Takeaway: RICO defendants usually move to dismiss civil racketeering claims. And when it comes to motions to dismiss, RICO defendants almost always prefer to be in federal – as opposed to state – court. Accordingly,...more
Takeaway: The Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA) provides class action defendants with the means to secure federal jurisdiction over putative class actions filed in state court, as well as a mechanism to appeal decisions by...more
Takeaway: The Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA) provides class action defendants with the means to secure federal jurisdiction over putative class actions filed in state court, as well as a mechanism to appeal decisions by...more
Takeway: Class action litigation implicates jurisdictional issues in a number of ways. Class action defendants generally prefer federal over state courts and – when presented with the opportunity – will seek to remove...more
Takeaway: In a prior article – Ninth Circuit: two pro-defendant decisions clarify burdens regarding CAFA’s $5 million jurisdictional threshold (September 14, 2020) – we examined two recent Ninth Circuit cases where the...more
Takeaway: Class defendants prefer federal court. In any putative class action filed in state court, the first issue to analyze is whether the case can be removed to federal court, and any such analysis typically involves...more
Takeaway: A federal court should not lose jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA) when it denies a motion for class certification. In a prior post – Getting it wrong – remanding a removed class action back...more
Takeaway: According to the United States Supreme Court, federal district courts have “the virtually unflagging obligation . . . to exercise the jurisdiction given them.” Colorado River Water Conservation Dist. v. U.S., 424...more
Takeaway: When a plaintiff files a class action in state court, the first thing defense counsel will do is evaluate whether it can be removed to federal court. Most courts have long agreed that compensatory damages must be...more
Takeaway: The Class Action Fairness Act (“CAFA”) was enacted to broaden federal diversity jurisdiction over class actions. While CAFA’s local controversy provision requires district courts to “decline to exercise [diversity]...more