Lloyd v. North Carolina Railroad

162 N.C. 485
Supreme Court of North Carolina·Decided May 28, 1913·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

Hoke, J.,

after stating the case: The plaintiff in express terms bases his cause of action on the Federal Employers’ Liability Act of 1908 (35 U. S. St., 65 Ch., 149) as amended on 5 April, 1910 (36 U. S. St., 291 Fed., 143), and in his complaint makes allegation sufficient to establish liability on the part of both, of defendant companies. The statute in question confers a right of action against all common carriers by railroad engaged in interstate- commerce and in favor of all employees “while engaged in such commerce or their representatives when injured or killed by reason of the negligence of any officers or agents of the employee of such carrier or by reason of any defect or insufficiency due to its'negligence in its cars, engines, appliances, machinery, track, roadbed, ways or walks.”

[493] Tbe law in question bas received very full consideration by tbe - Supreme Court of tbe United States in several cases reported in 223 U. S., p. I, styled tbe Second Employers’ Liability cases, and it was there held, among other things: “That tbe same is constitutional; that its provisions and regulations have superseded tbe laws of the several States in so far as tbe latter cover tbe same field; and that rights arising under tbe regulations prescribed by tbe act may be enforced as of right in tbe courts of tbe States where their jurisdiction as fixed by local laws is adequate.” And tbe amendment of 1910 contains provision that “Tbe jurisdiction of tbe courts of tbe United States under this act shall be concurrent with that of tbe courts of tbe several States, and 'No case arising under this act and brought in any State court of competent jurisdiction shall be removed to any court of tbe United States.’ ” 36 U. S. St., Ch. 143, p. 291.

It was no doubt tbe purpose and effect of this amendment, as its terms clearly import, to withdraw tbe right of removal in cases arising under tbe statute when tbe action bas been instituted in tbe State court, and to require that litigants desiring to have tbe results of tbe trial reviewed by reason of tbe. presence of a Federal question, etc., shall proceed by writ of error to tbe State court making final disposition of tbe cause in its jurisdiction. All tbe decisions to which we were referred upholding tbe right of removal in such cases (Lemon v. R. R., 137 Ky., 276; Calhoun v. Centrol of Ga., 528, and others) were causes disposed of prior to tbe amendment, and which no doubt gave rise to its enactment.

And if, as defendants contend, tbe same right of removal exists as in cases of fraudulent joinder of a resident with a nonresident defendant, tbe application should be denied in this instance. On this question tbe authorities are to tbe effect that when viewed as a legal proposition tbe plaintiff is entitled to have bis cause of action considered as be bas ^presented it in bis complaint (R. R. v. Miller, 217 U. S., 209; R. R. v. Thompson, 200 U. S., 206; Dougherty v. R. R., 126 Fed., 239), and while a case may in proper instances be removed on tbe ground of false and fraudulent allegation of jurisdictional [494] facts, tbe right does not exist, nor is the question raised by general allegations of bad faitb, but only when, in addition to t'he positive allegation of fraud, there is full and direct statement of the facts and circumstances of the transaction sufficient, if true, to demonstrate “that the adverse party is making a fraudulent attempt to impose upon the court and so deprive the applicant of his right of removal.” Rea v. Mirror Co., 158 N. C., 24-27, and authorities cited, notably, Kansas City R. R. v. Herman, 187 U. S., 63; Foster v. Gas and Electric Co., 185 Fed., 979; Shane v. Electric Ry., 150 Fed., 801; Knutts v. Electric Ry., 148 Fed., 73; Thomas v. Great Northern, 147 Fed., 83; Hough v. R. R., 144 N. C., 701; Tobacco Co. v. Tobacco Co., 144 N. C., 352; Ill. R. R. v. Houchins, 121 Ky., 526; So. R. R. v. Gruzzle, 124 Ga., 735.

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Lloyd v. North Carolina Railroad, 162 N.C. 485 (N.C. 1913).

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