Donn v. A.W. Chesterton Co.

842 F. Supp. 2d 803, 2012 WL 288500, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11757
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedFebruary 1, 2012
DocketMDL No. 875; Case No. 10-00311; Civil Action No. 2:10-CV-62071-ER
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 842 F. Supp. 2d 803 (Donn v. A.W. Chesterton Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Donn v. A.W. Chesterton Co., 842 F. Supp. 2d 803, 2012 WL 288500, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11757 (E.D. Pa. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

EDUARDO C. ROBRENO, District Judge.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. BACKGROUND...........................................................806

II. LEGAL STANDARD ......................................................807

III. DISCUSSION.............................................................807

A. Preemption............................................................807

1. Field Preemption..................................................808

a. Applicable Law................................................808

b. Analysis......................................................808

2. Conflict Preemption................................................812

a. Applicable Law................................................812

b. Analysis......................................................812

B. Political Question Doctrine..............................................814

1. Applicable Law....................................................814

2. Analysis..........................................................815

a. Defendants’ Arguments Under the Baker Factors..................815

b. The Political Question Doctrine’s Limited Use.....................816

c. Recent Cases Invoking the Political Question Doctrine in

Government Contracts .......................................817

d. The Political Question Doctrine’s Effect on the Government

Contractor Defense..........................................818

IV. CONCLUSION............................................................818

Since the beginning of the Republic, the Federal Government has relied upon private parties to supply military equipment in connection with the national defense. Over the years, the relationship between the Government and these private contractors has led to innumerable court decisions adjudging the rights and duties of not only these parties, but of third parties affected by the relationship as well. This litigation has formed a web of legal principles grounded upon notions of federal supremacy and separation of powers. In this case, Defendants, private parties who contracted with the Federal Government to supply military equipment to the Navy and who are being sued by a former Naval serviceman under state law, seek to disentangle this web by pulling on the strings of preemption and the political question doctrine.

For the reasons that follow, these efforts are unavailing.

I. BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Alan Donn (“Plaintiff’) brought suit against a variety of defendants for injuries sustained from asbestos exposure. Plaintiff was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and subsequently brought suit for damages against Defendants CBS [807]*807Corporation and General Electric Company (collectively, “Defendants”), among others. Pl.’s Compl. ¶ 3. Plaintiff served as an active-duty serviceman in the United States Navy aboard several nuclear submarines from approximately July 1, 1957 to July 1,1981. Id. ¶ 4. Plaintiff avers that he was exposed to asbestos while aboard these vessels. With respect to Defendants, Plaintiff avers that the Navy insulated with asbestos the hot metal casings on the vessels’ propulsion turbines, which were manufactured by Defendants. See Defs.’ Br. in Supp. of Mot. to Dismiss Pl.’s Compl. 2, Dec. 2, 2010, ECF No. 33 (“Defs.’ Opening Br.”). These turbines were specifically designed to use asbestos, and Defendants built the turbines pursuant to Navy contracts. See id. Plaintiff contends that Defendants knew of the dangers of asbestos and failed to warn Plaintiff of such dangers. See PL’s Br. Opp’n Defs.’ Mot. to Dismiss 1-2, Feb. 4, 2011, ECF No. 66 (“PL’s Br.”).

Defendants filed the instant Motion to Dismiss, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1), contending that the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over Plaintiffs claims. Plaintiff responded to the motion, and the Court held oral argument. The motion is now ripe for disposition.

II. LEGAL STANDARD

Defendants move to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) arguing that the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction. In particular, Defendants argue that Plaintiffs cause of action is preempted, and, in the alternative, argue that this case presents a non-justiciable political question. See Defs.’ Opening Br. 1-2. When assessing these arguments, as they are both factual attacks on the Court’s subject matter jurisdiction, the Court may look beyond the pleadings to consider whether jurisdiction is proper in this Court. See Cestonaro v. United States, 211 F.3d 749, 752 (3d Cir.2000). Plaintiff has the burden to prove that subject matter jurisdiction exists. Lightfoot v. United States, 564 F.3d 625, 627 (3d Cir.2009).

III. DISCUSSION

The Court first addresses Defendants’ argument that Plaintiffs claims are preempted. Secondly, the Court considers Defendants’ alternative argument that this case presents a non-justiciable political question.

A. Preemption

The Supremacy Clause provides that the laws of the United States “shall be the supreme Law of the Land.” U.S. Const, art. VI, cl. 2. Out of this command, Congress may preempt state action in three ways: “State action may be foreclosed by express language in a congressional enactment, by implication from the depth and breadth of a congressional scheme that occupies the legislative field, or by implication because of a conflict with a congressional enactment.” Lorillard Tobacco Co. v. Reilly, 533 U.S. 525, 541, 121 S.Ct. 2404, 150 L.Ed.2d 532 (2001) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted).

Express preemption requires that a federal law’s language expressly displace state law. Kurns v. A.W. Chesterton, Inc., 620 F.3d 392, 395 (3d Cir. 2010), cert. granted on other grounds, - U.S.-, 131 S.Ct. 2959, 180 L.Ed.2d 244 (2011). Additionally, implied preemption may be found in two scenarios: either through (1) field preemption, when the federal regulation is so sweeping that no state law can occupy that field, or (2) conflict preemption when either complying with federal and state law simultaneously is impossible, or if complying with state [808]*808law prevents the full enforcement of the federal law. Id.

In this case, Defendants do not contend that express preemption is present. Rather they rely upon implied preemption because either federal law and regulations occupy the field of Plaintiffs state tort law failure to warn claims,1 or, federal law and regulations conflict with Plaintiffs state tort law failure to warn claims.

1. Field Preemption

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

STERNER v. MCP HOLDINGS CORP.
E.D. Pennsylvania, 2025
STERNER v. MCP HOLDINGS CORP.
M.D. Pennsylvania, 2025
Ghane v. Mid-South Institute of Self Defense Shooting, Inc.
137 So. 3d 212 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 2014)
Conner v. Alfa Laval, Inc.
842 F. Supp. 2d 791 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
842 F. Supp. 2d 803, 2012 WL 288500, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11757, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/donn-v-aw-chesterton-co-paed-2012.