Hampton Properties v. Eresian

18 Mass. L. Rptr. 74
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedJuly 14, 2004
DocketNo. 891942
StatusPublished

This text of 18 Mass. L. Rptr. 74 (Hampton Properties v. Eresian) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hampton Properties v. Eresian, 18 Mass. L. Rptr. 74 (Mass. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

Agnes, A.J.

1. Introduction. This matter is before the court on an order following a judgment for the plaintiff in the underlying case in the amount of $500,000.

2. Background. Following the judgment, the plaintiff initiated collection activities and obtained an order from the court directing the defendant to appear for examination and to produce documents. The defendant failed to appear and the plaintiff filed a complaint for civil contempt. On June 14, 2004 both parties appeared in court on the plaintiffs motion to reschedule the trial of ■ contempt. The court explained the law governing contempt, including the principle that it was not permissible to challenge the order that was alleged to be violated in the contempt proceeding as well as the ramifications of being found in contempt. A hearing on the contempt complaint was rescheduled for June 21, 2004 at which the defendant was ordered in open court to appear. He failed to appear. On June 24, 2004, the court received notice that a petition for removal of this case to federal court had been filed by Ara Eresian.3 For the reasons stated below this court is unable to take any further action unless and until the case is remanded back to the Superior Court.

3. Discussion:

A. Authority and procedure for removing a case to federal court. While Section 1441 of Title 28 of the United States Code authorizes the removal of cases from state court to federal court, the practice and procedure for removing a case from a state court to a federal court is governed by Section 1446 of Title 28. See 28 U.S.C.A. §§1441, 1446 (2004). Generally, an action is removable from a state court to a federal court only if might have been brought in federal court originally. 28 U.S.C.A. §1441 (2004); Wright, Miller & Cooper; Federal Practice and Procedure: Jurisdiction 3d §3721 (3d ed. 1998 and Supp.). Therefore, the principles governing federal question jurisdiction, diversity of citizenship jurisdiction and the jurisdictional amount in controversy also apply to parties seeking to remove cases to federal court and must be satisfied. Wright, Miller & Cooper; Federal Practice and Procedure: Jurisdiction 3d §§3721, 3725 (3d ed. 1998 and Supp.). In order to remove a case to federal court, a defendant must file a notice of removal in the district in which the state court action is pending. 28 U.S.C.A. §1446 (2004). The notice of removal must be verified and filed in the district court within thirty days after the defendant receives the complaint in the state court action and the defendant must also give written notice of removal to the plaintiff and file a copy of the notice of removal in the state court. Id. Once the papers have been filed, any further proceedings in the state court are prohibited. Id. It has been consistently held that a state court defendant may lose or waive the right to remove a case to a federal court by taking substantial action in state court thereby indicating a willingness to litigate under the state’s jurisdiction before filing a notice of removal with the federal court. See Plymouth & Brockton St. Ry. Co., v. Leyland, 422 Mass. 526, 531 (1996). See also, e.g., Scholz v. RDV Sports, Inc., 821 F.Sup. 1469, 1470 (M.D.Fla. 1993) (the defendant waived its right to remove by proceeding to defend the action in state court or otherwise invoking the process of the state court). More specifically, the Supreme Court has held that a defendant cannot “experiment on his case in the state court, and, upon an adverse decision, then transfer it to Federal Court.” Rosenthal v. Coates, 148 U.S. 142, 147 (1893).

B. After removal of an action from state court, the federal district court acquires full and exclusive subject matter jurisdiction over the litigation and the state court is enjoined from proceeding unless and until the case is remanded. Section 1446 of 28 U.S.C.A. provides that removal is effected once a copy of the notice of removal is filed with the clerk’s office and that, “the State court shall proceed no further therein unless and until the case is remanded.” 28 U.S.C.A. §1446(d) (2004). “Even when the state court believes that the attempted removal is frivolous, present law prevents it from proceeding . .. even if remand subsequently is [75]*75directed by the federal court.” Wright, Miller & Cooper, Federal Practice and Procedure: Jurisdiction 3d §3737 (3d ed. 1998 and Supp.). As a result, the state court cannot make a determination as to whether or not the removal has been improper because such removal is governed by federal law and is a question reserved exclusively for the federal courts. Courts consistently have held and recognized that once a petition has been filed to remove a case to federal court, the state court is prohibited from proceeding any further unless there is an order of remand. See, e.g., South Carolina v. Moore, 447 F.2d 1067, 1072-73 (4th Cir. 1975); Lowe v. Jacobs, 243 F.2d 432, 433 (5th Cir. 1957); Master Equipment, Inc. v. Home Ins. Co., 342 F.Sup. 549, 552 (E.D.Pa. 1972); Garden Homes, Inc. v. District Court of Somerville, 336 Mass. 432, 435 (1957). Once the procedural steps have been taken to effect removal, the federal court has jurisdiction regardless of whether the case was removable or the removal was frivolous and any action taken by the state court after removal and prior to remand has no force or effect. Hopson v. North America Ins. Co., 71 Idaho 461, 466 (1951) (an order of default entered in state court after the filing of a petition for removal had no force and effect); People v. Martin-Trigona, 28 Ill.App.3d 605 (Ill.App.Ct. 1975) (despite the state’s contention that the removal petition was patently frivolous, the court held that once the procedural steps are taken to effect removal, the language of §1446(e) clearly enjoins the state court from proceeding any further). Furthermore, proceedings that take place between removal and remand are impermissible even where removal is eventually found to be unwarranted. Hotel Martha Washington Management Co. v. Swinick, 71 Misc.2d 982, 984 (N.Y.App.Div. 1972), citing South Carolina v. Moore, supra. Given that this court has received notice of the defendant’s removal petition, this court lacks jurisdiction over the case and is thus enjoined from any further proceedings until the case is remanded.

C. Motion to remand the case based on any defect other than subject matter jurisdiction must be made within 30 days after the filing the motion for removal under 28 U.S.C.A. 1447. Any objections to the propriety of a removal should take the form of a motion to remand in federal court. Ciotti v. Aetna Cas. & Sw. Co., 511 F.Sup. 647, 648 (E.D.Pa. 1981); State v. Francis, 261 N.C. 358, 360 (1964). Section 1447(c) provides that, “A motion to remand the case on the basis of any defect in removal procedure must be made within 30 days after the filing of the notice of removal . . .” 28 U.S.C.A. 1447(c) (2004).

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Related

Rosenthal v. Coates
148 U.S. 142 (Supreme Court, 1893)
Octavia Lowe v. Samuel Garfield Jacobs
243 F.2d 432 (Fifth Circuit, 1957)
The State of South Carolina v. James Edward Moore
447 F.2d 1067 (Fourth Circuit, 1971)
Hopson v. North American Ins. Co.
233 P.2d 799 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1951)
State v. Francis
134 S.E.2d 681 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1964)
Jackson v. State
337 So. 2d 1281 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1976)
Garden Homes, Inc. v. District Court of Somerville
146 N.E.2d 372 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1957)
People v. Martin-Trigona
328 N.E.2d 362 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1975)
State v. Fuller
31 A.D.2d 71 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1968)
Hotel Martha Washington Management Co. v. Swinick
71 Misc. 2d 982 (Appellate Terms of the Supreme Court of New York, 1972)
Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway Co. v. Leyland
664 N.E.2d 17 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1996)

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Bluebook (online)
18 Mass. L. Rptr. 74, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hampton-properties-v-eresian-masssuperct-2004.