Summary
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma dismisses August Wakat’s pro se complaint without prejudice for failure to adequately plead subject-matter jurisdiction. The court concludes that the complaint’s diversity-jurisdiction allegations identify residence rather than citizenship and do not establish the citizenship of the defendants; related motions are deemed moot.
Holdings
- Allegations that parties reside in particular states are insufficient to establish citizenship for diversity jurisdiction; citizenship depends on domicile.
- A federal court must dismiss a claim that does not fall within its subject-matter jurisdiction, including when the jurisdictional defect is identified sua sponte.
Questions Presented
- Whether the complaint adequately alleged facts establishing diversity subject-matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a)(1).
- Whether the court was required to dismiss the complaint sua sponte when the record did not establish subject-matter jurisdiction.
Disposition
dismissed
Cases Cited (12)
- Merida Delgado v. Gonzalez, 428 F.3d 916, 919 (10th Cir. 2005)(followed)
- Penteco Corp. v. Union Gas Sys., Inc., 929 F.2d 1519, 1521 (10th Cir. 1991)(followed)
- McNutt v. Gen. Motors Acceptance Corp. of Ind., Inc., 298 U.S. 178, 182 (1936)(followed)
- Montoya v. Chao, 296 F.3d 952, 955 (10th Cir. 2002)(followed)
- 1mage Software, Inc. v. Reynolds & Reynolds Co., 459 F.3d 1044, 1048 (10th Cir. 2006)(followed)
- Arbaugh v. Y & H Corp., 546 U.S. 500, 514 (2006)(followed)
- Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520 (1972) (per curiam)(followed)
- Hall v. Bellmon, 935 F.2d 1106, 1110 (10th Cir. 1991)(followed)
- Siloam Springs Hotel, L.L.C. v. Century Sur. Co., 781 F.3d 1233, 1238 (10th Cir. 2015)(followed)
- Whitelock v. Leatherman, 460 F.2d 507, 514 n.14 (10th Cir. 1972)(followed)
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Cited In (0)
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Court Document
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