No. 18-168

Bill G. Nichols, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated v. Chesapeake Operating, LLC, et al.

Lower Court: Tenth Circuit
Docketed: 2018-08-07
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response RequestedRelisted (2)
Tags: cafa cafa-jurisdiction circuit-split citizenship civil-procedure class-action diversity-jurisdiction domicile domicile-presumption federal-courts federal-jurisdiction removal residency-domicile-presumption residency-presumption standing subject-matter-jurisdiction
Key Terms:
ClassAction Jurisdiction JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2019-01-04 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

When determining the citizenship of a class for purposes of CAFA's home-state exception, 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d)(4)(B), does this Court's long-standing residency-domicile presumption allow a court to presume that a class defined as state residents consists of at least two-thirds state citizens, or must a plaintiff come forward with additional evidence of citizenship?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTION PRESENTED The Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 (““CAFA”) grants federal courts subject-matter jurisdiction over certain minimally diverse class actions, but requires district courts to decline jurisdiction in certain cases if, among other things, at least two-thirds of the class members are citizens of the state in which the action was originally filed. See 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d). The Sixth Circuit has held that, where the class is limited to state residents, this Court’s long-standing presumption that a person’s residence is his domicile allows the court to presume that the class consists of at least twothirds citizens, and puts the burden on the defendant to rebut that presumption. The Fifth and Ninth Circuits have allowed the use of this presumption but required the plaintiff to offer at least some record evidence of class members’ residency to prove their citizenship. The court below, joining the Seventh and Eighth Circuits, held that such a presumption is never permissible. The question presented is: When determining the citizenship of a class for purposes of CAFA’s home-state exception, 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d)(4)(B), does this Court’s long-standing residency-domicile presumption allow a court to presume that a class defined as state residents consists of at least two-thirds state citizens, or must a plaintiff come forward with additional evidence of citizenship?

Docket Entries

2019-01-07
Petition DENIED.
2018-12-05
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/4/2019.
2018-12-05
Reply of petitioner Bill G. Nichols filed. (Distributed)
2018-11-21
Brief of respondents Chesapeake Operating, LLC, et al. in opposition filed.
2018-09-26
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including November 21, 2018.
2018-09-26
Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 22, 2018 to November 21, 2018, submitted to The Clerk.
2018-09-20
Response Requested. (Due October 22, 2018)
2018-09-19
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/5/2018.
2018-08-03
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 6, 2018)
2018-05-29
Application (17A1314) granted by Justice Sotomayor extending the time to file until August 3, 2018.
2018-05-25
Application (17A1314) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from June 5, 2018 to August 3, 2018, submitted to Justice Sotomayor.

Attorneys

Bill G. Nichols
Kevin Johnson MillerKellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, P.L.L.C., Petitioner
Kevin Johnson MillerKellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, P.L.L.C., Petitioner
Chesapeake Operating, LLC, et al.
George William Hicks Jr. — Respondent
George William Hicks Jr. — Respondent