Robert Cauley v. DBK Motel, Inc.

Summary

The United States District Court for the Central District of California ordered Plaintiff Robert Cauley to show cause why the court should exercise supplemental jurisdiction over his California state-law accessibility claims. The court noted Plaintiff’s apparent status as a high-frequency litigant and the heightened pleading and fee requirements applicable to such claims under California law. Plaintiff was ordered to identify the statutory damages sought and submit a declaration addressing whether he meets the statutory definition of a high-frequency litigant.

Holdings

1. Supplemental jurisdiction over related state-law claims is discretionary rather than a right of the plaintiff, and the court must consider judicial economy, convenience, fairness, and comity at every stage of the litigation.
2. An order to show cause was warranted because Plaintiff's litigation history and the California statutory requirements for high-frequency accessibility litigants raised a substantial question whether exercising supplemental jurisdiction would allow Plaintiff to avoid state-law requirements.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the court should exercise supplemental jurisdiction over Plaintiff's California-law claims.
2. Whether Plaintiff should be required to show cause why the court should not decline supplemental jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c).

Disposition

other