Langer v. Abrahim et al
Filing
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ORDER Requiring Plaintiff's Response to Opposition. Notice of dismissal or memorandum of points and authorities, not longer than ten pages, due no later than 2/24/2016. Signed by Judge Larry Alan Burns on 2/3/16.(All non-registered users served via U.S. Mail Service)(kas)
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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CHRIS LANGER,
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CASE NO. 14cv2902-LAB (DHB)
Plaintiff,
ORDER REQUIRING PLAINTIFF’S
RESPONSE TO OPPOSITION
vs.
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AIMEE H. ABRAHIM, et al.,
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Defendants.
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Plaintiff Chris Langer filed suit against two Defendants, Aimee H. Abrahim and Maria
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Magdalene Vazquez, bringing claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA)
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and supplemental state law claims, based on conditions at the parking lot of La Sinaloense
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Restaurant. There is currently a motion for default judgment pending against these two
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Defendants.
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Vazquez has submitted a letter, which the Court has accepted for filing and construes
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as her opposition. The letter says Vazquez rents only the restaurant, and the parking lot is
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owned by the owners of the strip mall where the restaurant is located. It says Vazquez has
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no authority over the parking lot or ability to change it to bring it into compliance with the
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ADA. Vazquez’s letter also attaches photographs taken shortly before the complaint was
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filed, which she says shows parking conditions are ADA-compliant. The photographs are
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not very clear, but they do contradict the Complaint’s allegation that the only ADA-compliant
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parking space has been allowed to fade or has been paved over. (Compl., ¶ 11.) It is
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possible the parking lot was repainted some time after Langer’s last visit but before the
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photographs were taken.
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Injunctive relief is the sole remedy available to private plaintiffs under the ADA.
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Antoninetti v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., 643 F.3d 1165, 1174 (9th Cir. 2010). If, as
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Vazquez represents, the parking lot is now ADA-compliant, an injunction is unavailable
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against either Defendant. Furthermore, if Vazquez has no control over the parking lot and
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no authority to require the strip mall owners to modify the parking lot, an order requiring her
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to modify it would afford no relief, and would be moot. Because the complaint identifies both
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Abrahim and Vazquez as owners of the restaurant, and neither of them as an owner of the
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strip mall, it is possible neither of them have authority to modify the parking lot.
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Federal courts are required to examine jurisdictional issues, sua sponte if necessary.
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Chapman v. Pier 1 Imports (U.S.) Inc., 631 F.3d 939 (9th Cir. 2011). If, as it appears may
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be the case here, injunctive relief is unavailable, the ADA claim against both Defendants is
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moot. If that is the case, the Court cannot exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the state
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law claims. See Herman Family Revocable Trust v. Teddy Bear, 254 F.3d 802, 806 (9th Cir.
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2001).
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Additionally, Vazquez’s letter draws into question the accuracy of two key allegations,
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namely that the restaurant provides parking spaces to its customers (Compl., ¶ 9) and that
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the parking spaces are currently ADA-compliant. (Id., ¶ 10.) Langer is therefore ORDERED
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to investigate and determine whether Vazquez’s representations are accurate, before filing
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any more documents or making any more arguments to the Court. See Fed. R. Civ. P.
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11(b)(3).
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No later than February 24, 2016, Langer must then file either a notice of dismissal,
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or a memorandum of points and authorities, not longer than ten pages (not counting any
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lodged or appended material) explaining why the Court has jurisdiction over this case,
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Vazquez’s representations notwithstanding.
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///
The memorandum must be supported by a
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declaration or affidavit under penalty of perjury explaining what steps Langer took to
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investigate Vazquez’s representations.
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As the party invoking the Court’s jurisdiction, Langer bears the burden of establishing
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it. See Scott v. Breeland, 792 F.2d 925, 927 (9th Cir. 1986). Therefore, if Langer does not,
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within the time permitted and in the manner ordered, show why the Court can exercise
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jurisdiction over this case, it will be dismissed without prejudice but without leave to amend,
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for lack of jurisdiction.
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This order does not suspend briefing on the motion for default judgment; the parties
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should continue to brief it as provided for under the Civil Local Rules and as ordered by the
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Court. (Docket no. 17.)
IT IS SO ORDERED.
DATED: February 3, 2016
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HONORABLE LARRY ALAN BURNS
United States District Judge
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