Martin v. The Home Depot et al

Filing 36

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER re: #33 MOTION to Dismiss Pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1) [Re-File] filed by General Electric Company. The motion to dismiss is GRANTED, and the case is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE. The Clerk is instructed to terminate the motion (Doc. #33) and close this case. The July 29, 2019, conference is cancelled. (Signed by Judge Vincent L. Briccetti on 7/10/2019) (mro) Transmission to Orders and Judgments Clerk for processing.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
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RICHARD MARTIN,
:
Plaintiff,
:
:
v.
:
:
THE HOME DEPOT; HOME DEPOT U.S.A.,
:
INC.; HOME DEPOT STORE SUPPORT, LLC; :
THE HOME DEPOT, INC.; GENERAL
:
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES INC.; and
:
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY,
:
Defendants.
:
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MEMORANDUM OPINION
AND ORDER
19 CV 3655 (VB)

Briccetti, J.:
Plaintiff Richard Martin brings this product liability action against defendants the Home
Depot, Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., Home Depot Store Support, LLC, The Home Depot, Inc.,
General Electric Appliances Inc., and General Electric Company (“General Electric”), in
connection with plaintiff’s alleged injuries at a Home Depot store in Matamoras, Pennsylvania.
Before the Court is General Electric’s motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter
jurisdiction pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1). (Doc. #33). Plaintiff failed to oppose the motion.
For the following reasons, the motion is GRANTED.
“[F]ederal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction and lack the power to disregard such
limits as have been imposed by the Constitution or Congress.” Durant, Nichols, Houston,
Hodgson & Cortese-Costa, P.C. v. Dupont, 565 F.3d 56, 62 (2d Cir. 2009) (internal quotation
omitted). “A case is properly dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Rule
12(b)(1) when the district court lacks the statutory or constitutional power to adjudicate it.”
Nike, Inc. v. Already, LLC, 663 F.3d 89, 94 (2d Cir. 2011) (internal quotation omitted). The
party invoking the Court’s jurisdiction bears the burden of establishing jurisdiction exists.
Conyers v. Rossides, 558 F.3d 137, 143 (2d Cir. 2009).
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Plaintiff brings this action invoking subject matter jurisdiction by reason of diversity of
citizenship under 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a). To invoke diversity jurisdiction, there must be complete
diversity of citizenship—in other words, the citizenship of the plaintiff must be diverse from the
citizenship of each defendant. Caterpillar Inc. v. Lewis, 519 U.S. 61, 68 (1996).
An individual’s citizenship is determined by domicile—“the place where a person has his
true fixed home and principal establishment, and to which, whenever he is absent, he has the
intention of returning.” Palazzo ex rel. Delmage v. Corio, 232 F.3d 38, 42 (2d Cir. 2000)
(internal quotation marks omitted). “[A] corporation is deemed to be a citizen both of the state in
which it has its principal place of business and of any state in which it is incorporated.”
Universal Licensing Corp. v. Paola del Lungo S.p.A., 293 F.3d 579, 581 (2d Cir. 2002) (citing
28 U.S.C. § 1332(c)(1)).
Here, plaintiff alleges he is a resident of New York (Compl. ¶ 1), and further states he is
domiciled in New York (Doc. #18); therefore, plaintiff is a citizen of New York for purposes of
diversity jurisdiction. Plaintiff also alleges that General Electric is incorporated in New York
(Compl. ¶ 22), which is confirmed by documentary evidence submitted in support of the motion
to dismiss (Docs. ##35-3, 35-4); therefore, General Electric is also a citizen of New York for
purposes of diversity jurisdiction. Thus, complete diversity does not exist, and this Court lacks
subject matter jurisdiction.

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CONCLUSION
The motion to dismiss is GRANTED, and the case is DISMISSED WITHOUT
PREJUDICE.
The Clerk is instructed to terminate the motion (Doc. #33) and close this case.
The July 29, 2019, conference is cancelled.
Dated: July 10, 2019
White Plains, NY
SO ORDERED:

____________________________
Vincent L. Briccetti
United States District Judge

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