United States District Court, S.D. California
SOUTHLAND HOME MORTGAGE, LLC AND/OR ITS SUCCESSORS AND/OR ASSIGNEES IN INTEREST, Plaintiff,
v.
VIDAL ZAVALA, an individual, DOES 1 to 10, inclusive, Defendant.
ORDER SUA SPONTE REMANDING ACTION TO STATE
COURT
HON.
GONZALO P. CURIEL United States District Judge
On July
14, 2016, Defendant Vidal Zavala filed a notice of removal of
this unlawful detainer action from the Superior Court of the
State of California for San Diego County. Having reviewed
Defendant’s notice of removal, the Court finds it does
not have subject matter jurisdiction over this action.
Accordingly, the Court sua sponte REMANDS the action
to state court.
Discussion
The
federal court is one of limited jurisdiction. Lowdermilk
v. U.S. Bank Nat'l Ass'n, 479 F.3d 994, 997 (9th
Cir. 2007). It possesses only that power authorized by the
Constitution or a statute. See Bender v. Williamsport
Area Sch. Dist., 475 U.S. 534, 541 (1986). It is
constitutionally required to raise issues related to federal
subject matter jurisdiction, and may do so sua
sponte. Steel Co. v. Citizens for a Better
Env't, 523 U.S. 83, 93-94 (1998); see Indus.
Tectonics, Inc. v. Aero Alloy, 912 F.2d 1090, 1092 (9th
Cir.1990). Removal jurisdiction is governed by 28 U.S.C.
§ 1441 et seq. A state court action can only be
removed if it could have originally been brought in federal
court. Caterpillar, Inc. v. Williams, 482 U.S. 386,
392, 107 (1987); Duncan v. Stuetzle, 76 F.3d 1480,
1485 (9th Cir.1996). Thus, for an action to be removed on the
basis of federal question jurisdiction, the complaint must
establish either that federal law creates the cause of action
or that the plaintiff’s right to relief necessarily
depends on the resolution of substantial questions of federal
law. Franchise Tax Board of Cal. v. Construction Laborers
Vacation Trust for Southern Cal., 463 U.S. 1, 10-11
(1983). Alternatively, a federal court may have diversity
jurisdiction over an action involving citizens of different
states where the amount in controversy exceeds $75, 000. 28
U.S.C. § 1332.
The
presence or absence of federal question jurisdiction
“is governed by the ‘well-pleaded complaint rule,
’ which provides that federal jurisdiction exists only
when a federal question is presented on the face of
plaintiff’s properly pleaded complaint.”
Caterpillar, Inc. v. Williams, 482 U.S. 386, 392
(1987). A review of the state court summons and complaint in
this case shows that Plaintiff alleges a unlawful detainer
claim under California state law. (Dkt. No. 1-2.)
“The
burden of establishing federal jurisdiction is on the party
seeking removal, and the removal statute is strictly
construed against removal jurisdiction.” Emrich v.
Touche Ross & Co., 846 F.2d 1190, 1195 (9th Cir.
1988). “Federal jurisdiction must be rejected if there
is any doubt as to the right of removal in the first
instance.” Gaus v. Miles, Inc., 980 F.2d 564,
566 (9th Cir. 1992).
In the
notice of removal, Defendant alleges that the Court has
jurisdiction pursuant to a federal question. (Dkt. No. 1 at
2-3.) Defendant contends that there is a federal question
based on a notice which expressly references and incorporates
the “Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009,
” 12 U.S.C. § 5201. (Id. at 2-3.) She
alleges that this statute will be drawn into the issues in
this case because Plaintiff failed to comply with the alleged
90 day notice period prior to filing any state eviction
proceeding. (Id.)
Defendant’s
alleged federal “claim” is actually a defense or
counterclaim against Plaintiff However, defenses and
counterclaims are not considered in evaluating whether a
federal question appears on the face of a Plaintiff s
complaint. Vaden v. Discover Bank, 556 U.S. 49, 60
(2009) (federal question jurisdiction cannot “rest upon
an actual or anticipated counterclaim”); Valles v.
Ivy Hill Corp., 410 F.3d 1071, 1075 (9th Cir. 2005)
(“A federal law defense to a state-law claim does not
confer jurisdiction on a federal court, even if the defense
is that of federal preemption and is anticipated in the
plaintiffs complaint.”). As such, Defendant’s
allegation does not establish federal question jurisdiction
under 28 U.S.C. § 1331.
Defendant
has not adequately established a basis for this Court’s
subject matter jurisdiction and the Court must remand the
case. See 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c).
Conclusion
Based
on the above, the Court sua sponte REMANDS the
action to the Superior Court of the State of California ...