Hamidi v. Serv. Emps. Int'l Union Local 1000

386 F. Supp. 3d 1289
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. California
DecidedJune 18, 2019
DocketNo. 2:14-cv-319 WBS KJN
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 386 F. Supp. 3d 1289 (Hamidi v. Serv. Emps. Int'l Union Local 1000) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hamidi v. Serv. Emps. Int'l Union Local 1000, 386 F. Supp. 3d 1289 (E.D. Cal. 2019).

Opinion

WILLIAM B. SHUBB, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Fifteen employees of the State of California brought this class action against defendants Service Employers International Union Local 1000 and the California state controller, alleging that defendants' 'opt-out' system for collecting optional union fees violates the First Amendment. (Compl. (Docket No. 1).) On remand from the Ninth Circuit, defendants move to dismiss plaintiffs' claims for prospective relief. (Docket Nos. 121 & 127.) Plaintiffs move to reopen discovery. (Docket No. 126.)

I. Background

This court described much of the factual and procedural background to this lawsuit in its prior order on summary judgment. (Mem. & Order Re: Cross-Mots. for Summ. J. ("Summ. J. Order") (Docket No. 94).) After the court entered judgment in favor of defendants, plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal. (Docket No. 102.) After the parties had filed their briefs on appeal, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees, --- U.S. ----, 138 S. Ct. 2448, 201 L.Ed.2d 924 (2018).

Because the parties agreed that Janus impacts this case, the Ninth Circuit then vacated this court's judgment and remanded the case for further proceedings in light of the Supreme Court's decision. (Ninth Cir. Mem. at 2 (Docket No. 111).) The panel also noted that this court "may determine in the first instance whether any of [plaintiffs'] claims are moot." (Id. ) Pursuant to the discussion with the parties at the status conference on remand, the court set a briefing schedule for the two motions at issue in this order: (1) defendants' motion to dismiss plaintiffs' claims for prospective relief as moot and (2) plaintiffs' motion to reopen discovery on the affirmative defense of good faith. (Docket No. 118.) The court held a hearing on these motions on June 17, 2019.

*1294II. Defendants' Motions to Dismiss

A. Legal Standard

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(h)(3) provides that "[i]f the court determines at any time that it lacks subject-matter jurisdiction, the court must dismiss the action." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(h)(3). The difference between a Rule 12(h)(3) motion and a motion to dismiss for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction under Rule 12(b)(1) "is simply that the former may be asserted at any time and need not be responsive to any pleading of the other party." Berkshire Fashions, Inc. v. M.V. Hakusan II, 954 F.2d 874, 880 n.3 (3d Cir. 1992) ; see also Augustine v. United States, 704 F.2d 1074, 1075 n.3 (9th Cir. 1983) (stating that the issue of subject-matter jurisdiction may be raised by the parties at any time pursuant to Rule 12(h)(3) ); Johnson v. Cal. Welding Supply, Inc., No. 2:11-cv-01669 WBS GGH, 2011 WL 5118599, at *2 (E.D. Cal. Oct. 27, 2011) (applying a single standard to a motion to dismiss pursuant to Rules 12(b)(1) and 12(h)(3) ).

Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1), a complaint must be dismissed once the court determines that it lacks subject-matter jurisdiction to adjudicate the claims. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1). The court presumes that it has no jurisdiction until the party asserting jurisdiction proves otherwise, and once subject-matter jurisdiction has been challenged, the burden of proof is placed on the party asserting that jurisdiction exists. Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of Am., 511 U.S. 375, 376, 114 S.Ct. 1673, 128 L.Ed.2d 391 (1994) ; Scott v. Breeland, 792 F.2d 925, 927 (9th Cir. 1986) (holding that "the party seeking to invoke the court's jurisdiction bears the burden of establishing that jurisdiction exists").

An attack on the court's subject-matter jurisdiction may be facial or factual. Safe Air for Everyone v. Meyer, 373 F.3d 1035, 1039 (9th Cir. 2004). As is the case here where defendants bring a factual challenge to the court's subject-matter jurisdiction, this court "may review evidence beyond the complaint without converting the motion to dismiss into a motion for summary judgment." Id. The court "need not presume the truthfulness of plaintiffs' allegations," White v. Lee, 227 F.3d 1214, 1242 (9th Cir. 2000), and "may review any evidence, such as affidavits and testimony, to resolve factual disputes concerning the existence of jurisdiction," McCarthy v. United States, 850 F.2d 558, 560 (9th Cir. 1988).

B. Mootness

Under Article III of the U.S. Constitution, the judicial power extends to "Cases" and "Controversies." Courts cannot decide legal disputes "in the absence of such a case or controversy." Already, LLC v. Nike, Inc., 568 U.S. 85, 90, 133 S.Ct. 721, 184 L.Ed.2d 553 (2013). No principle is more fundamental to the judiciary's proper role in the federal system. Clapper v. Amnesty Int'l USA

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386 F. Supp. 3d 1289, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hamidi-v-serv-emps-intl-union-local-1000-caed-2019.