Cooper v WAMU

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Date/Time of Request: Thursday, August 19, 2010 13:03 Central

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Citation Text: Not Reported in F.Supp.2d

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United States District Court,

N.D. California.

Madeleine COOPER and Martin Cooper,

Plaintiffs,

v.

WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, Defendant.

No. C03-554 VRW.

March 19, 2003.

ORDER

WALKER, J.

* On February 7, 2003, plaintiffs Madeleine and

Martin Cooper (the Coopers), acting pro se, filed a

notice of removal of an action commenced in state

court. Doc # 1. Although the Coopers identify

themselves as plaintiffs in the pleadings filed with

this court, they are in fact the defendants in the un-

lawful detainer proceeding in Contra Costa County

superior court that they seek to remove. See Unlaw-

ful Detainer Compl (Doc # 11), Exh B.

In the complaint in that action (unlawful detainer

complaint), Washington Mutual Bank (WMB) al-

leges that Madeleine Cooper ( Cooper) and un-

named Doe defendants own premises located at 629

Oakshire Place, Alamo, California. See id at 2. The

unlawful detainer complaint alleges that Cooper re-

ceived personal service of a lawful notice to quit

and deliver possession of the premises to WMB

within three days of service of that notice. See id.The unlawful detainer complaint asserts that

Cooper failed to do so in the allotted time. See id.

WMB seeks available relief under state law. See id.

In their notice of removal, the Coopers do not

identify any claims in the unlawful detainer com-

plaint that might form the basis for the court's re-

moval jurisdiction; nor have they provided the court

with a copy of the unlawful detainer complaint.

Rather, the Coopers have filed an additional com-

plaint (Doc # 3) and motion for a temporary re-

straining order (TRO) (Doc # 5) that seek various

forms of relief against WMB and the state court

judge presiding over the unlawful detainer proceed-

ings. The Coopers have moved for a TRO against

Judge Stephen Houghton barring him from con-

ducting further proceedings in this matter in state

court. See Doc # 5. And the Coopers' have filed a

verified complaint with this court asserting

claims against WMB under 12 USC 1828 and ad-ditional constitutional claims against WMB pursu-

ant to 42 USC 1983. See Coopers' Compl (Doc #

3) at 1-2. The only potential sources of federal jur-

isdiction over the unlawful detainer action the

Coopers identify are the claims asserted in the

complaint filed by the Coopers, not that filed by

WMB, the plaintiff in the unlawful detainer action.

Section 1446 of Title 28 of the United States Code

requires defendants seeking removal to file in the

district court to which they are seeking to remove

an action a notice of removal and a copy of all pro-cess, pleadings and orders served upon them in the

action sought to be removed. 28 USC 1446(a).

Although this defect is merely procedural, hence

correctable, the fi ling of these documents

is_required because it is the state law complaint to

which the court looks to determine whether it has

jurisdiction over the removed action. See, e g, Riehl

v National MutualInsurance Co, 374 F.2d 739 (7th

Cir1967).

When a case is removed to federal court on the

basis of federal question jurisdiction, the federal

question must be clear from the face of the com-

plaint in the state court action. Tam, 1998 WL

409879 at *1 (citing Gully v First National Bank of

Meridian, 299 U.S. 109, 113 (1936); emphasis sup-

plied). The existence of a defense or counterclaim

that raises a federal question cannot ground federal

FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY Page 1

Not Reported in F.Supp.2d, 2003 WL 1563999 (N.D.Cal.)

(Cite as: 2003 WL 1563999 (N.D.Cal.))

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question jurisdiction on removal; the court's juris-

diction is determined by looking to the plaintiff's

well-pleaded complaint. See Franchise Tax Board

of California v Construction Laborers Vacation

Trust for Southern California, 463 U.S. 1, 10

(1983); Rath Packing Co v. Becker, 530 F.2d 1295,

1303-04 (9th Cir1975).

*2 If at any time before final judgment it appears

that the district court lacks subject matter jurisdic-

tion, the case shall be remanded. 28 USC

1447(c). Whether or not a party questions the

court's subject matter jurisdiction, the court is re-

quired to raise and address the issue sua sponte. See

FW/PBS, Inc v. City of Dallas, 493 U.S. 215, 229

(1990); Washington Local Lodge No 104 v Interna-tional Brotherhood of Boilermakers, 621 F.2d

1032, 1033 (9th Cir1980).

The state action the Coopers have sought to re-

move to this court is an unlawful detainer action in-

volving a bank foreclosure on certain property

owned by the Coopers. The complaint states no

cause of action under federal law, nor has plaintiff

pointed to any claim in the unlawful detainer com-

plaint that raises a question arising under the Con-

stitution, laws, or treaties of the United States. 28

USC 1331. An unlawful detainer action does notraise a question arising under federal law and so,

once removed, must be remanded for lack of juris-

diction. See Bassin, 2000 U.S. Dist Lexis 11255 at

*2.

If the court's lack of subject matter jurisdiction over

an action is clear and unarguable, as here, the court

may remand without further briefing or argument

from the parties. See Air-Shields, Inc v. Fullam,

891 F.2d 63, 65 (3rd Cir1989); Maniar v. FDIC,

979 F.2d 782 (9th Cir1992); Schwarzer, Tahisma &

Wagstaffe, California Practice Guide: FederalCivil Procedure before Trial 2:1092 (The Rutter

Group 2002). Although WMB has filed a motion to

remand (Doc # 9), the court is satisfied that the

claims raised by the unlawful detainer complaint

demonstrate conclusively that the court lacks juris-

diction over WMB's state law unlawful detainer ac-

tion.

Because the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction,

the court orders this action REMANDED to Contra

Costa County superior court for all further proceed-

ings. The court directs the clerk to TERMINATE

all pending motions (Docs 5, 6, 9, 12) and close the

file.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

N.D.Cal.,2003.

Cooper v. Washington Mut. Bank

Not Reported in F.Supp.2d, 2003 WL 1563999

(N.D.Cal.)

Briefs and Other Related Documents (Back to top)

3:03cv00554 (Docket) (Feb. 07, 2003)

END OF DOCUMENT

FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY Page 2

Not Reported in F.Supp.2d, 2003 WL 1563999 (N.D.Cal.)

(Cite as: 2003 WL 1563999 (N.D.Cal.))

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4/5

Westlaw Delivery Summary Report for SOTO,ANTONIO JOS

Date/Time of Request: Thursday, August 19, 2010 13:03 Central

Client Identifier: TWEN-CLIENT

Database: KEYCITE-HIST

Citation Text: 2003 WL 1563999

Service: KeyCite

Lines: 7

Documents: 1

Images: 0

The material accompanying this summary is subject to copyright. Usage is governed by contract with Thomson Reuters,

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5/5

Date of Printing: Aug 19, 2010

KEYCITE

Cooper v. Washington Mut. Bank, 2003 WL 1563999 (N.D.Cal.,Mar 19, 2003) (NO. C03-554 VRW)

History

Direct History

=> 1 Cooper v. Washington Mut. Bank, 2003 WL 1563999 (N.D.Cal. Mar 19, 2003) (NO. C03-554

VRW)

Court Documents

Dockets (U.S.A.)

N.D.Cal.

2 COOPER ET AL v. WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, F.A., NO. 3:03cv00554 (Docket)

(N.D.Cal. Feb. 07, 2003)

AUTHORIZED FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY

2010 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.
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