CHARLES S. HAIGHT, Sr., District Judge.
On September 25, 2014, Plaintiff Frank Sales commenced this action against Defendants Certain-Teed Corporation f/k/a/ Certain-Teed Products Corporation ("Certain Teed"), Honeywell International Inc., individually and/or f/k/a AlliedSignal, Inc. as successor-in-interest to the Bendix Corporation ("Honeywell"), and Union Carbide Corporation ("Union Carbide") in the Connecticut Superior Court for the Judicial District of Fairfield at Bridgeport. Doc. [1] at ¶ 1. In his Complaint, Plaintiff seeks damages for injuries he sustained from inhalation of carcinogenic asbestos fibers allegedly placed in the stream of commerce by Defendants and/or their predecessors-in-interest.
On October 20, 2014, Union Carbide filed a Notice of Removal in this District, thereby removing the action to this Court on the basis of "diversity of citizenship" subject matter jurisdiction. Doc. [1] at ¶ 15. See 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a)(1) ("The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of all civil actions where the matter in controversy exceeds the sum or value of $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs, and is between—(1) citizens of different states"). See also 28 U.S.C. § 1441(a).
As set forth below, neither Plaintiff in his state court Complaint, nor Defendant in its federal Notice of Removal has pled sufficient facts to establish the citizenship of each party for diversity purposes.
Pursuant to Article III of the Constitution, a federal court has limited jurisdiction. It may only exercise subject matter jurisdiction where either: (1) the plaintiff sets forth a colorable claim arising under the Constitution or federal statute, creating "federal question" jurisdiction, 28 U.S.C. § 1331; or (2) there is complete diversity of citizenship between plaintiff and all defendants and the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs, 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a)(1). Strawbridge v. Curtiss, 3 Cranch 267, 1806 WL 1213, at * 1 (February Term 1806). See also Da Silva v. Kinsho Int'l Corp., 229 F.3d 358, 363 (2d Cir.2000) (delineating two categories of subject matter jurisdiction).
A federal court must determine with certainty whether it has subject matter jurisdiction over a case pending before it. If necessary, the court must consider its subject matter jurisdiction sua sponte. Joseph v. Leavitt, 465 F.3d 87, 89 (2d Cir.2006) ("Although neither party has suggested that we lack appellate jurisdiction, we have an independent obligation to consider the presence or absence of subject matter jurisdiction sua sponte."), cert. denied, 549 U.S. 1282 (2007); see also Univ. of South Alabama v. American Tobacco Co., 168 F.3d 405, 410 (11th Cir. 1999) ("a federal court is obligated to inquire into subject matter jurisdiction sua sponte whenever it may be lacking"). The court must "review a plaintiff's complaint at the earliest opportunity to determine whether [there is in fact] subject matter jurisdiction." Licari v. Nutmeg Ins. Adjusters, Inc., No. 3:08mc245(WIG), 2008 WL 3891734, at * 1 (D. Conn. July 31, 2008) (citing Transatlantic Marine Claims Agency, Inc. v. Ace Shipping Corp., 109 F.3d 105, 107-08 (2d Cir. 1997) (holding that district court may raise issue of subject matter jurisdiction sua sponte at any time)). Unlike personal jurisdiction, "subject matter jurisdiction is not waivable and may be raised at any time by a party or by the court sua sponte." Lyndonville Sav. Bank & Trust Co. v. Lussier, 211 F.3d 697, 700 (2d Cir. 2000).
In general, if subject matter jurisdiction is lacking, the action must be dismissed. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(h)(3) ("If the court determines at any time that it lacks subject-matter jurisdiction, the court must dismiss the action."). See, e.g., Lyndonville Sav. Bank & Trust Co., 211 F.3d at 700-01 ("If subject matter jurisdiction is lacking, the action must be dismissed."); Manway Constr. Co. v. Housing Auth. of Hartford, 711 F.2d 501, 503 (2d Cir. 1983) ("It is common ground that in our federal system of limited jurisdiction any party or the court sua sponte, at any stage of the proceedings, may raise the question of whether the court has subject matter jurisdiction; and, if it does not, dismissal is mandatory."); Lovejoy v. Watson, 475 F. App'x 792, 792 (2d Cir. 2012) ("Where jurisdiction is lacking ... dismissal is mandatory.") (quoting United Food & Commercial Workers Union, Local 919, AFL-CIO v. CenterMark Prop. Meriden Square, Inc., 30 F.3d 298, 301 (2d Cir.1994)).
However, in the context of removal, "[i]f at any time before final judgment it appears that the district court lacks subject matter jurisdiction, the case shall be remanded." 28 U.S.C.A. § 1447(c). See, e.g., Speranza v. Leonard, 925 F.Supp.2d 266, 269 (D.Conn. 2013) ("once the Court determines that it does not have subject matter jurisdiction, a remand is mandatory under 28 U.S.C.A. § 1447(c)") (citation and internal quotation marks omitted); Malanca v. Worth, No. 3:11cv0056(SRU)(WIG), 2011 WL 941381, at * 2 (D.Conn. Feb.8, 2011) ("Lack of removal jurisdiction may be raised by the Court sua sponte" and upon determination that court lacks subject matter jurisdiction, "a remand is mandatory"); Vasura v. Acands, 84 F.Supp.2d 531, 540 (S.D.N.Y.2000) (remanding case to state court, concluding "because diversity jurisdiction was lacking at the time of removal, this case was improvidently removed").
In the case at bar, the only potential premise for subject matter jurisdiction presented is diversity of citizenship, 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a). In order for diversity of citizenship to exist, the plaintiff's citizenship must be diverse from that of all defendants. See, e.g., St. Paul Fire and Marine Ins. Co. v. Universal Builders Supply, 409 F.3d 73, 80 (2d Cir. 2005) ("Diversity is not complete if any plaintiff is a citizen of the same state as any defendant.") (citing Owen Equip. & Erection Co. v. Kroger, 437 U.S. 365, 373-74 (1978)) .
"In an action in which jurisdiction is premised on diversity of citizenship, diversity must exist at the time the action is commenced." Universal Licensing Corp. v. Lungo, 293 F.3d 579, 581 (2d Cir. 2002). See also Wolde-Meskel v. Vocational Instruction Project Comm. Servs., Inc., 166 F.3d 59, 62 (2d Cir.1999) ("Satisfaction of the § 1332(a) diversity requirements (amount in controversy and citizenship) is determined as of the date that suit is filed—the `time-of-filing' rule."). However, where removal is based on diversity of citizenship, the parties must be diverse both at the time of removal and at the time the state court complaint was filed. See United Food & Commercial Workers Union, Local 919, AFL-CIO, 30 F.3d at 301 (The "usual rule is that removability is determined from the record as of the time the petition for removal is filed but where [the] basis of removal is diversity then diversity of citizenship must exist at [the] time [the] action was filed in state court as well as at [the] time of removal") (citing 14A Charles A. Wright & Arthur R. Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure § 3723, at 311-12 (1990)).
In the Complaint at bar, Plaintiff does indicate the state in which he is a citizen. Union Carbide notes in its Notice of Removal, however, that "[a]ccording to the Summons, Plaintiff resides at 241 Newgate Road, East Granby, CT 06026." Doc. [1] at ¶ 7; see also Doc. [1-1] (Summons).
With respect to an individual's citizenship, it is "well-established that allegations of residency alone cannot establish citizenship." Canedy v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 126 F.3d 100, 102-03 (2d Cir. 1997) (citing Leveraged Leasing Admin. Corp. v. PacificCorp Capital, Inc. 87 F.3d 44, 47 (2d Cir. 1996)). This is because an individual's citizenship for diversity purposes is determined by his or her domicile, not residence. See Palazzo v. Corio, 232 F.3d 38, 42 (2d Cir. 2000). See also John Birch Soc. v. Nat'l Broadcasting Co., 377 F.2d 194, 199 (2d Cir. 1967) ("it has long been held that a statement of residence, unlike domicile, tells the court only where the parties are living and not of which state they are citizens").
"In general, the domicile of an individual is his true, fixed and permanent home and place of habitation" — i.e., "the place to which, whenever he is absent, he has the intention of returning." Martinez v. Bynum, 461 U.S. 321, 331 (1983). See also Palazzo, 232 F.3d at 42; 13B C. Wright A. Miller & E. Cooper, Federal Practice and Procedure § 3612, at 526 (2d ed. 1984). Although an individual may have several residences, he or she can have only one domicile.
In sum, Union Carbide has alleged Plaintiff's residency as reflected on the state court summons, but has not established Plaintiff's citizenship. Citizenship, which is synonymous with domicile, may not be inferred from residency. See Realty Holding Co. v. Donaldson, 268 U.S. 398, 399 (1925). Moreover, because this case was removed, citizenship must be demonstrated as of the two relevant dates for diversity purposes: the commencement date of the state court action, September 25, 2014, and the date of removal to federal court, October 20, 2014.
In his Complaint, Plaintiff does not establish the citizenship of Certain-Teed, Honeywell, or Union Carbide. Nor does Union Carbide establish the citizenship of Certain-Teed or Honeywell in its Notice of Removal. It offers only that "[u]pon information and belief, the other defendants" (Certain-Teed and Honeywell) "are foreign entities with principal places of business outside of Connecticut." Doc. [1] at ¶ 14.
Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332(c)(1), "a corporation shall be deemed to be a citizen of any State by which it has been incorporated and of the State where it has its principal place of business." See also Wachovia Bank v. Schmidt, 546 U.S. 303, 306 (2006). Union Carbide's statement that the other defendants" are "foreign entities" says nothing about where those defendants are incorporated. The Court is therefore unable to determine the citizenship of Certain-Teed and Honeywell.
Union Carbide states the following in its Notice of Removal with respect to its own citizenship:
Doc. [1] at ¶ 9.
Although that representation indicates Union Carbide's current "principal place of business" and its state of incorporation on November 1, 1917, it does not indicate its state of incorporation as of the dates that matter— i.e., the date of removal and the date the state court complaint was filed. See United Food & Commercial Workers Union, Local 919, AFL-CIO, 30 F.3d at 301 (discussed supra). It may be that Union Carbide's state of incorporation has not changed since 1917 (its reference to a reorganization under Dow Chemical begs the question), but one is not be able to tell from its papers. If its state of incorporation was New York at the commencement of this action and at the time of removal, then it should indicate as much pursuant to the Court's directions set forth in the rescript of this Order.
Finally, even if the citizenship of the parties can be demonstrated to be diverse, the amount in controversy must exceed $75,000, "exclusive of interests and costs." 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a). To invoke the jurisdiction of a federal court, one "has the burden of proving that it appears to a 'reasonable probability' that the claim is in excess of the statutory jurisdictional amount." Tongkook Am., Inc. v. Shipton Sportswear Co., 14 F.3d 781, 784 (2d Cir. 1994). Union Carbide, "as the party asserting jurisdiction" bears that burden. See United Food & Commercial Workers Union, Local 919, AFL-CIO, 30 F.3d at 301.
The Court concludes that Union Carbide has carried its burden in that respect. Although Plaintiff's Complaint includes the boilerplate allegation, required in Connecticut state court actions, that "[t]he amount in demand is greater than $15,000," it also asserts other facts from which to reasonably conclude that the claim is in excess of the jurisdictional amount. Doc. [1-1] at 9. As stated verbatim by Union Carbide in paragraph 13 of its Notice of Removal:
Doc. [1] at ¶ 13 (quoting or citing Doc. [1-1] (Complaint)).
The additional allegations quoted above, which find total support in Plaintiff's Complaint, suggest damages in excess of $75,000. The Complaint therefore satisfies the statutory jurisdictional amount requirement.
In order to determine whether it has subject matter jurisdiction in this action, the Court hereby ORDERS each party to establish, by affidavit, citizenship for diversity purposes as of the date this action was commenced in state court, September 25, 2014, and the date of removal to federal court, October 20, 2014.
Specifically, Plaintiff Franks Sales is ORDERED to submit an affidavit indicating his state of citizenship at the commencement of the action and on the removal date. In particular, he must declare: (1) the state in which he was domiciled and principally established or his "true fixed home" and (2) the names, if any, of other states in which he had a residence. If there are additional states in which residence was maintained, the affidavit must further provide: (a) the location of all such residences kept and (b) the approximate length of time spent at each residence.
Defendants Certain-Teed, Honeywell and Union Carbide are ORDERED to submit separate affidavits that state explicitly their: (1) state of incorporation and (2) principal place of business at the commencement of the action and on the removal date. See 28 U.S.C. § 1332(c)(1) ("a corporation shall be deemed to be a citizen of any State by which it has been incorporated and of the State where it has its principal place of business.").
All parties shall file and serve their affidavits regarding citizenship on or before
IT IS SO ORDERED.