JOSEPH H.L. PEREZ-MONTES, Magistrate Judge.
Before the Court is a Complaint removed from a Louisiana state court by Defendant Wilshire Insurance Company (Doc. 1). The other Defendants consented to removal (Doc. 1-9). Defendant premises federal jurisdiction on diversity of citizenship.
The Court has "an independent obligation to determine whether subject-matter jurisdiction exists, even in the absence of a challenge from any party."
The diversity statute — 28 U.S.C. § 1332 — is satisfied upon a showing of: (1) diversity of citizenship between the parties; and (2) an amount in controversy in excess of $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs. "Complete diversity requires that all persons on one side of the controversy be citizens of different states than all persons on the other side."
The citizenship of an individual is his or her domicile, meaning the place where an individual resides and intends to remain.
Wilshire Insurance Company makes the following representations as to the citizenship of all parties (Doc. 1):
Plaintiffs Stacy and Amanda O'Neal, and their minor children, are citizens of Louisiana.
Defendant Optimum Agriculture, L.L.C. is a limited liability company that had one member, Agri Company, a corporation incorporated in Arkansas with its principal place of business in Arkansas. Therefore, Optimum Agriculture, L.L.C. is a resident of Arkansas.
Defendant Optimum Louisiana, L.L.C. was dissolved on August 5, 2016. Before dissolution, its only member was Optimum Agriculture, L.L.C., which is citizen of Arkansas (as set forth above). Therefore, Optimum Louisiana, L.L.C. was a citizen of Arkansas.
Defendant Optimum Agriculture FL, L.L.C. is a limited liability company whose only member is Gaston Marquevich, a citizen of Argentina who is not a permanent resident of the United States (Doc. 1-2).
Defendant Southwind Milling Co., L.L.C. is a limited liability company whose members are Gaston Marquevich and Alberto San Miguel, citizens of Argentina who are not permanent residents of the United States (Docs. 1-2, 1-3). Therefore, Southwind Milling Co., L.L.C. is a citizen of Argentina.
Defendant Wilshire Insurance Company was incorporated in North Carolina and has its principal place of business in North Carolina. Therefore, it is a citizen of North Carolina.
Defendant Southern Insurance Company was incorporated in Texas and has its principal place of business in Texas. Therefore, it is a citizen of Texas.
Defendant Santos Hollman is a citizen of Argentina who is not a permanent resident of the United States (Doc. 1-4).
Defendant Alex Mondragon is a citizen of Mexico and a permanent resident of the United States who resides in Arkansas. Therefore, Mondragon is considered a citizen of both Mexico and Arkansas for purposes of diversity jurisdiction.
Defendant Olegario Villalon, misspelled in the original petition as Olae Gario Vigalon, is a citizen of Mexico (Doc. 1). Plaintiffs' action was filed in state court on August 4, 2016 and amended to correct Villalon's name on August 8, 2017, after an answer was filed and without a motion to amend (Doc. 15). A summons was then issued under the corrected name (Doc. 16). Federal jurisdiction in a removal case depends upon complete diversity. The existence of diversity is determined from the fact of citizenship of the parties named and not from the fact of service (notwithstanding 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b)(2)).
Diversity of citizenship is not clear from the pleadings. The existence of federal jurisdiction is in question.
Accordingly,
The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to serve a copy of this order upon all parties to this action IMMEDIATELY upon receipt of proof of service or an appearance.
IT IS ORDERED that, no later than
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff will be allowed
(b) Removal based on diversity of citizenship.—
(c) Relation Back of Amendments.