Pillis v. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance

837 F. Supp. 418, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17015, 1993 WL 498839
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedNovember 17, 1993
DocketNo. 93-1417-CIV-T-17C
StatusPublished

This text of 837 F. Supp. 418 (Pillis v. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pillis v. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance, 837 F. Supp. 418, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17015, 1993 WL 498839 (M.D. Fla. 1993).

Opinion

[419]*419 ORDER OF REMAND

KOVACHEVICH, District Judge.

This cause came before the Court upon Defendants’, GUY and HOYT, Motion to Dismiss Count I of Plaintiffs Complaint. However, this Court does not believe that this cause is properly brought in federal court and Remands it to state court.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff, JOHN H. PILLIS, III, originally filed suit in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, in Pinellas County. Plaintiff asserts the following claims, all of which are grounded in state law: breach of contract; intentional interference with advantageous business relationship; and for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Plaintiff included in Count I for breach of contract, allegations that Defendants’ actions constitute a deprivation of rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and an unlawful employment practice under Florida Statute 760.10(l)(a) (1991). Subsequently, Defendants filed, on August 27, 1993, their Notice of Removal of Action, thereby removing the action to this Court on the grounds of federal question jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331. As the basis for jurisdiction, Defendants argued that Plaintiffs complaint presents questions arising under the laws of the United States, specifically, 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Specifically, Defendants stated that this is a civil action involving allegations of violation of Plaintiffs rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, breach of contract, intentional interference with advantageous business relationship, and intentional infliction of distress. Therefore, all causes of action alleged are state claims with only the allegations of violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 forming Defendants’ basis for removal to this Court.

Following Defendants’ removal of this action to federal court, Defendants, GUY and HOYT, on September 3, 1993, filed a Motion to Dismiss Count I of Plaintiffs complaint. Defendants’ only basis for requesting dismissal of Count I is predicated upon state law, such that Defendants argue that under Florida law, in order to succeed on his claim for breach of contract against GUY and HOYT, PILLIS must prove his execution of a contract with GUY and HOYT, GUY and HOYT’s breach of the contract, and damages suffered by PILLIS as a result of GUY and HOYT’s breach. Knowles v. C.I.T. Corp., 346 So.2d 1042 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977). This Motion to Dismiss is more properly before the Circuit Court in which this action was originally filed, as the only basis for any valid cause of action in Plaintiffs Complaint is under Florida state law. No valid cause of action exists under federal law as allegations of any violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 are inapplicable to this action as none of the Defendants are parties which may be liable under this section. Therefore, this Court does not properly have jurisdiction over this action and the remaining state claims, and the remand of this case to state court is proper.

DISCUSSION

Title 28, United States Code § 1441(b) provides, in pertinent part: “Any civil action of which the district courts have original jurisdiction founded on a claim or right arising under the Constitution, treaties or laws of the United States shall be removable without regard to the citizenship or residence of the parties.” 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b) (1993). The federal question removal statute closely parallels the language of 28 U.S.C. § 1331, pursuant to which district courts have original federal question jurisdiction “of all civil actions arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. § 1331 (1993). Thus, removal of this action is proper only if the action “arises under” federal law.

“It is long settled law that a cause of action arises under federal law only when the plaintiffs well-pleaded complaint raises issues of federal law.” Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. v. Taylor, 481 U.S. 58, 107 S.Ct. 1542, 95 L.Ed.2d 55 (1987). The well-pleaded complaint rule requires a court to look solely at what “appears in the plaintiffs statement of his own claim in the bill or declaration, unaided by anything alleged in anticipation of avoidance of defense which it is thought the defendant may interpose.” Brown v. Connecticut General Life Ins. Co., 934 F.2d 1193 [420]*420(11th Cir.1991) This rule is “the basic principle marking the boundaries of the federal question jurisdiction of the federal district courts.” Metropolitan, 481 U.S. at 63, 107 S.Ct. at 1546.

Not every question of federal law emerging in a suit is proof that a federal law is the basis of the suit. Gully v. First National Bank in Meridian, 299 U.S. 109, 57 S.Ct. 96, 81 L.Ed. 70 (1936). Federal question only arises if the complaint substantially alleges a dispute or controversy regarding the validity, construction or effect of such a law. Id. at 111, 57 S.Ct. at 97. In addition, certain conditions must be satisfied for a federal question to arise. The federal law must be an essential element of the plaintiffs cause of action, the federal question must be disclosed on the face of the complaint, and the federal question may not be inferred from a defense asserted or one expected to be made. Id. at 110, 57 S.Ct. 96. Furthermore, the federal question raised must be a substantial one. Hagans v. Lavine, 415 U.S. 528, 94 S.Ct. 1372, 39 L.Ed.2d 577 (1974).

By alleging violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 on the face of Plaintiffs Complaint, and therefore alleging violations of rights under the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Florida, Plaintiff has satisfied two of the conditions required for establishing federal jurisdiction. However, in this case, the federal question raised is not a proper element of Plaintiffs cause of action.

Liability under [42 U.S.C. § 1983] does not apply to “every person.” Stift v. Lynch, 267 F.2d 237 (7th Cir.1959). Rather, liability provided in this section may be asserted only against state officers or persons acting under color of state law. Nation v. U.S. Government, 512 F.Supp. 121 (S.D.Ohio,1981). 42 U.S.C. § 1983

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

Related

Gully v. First Nat. Bank in Meridian
299 U.S. 109 (Supreme Court, 1936)
District of Columbia v. Carter
409 U.S. 418 (Supreme Court, 1973)
Hagans v. Lavine
415 U.S. 528 (Supreme Court, 1974)
Metropolitan Life Insurance v. Taylor
481 U.S. 58 (Supreme Court, 1987)
West v. Atkins
487 U.S. 42 (Supreme Court, 1988)
Brown v. Connecticut General Life Ins. Co.
934 F.2d 1193 (Eleventh Circuit, 1991)
Dykes v. Weinberg
564 F. Supp. 536 (M.D. Florida, 1983)
Colon v. Lomelo
575 F. Supp. 664 (S.D. Florida, 1983)
Lomax v. Davis
571 F. Supp. 805 (N.D. Mississippi, 1983)
Knowles v. CIT Corporation
346 So. 2d 1042 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1977)
Nation v. United States Government
512 F. Supp. 121 (S.D. Ohio, 1981)
Stift v. Lynch
267 F.2d 237 (Seventh Circuit, 1959)
Van Poyck v. Dugger
779 F. Supp. 571 (M.D. Florida, 1991)
Motes v. Myers
810 F.2d 1055 (Eleventh Circuit, 1987)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
837 F. Supp. 418, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17015, 1993 WL 498839, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pillis-v-john-hancock-mutual-life-insurance-flmd-1993.