Flynn v. Dennis et al

Filing 12

ORDER granting 6 Motion to Dismiss Defendants Ashburn and the United States; plaintiff's claims against Ashburn and the United States are DISMISSED without prejudice; the Court DECLINES to exercise jurisdiction over the remaining state law claims; this case is REMANDED to Pierce County Superior Court; signed by Judge Ronald B. Leighton.(DN)

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HONORABLE RONALD B. LEIGHTON 1 2 3 4 5 6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON AT TACOMA 7 8 CASE NO. C17-5316RBL VENUS FLYNN, 9 Plaintiff, 10 11 12 v. JESSICA DENNIS, et al., ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO DISMISS AND REMANDING [Dkt. #6] Defendants. 13 14 THIS MATTER is before the Court on Defendant United States’ Motion to Dismiss for 15 lack of jurisdiction. [Dkt. #6]. This is a tort claim arising from an automobile accident allegedly 16 caused by Defendant Beatrice Ashburn. Ashburn is an FDIC employee. The United States claims 17 that Ashburn was at all times acting within the scope of her official FDIC duties. 18 Flynn filed a Notice of Administrative Claim with the FDIC in May, and it has not yet 19 been reviewed under the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2675(a). The United States seeks 20 dismissal because Flynn has not yet exhausted her administrative remedies and because it has not 21 waived its sovereign immunity unless and until she does. 22 23 Flynn argues that the U.S. Attorneys’ “certification” that Ashburn was acting within the scope of her official capacity is insufficient to establish that “fact” for jurisdictional purposes, 24 ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO DISMISS AND REMANDING - 1 1 and that there is no evidence from which this court can make that determination. Alternatively, 2 she asks that the claims against Ashburn be dismissed without prejudice and her remaining 3 claims (against Defendants Dennis and Ortiz) be remanded to state court. The United States argues in reply that Flynn has conceded that she has not exhausted her 4 5 administrative remedies and that she has not raised a legitimate question about the scope of 6 Ashburn’s duties. The Court agrees. There is no reason to doubt the certification, and in the absence of any 7 8 evidence that Ashburn was acting outside the scope of her employment at the time of the 9 accident, discovery into this topic is not warranted. Cf. Meridian Intern. Logistics, Inc., v. United 10 States, 939 F.2d 740 (9th Cir. 1991) (plaintiff opposed dismissal with evidence challenging the 11 “scope” determination). There is an administrative process now underway. The Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED and Flynn’s claims against Ashburn and the 12 13 United States are DISMISSED without prejudice. Because this Motion is the only substantive matter that has been addressed by this Court, 14 15 the Court DECLINES to exercise its supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining state law 16 claims under 28 U.S.C. § 1367 and the remainder of the case is REMANDED to Pierce County 17 Superior Court. 18 IT IS SO ORDERED. 19 Dated this 14th day of June, 2017. 21 A 22 Ronald B. Leighton United States District Judge 20 23 24 [DKT. #6] - 2

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