Ballesteros v. NCL (Bahamas) LTD.

Filing 18

ORDER COMPELLING ARBITRATION, granting in part 5 Motion to Dismiss; denying as moot 11 Motion to Remand to State Court, the Clerk shall ADMINISTRATIVELY CLOSE this case. Signed by Senior Judge James Lawrence King on 2/13/2013. (ra)

UNI
TED STATES D I
STRI CO UR T
CT
SO UTH ER N D I
STRI T O F FLO RI
C
DA
M I M ID I SIO N
A
VI
CA SE N O .1 2451 C1 K 1 G
27- V- N

CARLOS BALLESTERO S,
Pl ntf,
ai if

NCL (
BAHAM AS)LTD,
Dee
f ndant
.

O RDER CO M PELLI G AR BI ATI N
N
TR
O
TH I M ATTER com es bef e t Cour upon D ef
S
or he
t
endants M oton t D im i s
'
i o s s

a d Compe Ar tai n ( #5) fld De e r26,2 2.Th r i De e a ta g s
n
l bir to DE , ie c mbe
01
e en, f nd n r ue
t Pl ntf cl m s shoul be s it t a bir i i a danc w ih t
hat ai ips ai
d
ubm ted o r taton n ccor
e t he
1

a bir ton cl e of a e pl entagr ent The Cour,be ng br e ed on t m a t r
r ta i
aus
n m oym
eem .
t i
if
he te ,

fndst tD ef nda ' M oton s d be gr nt d i pa t
i
ha
e nts
i houl
a e n r.

Pli tf Ca l s Ba lse o (d le t r s',a Nia a ua ctz n,wa e oy d
an if ro le tr s d l se o '
Ba
)
c r g n iie
s mpl e
b De e a t NCL ( ha s Lt (i ' a a s a n. He wa fr t hie o
y fnd n
Ba ma ) d. ç
NCL' s e ma
)
s is r d n
N ove be 4,2006,atwhi h poi he sgned t fr tof fve Em pl e A gr ent .
m r
c
nt
i
he i s
i
oym nt
eem s

( #1 1 .Balse oswa s e e ty r - r d f u a dii na tme ,e c u e n w
DE - ) le t r
s ubs qu n l e hie o r d to l i s a h nd r e
Empl ent A gr ent t l e f Em pl ent A gr em ent each cont i d t
oym
eem s; he at r our
oym
e
s
a ne he
s e a bir ton pr s on m a tng t t any a a1 cl m s gre
am r t a i
ovii
nda i ha
nd 1 ai , i vanc ,and diput
es
s es

l an iffldaRe po e( #1 onJ nu r 2 201 De e a tfld aRe y( #1 onFe r r
Plitf ie
s ns DE 0) a a y 4, 3. fnd n i
e
pl DE 6)
b uay
8,201
3.

bet
ween Bales e os a NCL,i udi J
l t r nd
ncl ng ones A c cl m s actons f m a nt nc a
t ai , i
or i ena e nd

c r ,u e wo t ne s a wa e s albea j diae bybi ng abirto pu s a tt
u e nsa rhi s, nd g s h l d u c td
ndi r tain ru n o
t U nie N atons Conve i on Re
he
td
i
nton
cognii a Enf cem ent of For i Ar t al
ton nd
or
e gn bir

Awa ds (he i nve i '.Se ( #12) The ve ue f r a bi a in s l b t
r t ç
co nton' e DE - .
)
n o r t to hal e he
r
s m an' county Of c tzens p, unl s a bir i pur nt t t Conventon w as
ea
s
r
ii hi
es r taton
sua o he
i
ch
e r ta i
hal
he
m
una l e i t c r i whi cas a bir ton s l be t Baha as. The
vaiabl n hat ounty, n
Empl e A gr m e f t r cont ned a choi of l w cl us s e i t
oym nt
ee nt urhe
ai
ce
a
a e, el ctng he

l u t n i 1w . . t ta sa eo t ve s l'(d. t! 1 )
i bsa tve a . of he l g tt f he s e . 1 a 2 .
s
'
Ba l t r aleges t on J
les e os l
hat
une 3,201 whie e pl
0, l m oyed by NCL as an as i t nt
ssa

cook aboa d N CL' ves el Epi a i t s rvi of t ves el he w as ata
r
S s , c, nd n he e ce
he s ,
t cked by a

gru whl waki ons r b c t teve s l( mp.DE #14,! 7 ) Asar s l
o p ie l ng ho e a k o h se. Co ,
- J -9 .
!
e ut
o te atc Balseoscamsta hes fr d sveehe d ij re .( mp. ! .On
f h ta k, le tr li h t ufee e r a nu is Co , 9)
Se em be 1 201 Bale t r fl a t eept
r 9, 2, l s e os ied hr count Com pl nt i t El ve h J ci
ai n he e nt udi al
Cicui Cour i and f M i iDade Count a l
r t
tn
or am y leges neglge
i nce unde t Jones Act
r he
,

u e wo t n s ,a d f iur t pr vi e mantna ea c r . Comp1) De e a tsld
ns a rhi e s n a l e o o d i e nc nd u e (
.. f nd n e
isNo ieofRe va ( #1 o De e e 2 201 a d onDe e e 2 201 mo d
t tc
mo l DE ) n c mb r 4, 2, n
c mb r 6, 2 ve
t sc r t dimist a ve syld a ton a c mpe a btai n ( #5 .
hi ou t o s s he bo - t e ci nd o l r ir to DE )
I eval i a m oton t com pel a bir i diti t cour s conduct a (lm ied
n
uatng
i o
r taton, s rc
t
ii t

j rs c ina iquiy (h tijc l r d b a sr ng pr f r nc f ra bir to 'Baut t v
u idito l n r t a s o o e y to
e e e e o r ta i n.
' ia .
s
Str Cr s s 3 6 F.d 1 9 29 ( 1h Ci.20 ) The c u tfrtd tr ne wheh r
a uie , 9 3 28 ,1 4 1 t r 05 .
o r is e e mi s t e

f rj rs ito lpequsts ae me.Th abtain a r e ntmus b i wrtn
ou u idcina r iie r t e r irto g e me
t e n iig
w ihi t m eani of t Conventon; m us pr de f a bir ton i a sgnat y
t n he
ng
he
i
t ovi or r ta i n
i or

t rt y;m us ars outof a l
er ior
t ie
egalr atons p;a m us have a l as one pary who i
el i hi nd
t
te t
t
s

notan A m erca cii 1
i n tzen. d.at 1
295.l t pr r qui ies ar m et t cour m us c pe
f he e e st
e
, he
t
t om l
ar taton unl st pl ntf hasa af im a i def ns unde t Conventon. d.
bir i
es he ai if
n fr tve e e
r he
i 1

I c nno b dipue t tfur urs ito l ruiie aeme i t a ve syld
t a t e s td ha o j idcina peq sts r tn he bo -t e
a i Pl ntf , e ,a guest hi cl i ss d notbe s it t a bir i f
cton. ai if how ver r
hat s a m houl
ubm ted o r taton or
t ee r as
hr e ons.Fis ,Pl ntf alege t hi Empl entA gr m enti i i undert
r t ai if l s hat s
oym
ee
s nvald
he
Seam a s Ari es of A gr ent Conventon and Baha i lw and, t r or i
n'
tcl
eem
i
m an a
he ef e, s
unenf c bl Second,Pl ntf cl i s t t t a bir ton a eem ent deprves hi of
or ea e.
ai if a m ha he r ta i gr
i
m
a m ea ngf r lef And, t r he aleges t t t ar t a i agr m e i
ny
ni ul e i .
hid,
l
ha he bir ton
ee nt s
une or bl asvoi agai tpublcpolc
nf cea e
d
ns
i
i y.
The Cour fnds Pl ntf ar ent una lng.N one oft e s ve as a vald
ti
ai ifs gum s vaii
hes er
i
def ns unde t Conventon.Fis ,r dl sofw he he Pl ntf had tm e t cons ta
e e
r he
i
r t egar es
t r ai if
i o
ul

l
awyer about t r e nt Em pl ent A gr em ent Pl ntf s gned f Empl e
he el va
oym
e
, ai if i
our
oym nt
A gr em ent cont ni t s e a bir ton pr son overt cour e ofm or t n t ee
e
s
ai ng he am r ta i
ovi i
he
s
e ha hr
yea s l i a om atc t sgnat i t a c r ar r s
r . t s xi
i hat i ores o
ontact e e pons bl f r adi t
i e or e ng he
agr ent and under t ng is cont s.At t ve y l as ,hi w ilngnes t r i
eem
s andi t
ent
he r e t s li
s o esgn

t e agr m ent m anie t hi as e t t t m soft a eem ent Second,N i ar gua,
hos
ee
s
f s ed s s nt o he er
he gr
.
c a
whe e Pl ntf i a cii n,a t Ba asbot a e s gna orest t Conve i A nd,
r ai if s tze nd he ham
h r i t i o he
nton.
t r Pl ntf ar ent t a a bir ton agr ent i ( l a voi ' i i goes
hid, ai i ps gum
hat n r ta i
eem
s s
nul nd
d' f t

a ans pu i po iy ha b e rj ce by t Elve h Cic ta a i o rde e s
g i t blc lc s e n e e td he e nt r ui s n mpr pe f n e
un rt e Con nton b f ea bir ton. e Fe n de v nia Cor ,48 F. p'
de h
ve i e or r ta i Se r an s .Car v l p. 4 Ap x

3 1 36 ( 1h Ci.2 1 ( ii Lido v NCL ( ama ) 1/ ) 65 F. 1 7 ( 1h
6 , 2 1 t r 0 2) ctng n .
Bah s , #., 2 3d 25 1 t
Ci. 1 .
r 201 )
The Em pl e Agr enta
oym nt eem
ppea st cont n no s abiiy cl us and t
r o
ai
ever lt a e,
hus
t s Cour m ay note s t c ce of1 pr s on w ihouti i tng t entr
hi
t
xcie he hoi
aw ovii
t
nvalda i he ie
agr em ent Bas d on t sr f r i er ti a bir ton,cours wher pos i e,ar
e
. e
he tong ede al nt es n r ta i
t,
e sbl e
t enf cear taton agr em ent acc di t t rt r s. ,e. , ntAo or
bir i
e
s or ng o hei e m See g. Re - cent r I
e , nc.

v J c s n,1 S. . 772( 0 . us unls t e e iea e me ti vo d,hec oie
. a k o 30 Ct 2
201 ) Th , e s h ntr gr e n s i t h c
of1 pr son m us r m ai
aw ovi i
t e n.

W hen i addr s t s e Empl entAgr enta i s her t El nt
t
es ed he am
oym
eem
t s ue e, he eve h
Cic tuphel t choi of1 w and c ce off um pr s ons SeeLi
r ui
d he
ce a
hoi
or
ovi i .
ndo,652 F.
3d
1
257.Though t Li Cour a
he ndo
t cknow l dged t pl ntf s conc n aboutpot i
e
he ai if
er
ental
c l ngest obt ni f lr i unde U . s a ut y 1 be
hale
o ai ng ul elef
r S. t t or aw causet f um s a e di not
he or
tt d
r ogni J
ec ze onesA c cl m s, he Cour s d t t tm e t c l
t ai t
t ai hat he i o halenge f e gn a bir i
or i r taton

asvoi agai tpublc polcy i afert a bir t ' fnaldeci i hasbee m ade. d.a
d
ns
i
i s t he r ta ors i
son
n
1 t

1 69.sEq n i ac n r c e p e sy s yst tf egn 1w g ve ns .. c urss ul no
2 S r f o ta t x r s l a ha or i a o r , . o t ho d t
l ve
i i e a a bir i a ee e a t a bir ton- or m entsage on t bassof
nvaldat n r taton gr m nt t he r ta i enf ce
t
he i
s ul ton a
pec a i boutw ha t a bir t w ildo,ast e w ilbe a l e opporuniy t r vi w
t he r t a or l
her l
at r
t t o e e
a a bir lawar '1
ny r t a
d. d.
'

Acc di y, afe c ef consde a i a t Cour bei ot w i e f l
or ngl
tr ar ul
i r ton nd he
t ng hel s uly
advied,i i O RD ER ED ,A DJUD G ED ,and DECR EED t t Def nda ' M oton t
s
ts
ha
e nt s
i o

Dimis a Compe Ar tai n ( #5 be a d i he e y, GRANTED i par .
s s nd
l bir to DE ) , n s r b
n
t
Pl ntf cl m s s l be s it t a bir ton i accor
ai irs ai
hal
ubm ted o r ta i n
dance w ih t a bir ton
t he r t a i

e s
he er hal
cl e of t Empl ent A gr em ent Thi cas i STAY ED and t Cl k s l
aus
he
oym
e
. s
ADM I I
N STR ATI ELY CLO SE t s c e.A 1 pendi m otons a e D EN I as m oot
V
hi as
1
ng
i
r
ED
.

Th Co r r tisj idito f re o c me oft abi a a r i a o it
e u t ean urs cin o nfr e nt he r t l wad,f pprprae.
r
DO NE AND O RDERED i Cha ber a t J es La e
n
m s t he am
wr nce K i Fede al
ng
r

J tc Buidi a Unied St t Court e, M i m i Fl i t s 1 h day of
usi e
l ng nd
t
a es
hous
a , orda, hi 3t
Fe ua y,201
br r
3.

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