14 days of being served with a copy. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(l); Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b); N.D.
Civil L.R. 72-3. The parties are advised that failure to file objections within the specified time

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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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may waive the right to appeal the district court’s order. IBEW Local 595 Trust Funds v. ACS

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Controls Corp., No. C-10-5568, 2011 WL 1496056, at *3 (N.D. Cal. Apr. 20, 2011).

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IT IS SO RECOMMENDED.
Dated: June 6, 2017
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KANDIS A. WESTMORE
United States Magistrate Judge

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