Danielson v. Innovative Communications, Corp.

49 V.I. 1071, 184 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2762, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 48163
CourtDistrict Court, Virgin Islands
DecidedJune 24, 2008
DocketCivil No. 2003-26
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 49 V.I. 1071 (Danielson v. Innovative Communications, Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, Virgin Islands primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Danielson v. Innovative Communications, Corp., 49 V.I. 1071, 184 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2762, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 48163 (vid 2008).

Opinion

GÓMEZ, Chief Judge

MEMORANDUM OPINION

(June 24, 2008)

Before the Court is the motion of the plaintiffs Myron Danielson (“Danielson”), Jackie Thomas (“Thomas”), Elma Osborne (“Osborne”), [1074]*1074and Arthur Joseph (“Joseph”) (collectively, the “Plaintiffs”) to remand this matter to the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, Division of St. Croix (the “Superior Court”).

I. FACTS

In 1996, Vitelco, a Virgin Islands telephone company, applied for certain tax advantages from the Territory through the Economic Development Commission (the “EDC”).1 Those tax advantages were granted upon the condition that Vitelco provide certain benefits to its employees.

On January 13, 2003, the Plaintiffs commenced an action in the Superior Court against Vitelco and its parent company, Innovative Communication Corporations (“Innovative”) (together, the “Defendants”). See Danielson v. Innovative, et al., Terr. Ct. Civ. No. 15/2003. The complaint states that “[e]ach Plaintiff is a suitable representative of the class of workers of all present and past employees of Vitelco from the time Vitelco was approved for [EDC] benefits to the end of such benefits or any renewals.” (Compl. ¶ 6, Jan. 13, 2003.)2 It also states that all of the Plaintiffs are taxpayers in the Virgin Islands. The complaint alleges that Vitelco and Innovative breached certain conditions precedent to receiving the EDC tax advantages and failed to provide the Plaintiffs with the required benefits. The Plaintiffs claim to have suffered economic damages as a result of the Defendants’ breach. The complaint seeks “an accounting as to the amount of tax benefits received, the amount due for pension, EEOP, employee savings plans, payment of benefits not received, repayment of tax benefits, costs and attomeys[’] fees, pre[-] and post[-]judgment interest. . . .” (Id. at 3.)

[1075]*1075On February 5, 2003, the complaint was personally served upon Vitelco and Innovative.

On February 25, 2003, the Defendants filed a notice of removal to this Court. The notice stated:

Plaintiffs Complaint alleges that unionized employees did not receive benefits to which they were entitled. Although stated in the nature of a taxpayers complaint, the taxpayers are all Steelworkers members at Vitelco. The relationship between the Steelworkers’ employees and Vitelco is governed by the Labor Management Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. §§ 141 ,etseq.

(Notice of Removal at ¶ 2, Feb. 25, 2003.) The notice of removal further provided that “this action is one in which this Court has original jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and, accordingly, can be removed to Federal Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1441. This Court has supplemental jurisdiction over Plaintiffs[’] alleged [tjerritorial [l]aw claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1367.” (Id. at ¶ 3.)

After this matter was removed to this Court, Innovative was placed in bankruptcy. On October 2, 2007, the Plaintiffs moved to sever Innovative and proceed in this matter against Vitelco alone. On October 3, 2007, the motion was granted and Innovative was severed from this matter.

A hearing on the instant motion to remand was conducted on April 14, 2008. At the hearing, both parties called witnesses to testify on their behalf. Vitelco also admitted several documents as exhibits, including: its articles of incorporation and amendments thereto, its 1997 Government of the Territory of the Virgin Islands of the United States Industrial Development Certificate (the “EDC Certificate”), and the Labor Agreement Between Innovative Telephone Corporation and the United Steelworkers of America — AFL-CIO (the “collective bargaining agreement,” or the “CBA”). At the conclusion of the hearing, the Court took the matter under advisement.

II. DISCUSSION

An action may be removed to federal district court if the district court would have original jurisdiction over the matter. See 28 U.S.C. [1076]*1076§ 1441(a) (2002).3 A removed case will be remanded, however, “if at any time before final judgment, it appears that the district court lacked subject matter jurisdiction.” 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c) (1996). If the parties are not diverse,4 and the matter does not sound in admiralty,5 then this Court’s jurisdiction must be based on the existence of a federal question under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 (“Section 1331”).6 See Caterpillar, Inc. v. Williams, 482 U.S. 386, 392 107 S. Ct. 2425, 2426, 96 L. Ed. 2d 318 (1987) (“Absent diversity of citizenship, federal-question jurisdiction is required.”). Under this standard, “a defendant may not remove a case to federal court unless the plaintiff’s complaint establishes that the case arises under federal law.’” Franchise Tax Bd. of State of Cal. v. Construction Laborers Vacation Trust for S. Cal., 463 U.S. 1, 10, 103 S. Ct. 2841, 77 L. Ed. 2d 420 (1983); see also Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. v. Price, 501 F.3d 271, 276 (3d Cir. 2007) (“Federal question jurisdiction exists when the plaintiff’s well-pleaded complaint establishes that federal law creates the cause of action, (citation and quotations omitted)).

For an action to “arise under” federal law within the meaning of Section 1331, “[a] right or immunity created by the Constitution or laws of the United States must be an element, and an essential one, of the plaintiffs cause of action.” Franchise Tax Bd. of State of Cal., 463 U.S. at 10-11. In determining “jurisdiction over federal issues embedded in state-law claims between nondiverse parties ... the question is, does a state-law claim necessarily raise a stated federal issue, actually disputed and substantial, which a federal forum may entertain without disturbing any congressionally approved balance of federal and state judicial [1077]*1077responsibilities.” Grable & Sons Metal Products, Inc. v. Darue Engineering & Mfg., 545 U.S. 308, 314, 125 S. Ct. 2363, 162 L. Ed. 2d 257 (2005). On the other hand, if the Court finds that a plaintiff has “artfully pleaded” a cause of action by omitting necessary federal questions, “it may uphold removal even though no federal question appears on the face of the plaintiff’s complaint.” Rivet v. Regions Bank of Louisiana,

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Bluebook (online)
49 V.I. 1071, 184 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2762, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 48163, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/danielson-v-innovative-communications-corp-vid-2008.