Diaz v. Castro

122 F. Supp. 3d 603, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113064, 2014 WL 10208580
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Texas
DecidedAugust 14, 2014
DocketCivil Action No. H-13-1242
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 122 F. Supp. 3d 603 (Diaz v. Castro) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Diaz v. Castro, 122 F. Supp. 3d 603, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113064, 2014 WL 10208580 (S.D. Tex. 2014).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

MELINDA HARMON, District Judge.

Pending before the Court in the above referenced putative collective action under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq., to recover unpaid overtime wages and compensation for hours worked but not recorded or paid (“off-the-clock”), liquidated damages, attorney’s fees, costs, and post-judgment interest,1 are the following motions: (1) Plaintiff Daniel M. Diaz’s (“Diaz’s”) motion for conditional class certification (instrument # 12); (2) Plaintiffs motion to strike Defendant Felipe Sandoval Castro d/b/a Castro Contractor’s (“Castro’s”) good faith defense (#15); and (3) Castro’s motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(l)(# 18).

Because the last motion addresses the threshold issue of the Court’s subject matter jurisdiction, which the Court must have to entertain the other motions, the Court reviews it first.

Castro’s Motion to Dismiss under Rule 12(b)(l)(# 18)

A. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1)

Rule 12(b)(1) allows a party to move for dismissal of an action .for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The party seeking to invoke federal jurisdiction, here Diaz, bears the burden of establishing subject matter jurisdiction for the 12(b)(1) motion. Ramming v. United States, 281 F.3d 158, 161 (5th Cir.2001).

In reviewing a motion under 12(b)(1) the court may consider (1) the complaint alone;. (2) the complaint supplemented by undisputed facts evidenced in the record; or (3) the complaint supplemented by undisputed facts plus the court’s resolution of disputed facts. Williamson v. Tucker, 645 F.2d 404, 413 (5th Cir.1981).

A motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Rule 12(b)(1) is characterized as either a “facial” attack, i.e., the allegations in the complaint are insufficient to invoke federal jurisdiction, or as a “factual” attack, i.e., the facts in the complaint supporting subject matter jurisdiction are questioned. In re Blue Water Endeavors, LLC, Bankr.No. 08-10466, Adv. No. 10-1015, 2011 WL 52525, *3 (Bankr.E.D.Tex. Jan. 6, 2011), citing Rodriguez v. Texas Comm’n of Arts, 992 F.Supp. 876, 878-79 (N.D.Tex.1998), aff'd, 199 F.3d 279 (5th Cir.2000). A facial attack happens. when a defendant files a Rule 12(b)(1) motion without accompanying evidence.. Paterson v. Weinberger, 644 F.2d 521, 523 (5th Cir.1981). In a facial attack, allegations in the complaint are taken as true. Blue Water, 2011 WL 52525 at *3, citing Saraw Partnership v. United States, 67 F.3d 567, 569 (5th Cir. 1995).

-If it is a factual attack, the Court may consider any evidence (affidavits, testimony, documents, etc.) submitted by the parties that is relevant to the issue of [608]*608subject matter jurisdiction. Id., citing Irwin v. Veterans Admin., 874 F.2d 1092, 1096 (5th Cir.1989). A defendant making a factual attack on a complaint may provide supporting affidavits, testimony or other admissible evidence. Paterson v. Weinberger, 644 F.2d 521, 523 (5th Cir. 1981). The plaintiff, to satisfy its burden of proof, may also submit evidence to show by a preponderance of the evidence that subject matter jurisdiction exists. Id. The court’s consideration of such matters outside the pleadings does not convert the motion to one for summary judgment under Rule 56(c). Robinson v. Paulson, H-06-4083, 2008 WL 4692392 at *10 (S.D.Tex. Oct. 28, 2008), citing Garcia, 104 F.3d at 1261. “Unlike in a facial attack where jurisdiction is determined upon the basis of allegations of the complaint, accepted .as true[,] when a factual attack is made upon federal jurisdiction,, no presumption of truthfulness attaches to. the plaintiffs’ jurisdictional allegations, and the court is free to weigh the evidence and satisfy itself as to the existence of its power to hear the case. In a factual attack, the plaintiffs have the burden of proving that federal jurisdiction does in fact exist.” Evans v. Tubbe, 657 F.2d 661, 663 (5th Cir.1981). In resolving a factual attack on subjéct'matter jurisdiction under Rule 12(b)(1), the district court, which does not address the merits of the' suit,2 has significant authority “‘to weigh the evidence and satisfy itself as to the existence of its power to hear the case.’ ’’ Robinson v. Paulson, No. H-06-4083, 2008 WL 4692392, *10 (S.D.Tex. Oct. 22, 2008), quoting Garcia v. Copenhaver, Bell & Assocs., 104 F.3d 1256, 1261 (11th Cir.1997), and citing Clark v. Tarrant County, 798 F.2d 736, 741 (5th Cir.1986).

It is well settled that "a district court has broader power to decide its own right to hear die case than it has when the merits of the case are reached.” [Williamson v. Tucker, 645 F.2d 404, 413 (5th Cir.) cert. denied, 454 U.S. 897, 102 S.Ct. 396, 70 L.Ed.2d 212 (1981).] "Jurisdictional issues are for the court — not the jury — to decide, whether they hinge on legal or factual determinations.” Id. To determine whether jurisdiction exists, the court will generally resolve any factual disputes from the pleadings and the affidavits submitted by the parties. See Espinoza v. Missouri Pac. R.R. Co., 754 F.2d 1247, 1248 n. 1 (5th Cir. 1985). The court may also conduct an evi-dentiary hearing and "may hear conflicting written and oral evidence and decide for itself the factual issues which determine jurisdiction.” Williamson, 645 F.2d at 413; see Menchaca v. Chrysler Credit Corp., 613 F.2d 507, 511-12 (5th. Cir.), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 953, 101 S.Ct. 358, 66 L.Ed.2d 217 (1980),

Because both Diaz and Castro have submitted evidence with their briefs, this is a factual 12(b)(1) attack.

Mootness Doctrine and Jurisdiction

Article III of the United States Constitution mandates that federal courts may only adjudicate “cases” or “controversies,” which must exist at all stages of a •litigation. U.S. CONST, art. Ill, § 2. Without an actual case or controversy, a federal court has no subject matter jurisdiction. Genesis Healthcare Corp. v. Symczyk, — U.S. -, 133 S.Ct. 1523, 1528, 185 L.Ed.2d 636 (2013); Lewis v. Continental Bank Corp., 494 U.S, 472, 477, 110 S.Ct. 1249, 108 L.Ed.2d 400 (1990); Preiser v. Newkirk, 422 U.S. 395, 401, 95 S.Ct. 2330, 45 L.Ed.2d 272 (1975). For purposes of Article III, a matter becomes moot if the issues raised are no longer live or if the plaintiff lacks a legally cognizable interest in the outcome. Already, LLC v. Nike, Inc., — U.S. -, 133 S.Ct. 721, 726, 184 L.Ed.2d 553 (2013); Chafin v. Chafin, — U.S. -, 133 S.Ct. - 1017, 1023, 185 L.Ed.2d 1 (2013); Genesis, 133 S.Ct. at 1528.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
122 F. Supp. 3d 603, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113064, 2014 WL 10208580, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/diaz-v-castro-txsd-2014.