John Drinkwater v. Trader Joes Company, et al.

Summary

The United States District Court for the Central District of California ordered the plaintiff to show cause why the court should exercise supplemental jurisdiction over claims under California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act. The order discusses discretionary supplemental jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1367 and California’s heightened pleading and high-frequency-litigant requirements for construction-related accessibility claims. Plaintiff was directed to identify the statutory damages sought and submit declarations addressing whether plaintiff and counsel qualify as high-frequency litigants.

Holdings

1. Supplemental jurisdiction is discretionary, and the court may decline to exercise it under 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c), including when exceptional circumstances and compelling reasons support declining jurisdiction.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the court should exercise supplemental jurisdiction over Plaintiff's Unruh Act claim and any related state-law claims under 28 U.S.C. § 1367.
2. What information Plaintiff must provide to permit the court to assess whether fairness, comity, and other statutory considerations favor declining supplemental jurisdiction.

Disposition

other