Hatten et al v. Allied Property and Casualty Insurance Co et al

Filing 32

JURISDICTIONAL REVIEW FINDING - Diversity Jurisdiction is established. No further action is necessary at this time. Signed by Magistrate Judge Joseph H L Perez-Montes on 9/4/2017. (crt,Tice, Y)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

b

WESTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
ALEXANDRIA DIVISION
DAVID HATTEN, et al.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 1:16-CV-01277

VERSUS

CHIEF JUDGE DRELL

ALLIED PROPERTY AND
CASUALTY INSURANCE
COMPANY, et al.

MAGISTRATE JUDGE PEREZ-MONTES

JURISDICTIONAL REVIEW FINDINGS
Before the Court is a Complaint removed from a Louisiana state court by
Defendants Larry Robert Boothe, Ann Costlow Brown d/b/a Jay Construction, and
Allied Property and Casualty Insurance Company.

Defendants premise federal

jurisdiction on diversity of citizenship (Doc. 1). Defendants amended their Notice of
Removal to correct their jurisdictional allegations (Docs. 26, 27).
The Court has “an independent obligation to determine whether subjectmatter jurisdiction exists, even in the absence of a challenge from any party.”
Arbaugh v. Y & H Corp., 546 U.S. 500, 514 (2006). This duty persists throughout all
phases of the litigation, even after trial and the entry of final judgment. See id. at
506-07.
Plaintiffs David Hatten and Verna Elliott are citizens of Louisiana.
Defendants Larry Robert Boothe and Ann Costlow Brown d/b/a Jay
Construction are citizens of Texas.

Defendants show that Allied Property and Casualty is incorporated in Iowa
and has its principal place of business in Iowa (Doc. 27).
Accordingly, diversity jurisdiction is established.
necessary at this time.

No further action is

This finding is preliminary in nature, and may be

reconsidered sua sponte or upon appropriate motion.
4th
THUS DONE AND SIGNED in chambers in Alexandria, Louisiana, this _____
day of September, 2017.
______________________________
Joseph H.L. Perez-Montes
United States Magistrate Judge

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