CITE

    28 USC Sec. 1332                                            01/05/2009

EXPCITE

    TITLE 28 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
    PART IV - JURISDICTION AND VENUE
    CHAPTER 85 - DISTRICT COURTS; JURISDICTION

HEAD

    Sec. 1332. Diversity of citizenship; amount in controversy; costs

STATUTE

      (a) The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of all
    civil actions where the matter in controversy exceeds the sum or
    value of $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs, and is between -
        (1) citizens of different States;
        (2) citizens of a State and citizens or subjects of a foreign
      state;
        (3) citizens of different States and in which citizens or
      subjects of a foreign state are additional parties; and
        (4) a foreign state, defined in section 1603(a) of this title,
      as plaintiff and citizens of a State or of different States.
    For the purposes of this section, section 1335, and section 1441,
    an alien admitted to the United States for permanent residence
    shall be deemed a citizen of the State in which such alien is
    domiciled.
      (b) Except when express provision therefor is otherwise made in a
    statute of the United States, where the plaintiff who files the
    case originally in the Federal courts is finally adjudged to be
    entitled to recover less than the sum or value of $75,000, computed
    without regard to any setoff or counterclaim to which the defendant
    may be adjudged to be entitled, and exclusive of interest and
    costs, the district court may deny costs to the plaintiff and, in
    addition, may impose costs on the plaintiff.
      (c) For the purposes of this section and section 1441 of this
    title -
        (1) a corporation shall be deemed to be a citizen of any State
      by which it has been incorporated and of the State where it has
      its principal place of business, except that in any direct action
      against the insurer of a policy or contract of liability
      insurance, whether incorporated or unincorporated, to which
      action the insured is not joined as a party-defendant, such
      insurer shall be deemed a citizen of the State of which the
      insured is a citizen, as well as of any State by which the
      insurer has been incorporated and of the State where it has its
      principal place of business; and
        (2) the legal representative of the estate of a decedent shall
      be deemed to be a citizen only of the same State as the decedent,
      and the legal representative of an infant or incompetent shall be
      deemed to be a citizen only of the same State as the infant or
      incompetent.
      (d)(1) In this subsection -
        (A) the term "class" means all of the class members in a class
      action;
        (B) the term "class action" means any civil action filed under
      rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or similar State
      statute or rule of judicial procedure authorizing an action to be
      brought by 1 or more representative persons as a class action;
        (C) the term "class certification order" means an order issued
      by a court approving the treatment of some or all aspects of a
      civil action as a class action; and
        (D) the term "class members" means the persons (named or
      unnamed) who fall within the definition of the proposed or
      certified class in a class action.
      (2) The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of any
    civil action in which the matter in controversy exceeds the sum or
    value of $5,000,000, exclusive of interest and costs, and is a
    class action in which -
        (A) any member of a class of plaintiffs is a citizen of a State
      different from any defendant;
        (B) any member of a class of plaintiffs is a foreign state or a
      citizen or subject of a foreign state and any defendant is a
      citizen of a State; or
        (C) any member of a class of plaintiffs is a citizen of a State
      and any defendant is a foreign state or a citizen or subject of a
      foreign state.
      (3) A district court may, in the interests of justice and looking
    at the totality of the circumstances, decline to exercise
    jurisdiction under paragraph (2) over a class action in which
    greater than one-third but less than two-thirds of the members of
    all proposed plaintiff classes in the aggregate and the primary
    defendants are citizens of the State in which the action was
    originally filed based on consideration of -
        (A) whether the claims asserted involve matters of national or
      interstate interest;
        (B) whether the claims asserted will be governed by laws of the
      State in which the action was originally filed or by the laws of
      other States;
        (C) whether the class action has been pleaded in a manner that
      seeks to avoid Federal jurisdiction;
        (D) whether the action was brought in a forum with a distinct
      nexus with the class members, the alleged harm, or the
      defendants;
        (E) whether the number of citizens of the State in which the
      action was originally filed in all proposed plaintiff classes in
      the aggregate is substantially larger than the number of citizens
      from any other State, and the citizenship of the other members of
      the proposed class is dispersed among a substantial number of
      States; and
        (F) whether, during the 3-year period preceding the filing of
      that class action, 1 or more other class actions asserting the
      same or similar claims on behalf of the same or other persons
      have been filed.
      (4) A district court shall decline to exercise jurisdiction under
    paragraph (2) -
        (A)(i) over a class action in which -
          (I) greater than two-thirds of the members of all proposed
        plaintiff classes in the aggregate are citizens of the State in
        which the action was originally filed;
          (II) at least 1 defendant is a defendant -
            (aa) from whom significant relief is sought by members of
          the plaintiff class;
            (bb) whose alleged conduct forms a significant basis for
          the claims asserted by the proposed plaintiff class; and
            (cc) who is a citizen of the State in which the action was
          originally filed; and
          (III) principal injuries resulting from the alleged conduct
        or any related conduct of each defendant were incurred in the
        State in which the action was originally filed; and
        (ii) during the 3-year period preceding the filing of that
      class action, no other class action has been filed asserting the
      same or similar factual allegations against any of the defendants
      on behalf of the same or other persons; or
        (B) two-thirds or more of the members of all proposed plaintiff
      classes in the aggregate, and the primary defendants, are
      citizens of the State in which the action was originally filed.
      (5) Paragraphs (2) through (4) shall not apply to any class
    action in which -
        (A) the primary defendants are States, State officials, or
      other governmental entities against whom the district court may
      be foreclosed from ordering relief; or
        (B) the number of members of all proposed plaintiff classes in
      the aggregate is less than 100.
      (6) In any class action, the claims of the individual class
    members shall be aggregated to determine whether the matter in
    controversy exceeds the sum or value of $5,000,000, exclusive of
    interest and costs.
      (7) Citizenship of the members of the proposed plaintiff classes
    shall be determined for purposes of paragraphs (2) through (6) as
    of the date of filing of the complaint or amended complaint, or, if
    the case stated by the initial pleading is not subject to Federal
    jurisdiction, as of the date of service by plaintiffs of an amended
    pleading, motion, or other paper, indicating the existence of
    Federal jurisdiction.
      (8) This subsection shall apply to any class action before or
    after the entry of a class certification order by the court with
    respect to that action.
      (9) Paragraph (2) shall not apply to any class action that solely
    involves a claim -
        (A) concerning a covered security as defined under 16(f)(3)
      (!1) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 78p(f)(3) (!2)) and
      section 28(f)(5)(E) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15
      U.S.C. 78bb(f)(5)(E));
        (B) that relates to the internal affairs or governance of a
      corporation or other form of business enterprise and that arises
      under or by virtue of the laws of the State in which such
      corporation or business enterprise is incorporated or organized;
      or
        (C) that relates to the rights, duties (including fiduciary
      duties), and obligations relating to or created by or pursuant to
      any security (as defined under section 2(a)(1) of the Securities
      Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77b(a)(1)) and the regulations issued
      thereunder).
      (10) For purposes of this subsection and section 1453, an
    unincorporated association shall be deemed to be a citizen of the
    State where it has its principal place of business and the State
    under whose laws it is organized.
      (11)(A) For purposes of this subsection and section 1453, a mass
    action shall be deemed to be a class action removable under
    paragraphs (2) through (10) if it otherwise meets the provisions of
    those paragraphs.
      (B)(i) As used in subparagraph (A), the term "mass action" means
    any civil action (except a civil action within the scope of section
    1711(2)) in which monetary relief claims of 100 or more persons are
    proposed to be tried jointly on the ground that the plaintiffs'
    claims involve common questions of law or fact, except that
    jurisdiction shall exist only over those plaintiffs whose claims in
    a mass action satisfy the jurisdictional amount requirements under
    subsection (a).
      (ii) As used in subparagraph (A), the term "mass action" shall
    not include any civil action in which -
        (I) all of the claims in the action arise from an event or
      occurrence in the State in which the action was filed, and that
      allegedly resulted in injuries in that State or in States
      contiguous to that State;
        (II) the claims are joined upon motion of a defendant;
        (III) all of the claims in the action are asserted on behalf of
      the general public (and not on behalf of individual claimants or
      members of a purported class) pursuant to a State statute
      specifically authorizing such action; or
        (IV) the claims have been consolidated or coordinated solely
      for pretrial proceedings.
      (C)(i) Any action(s) removed to Federal court pursuant to this
    subsection shall not thereafter be transferred to any other court
    pursuant to section 1407, or the rules promulgated thereunder,
    unless a majority of the plaintiffs in the action request transfer
    pursuant to section 1407.
      (ii) This subparagraph will not apply -
        (I) to cases certified pursuant to rule 23 of the Federal Rules
      of Civil Procedure; or
        (II) if plaintiffs propose that the action proceed as a class
      action pursuant to rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil
      Procedure.
      (D) The limitations periods on any claims asserted in a mass
    action that is removed to Federal court pursuant to this subsection
    shall be deemed tolled during the period that the action is pending
    in Federal court.
      (e) The word "States", as used in this section, includes the
    Territories, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of
    Puerto Rico.

SOURCE

    (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 930; July 26, 1956, ch. 740, 70
    Stat. 658; Pub. L. 85-554, Sec. 2, July 25, 1958, 72 Stat. 415;
    Pub. L. 88-439, Sec. 1, Aug. 14, 1964, 78 Stat. 445; Pub. L. 94-
    583, Sec. 3, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2891; Pub. L. 100-702, title
    II, Secs. 201(a), 202(a), 203(a), Nov. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 4646;
    Pub. L. 104-317, title II, Sec. 205(a), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat.
    3850; Pub. L. 109-2, Sec. 4(a), Feb. 18, 2005, 119 Stat. 9.)

HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES

      Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 41(1) (Mar. 3, 1911,
    ch. 231, Sec. 24, par. 1, 36 Stat. 1091; May 14, 1934, ch. 283,
    Sec. 1, 48 Stat. 775; Aug. 21, 1937, ch. 726, Sec. 1, 50 Stat. 738;
    Apr. 20, 1940, ch. 117, 54 Stat. 143).
      Other provisions of section 41(1) of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed.,
    are incorporated in sections 1331, 1341, 1342, 1345, 1354, and 1359
    of this title. (See reviser's notes under said sections.)
      Jurisdiction conferred by other sections of this chapter, except
    section 1335, is not dependent upon diversity of citizenship. (See
    annotations under former section 41 of title 28, U.S.C.A., and 35
    C.J.S., p. 833 et seq. Secs. 30-43. See, also, reviser's note under
    section 1331 of this title.) As to citizenship of bank where
    jurisdiction depends upon diversity of citizenship, see section
    1348 of this title.
      Words "all civil actions" were substituted for "all suits of a
    civil nature, at common law or in equity" in order to conform to
    Rule 2 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
      Words "or citizens of the District of Columbia, Territory of
    Hawaii, or Alaska, and any State or Territory" which were inserted
    by the amendatory act April 20, 1940, are omitted. The word
    "States" is defined in this section and enumeration of the
    references is unnecessary.
      The revised section conforms with the views of Philip F. Herrick,
    United States Attorney, Puerto Rico, who observed that the act of
    April 20, 1940, permitted action between a citizen of Hawaii and of
    Puerto Rico, but not between a citizen of New York and Puerto Rico,
    in the district court.
      This changes the law to insure uniformity. The 1940 amendment
    applied only to the provision as to controversies between "citizens
    of different States." The new definition in subsection (b) extends
    the 1940 amendment to apply to controversies between citizens of
    the Territories or the District of Columbia, and foreign states or
    citizens or subjects thereof.
      The diversity of citizenship language of section 41(1) of title
    28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., as amended in 1940, was described as
    ambiguous in McGarry v. City of Bethlehem, 45 F.Supp. 385, 386. In
    that case the 1940 amendment was held unconstitutional insofar as
    it affected the District of Columbia. However, two other district
    courts upheld the amendment. Winkler v. Daniels, D.C.Va. 1942, 43
    F.Supp. 265; Glaeser v. Acacia Mutual Life Ass'n., D.C.Cal. 1944,
    55 F.Supp. 925.
      This section is intended to cover all diversity of citizenship
    instances in civil actions in accordance with the judicial
    construction of the language in the original section 41(1) of title
    28, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Therefore, the revised language covers civil
    actions between -
      Citizens of a State, and citizens of other States and foreign
    states or citizens or subjects thereof;
      Citizens of a Territory or the District of Columbia, and foreign
    states or citizens or subjects thereof;
      Citizens of different States;
      Citizens of different Territories;
      Citizens of a State, and citizens of Territories;
      Citizens of a State or Territory, and citizens of the District of
    Columbia;
      Citizens of a State, and foreign states or citizens or subjects
    thereof.
      The revised section removes an uncertainty referred to in the
    McGarry case, supra, as to whether Congress intended to permit
    citizens of the Territories or the District of Columbia to sue a
    State or Territory itself rather than the citizens thereof. The
    court observed that "Congress could hardly have had such
    intention."
      The sentence "The foregoing provisions as to the sum or value of
    the matter in controversy shall not be construed to apply to any of
    the cases mentioned in the succeeding paragraphs of this section"
    was omitted as unnecessary. Those paragraphs are (2)-(28) of said
    section 41 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., which are revised and
    incorporated in this chapter and, except for those relating to
    actions against the United States and interpleader, contains no
    provision as to a sum or value necessary to confer jurisdiction.
    Consequently the omitted sentence is covered by excluding such
    requirement.
      Section 41(1) of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., as originally
    enacted, purported to include all jurisdictional provisions
    relating to the district courts. Subsequently, many special
    jurisdictional provisions were enacted and incorporated in other
    titles of the U.S.C., 1940 ed., as follows:
    Title                                                         Section
      7                                             209
      7                                             210
      7                                             216
      7                                             292
      7                                             499g
      7                                             608a(6)
      7                                             608c(15)(B)
      7                                             610(b)(2)
      7                                             648
      7                                             1175
      7                                             1365-1367
      7                                             1376
      7                                             1508(c)
      8                                             164
      8                                             701
      8                                             903
      9                                             4
      9                                             8
      9                                             9
      11                                            11(a)
      11                                            46
      11                                            205(a)(l)
      11                                            401
      11                                            511
      11                                            512
      11                                            514-516
      11                                            711
      11                                            712
      11                                            811
      11                                            812
      11                                            1011
      11                                            1012
      11                                            1013
      11                                            1200
      12                                            93
      12                                            195
      12                                            632
      15                                            4
      15                                            9
      15                                            15
      15                                            25
      15                                            26
      15                                            31
      15                                            53
      15                                            68e
      15                                            77t
      15                                            77v
      15                                            77vvv
      15                                            78u(e)
      15                                            78u(f)
      15                                            78aa
      15                                            79k(d)(e)
      15                                            79r(f)(g)
      15                                            80a-25
      15                                            80a-34
      15                                            80a-35
      15                                            80a-41(c)(e)
      15                                            80a-43
      15                                            80b-14
      15                                            97
      15                                            99
      15                                            433
      15                                            715d(c)
      15                                            715i
      15                                            717s
      15                                            717u
      16                                            10
      16                                            583e
      16                                            820
      16                                            825m
      16                                            825n
      16                                            825p
      17                                            26
      17                                            34
      21                                            193
      21                                            332
      21                                            355
      25                                            314
      25                                            345
      26                                            3633
      26                                            3800
      27                                            207
      29                                            101
      29                                            103-109
      29                                            160(e)
      29                                            216
      29                                            217
      30                                            188
      31                                            232
      33                                            495
      33                                            918
      33                                            921
      35                                            63
      35                                            66
      35                                            67
      35                                            72a
      35                                            90
      38                                            445
      40                                            257
      40                                            270b
      40                                            361
      41                                            113(b)(2)
      42                                            405(c)(5)(g)
      43                                            546
      43                                            1062
      45                                            56
      45                                            88
      45                                            89
      45                                            153(p)
      45                                            159
      45                                            185
      45                                            228j4
      45                                            228k
      45                                            268
      45                                            355(f)
      46                                            597
      46                                            688
      46                                            711
      46                                            741 et seq.
      46                                            781 et seq.
      46                                            941(c)
      46                                            951
      46                                            954
      46                                            1114(c)
      46                                            1128d
      47                                            11
      47                                            13
      47                                            33
      47                                            36
      47                                            207
      47                                            401
      47                                            406
      47                                            407
      48                                            242
      48                                            245
      49                                            5(8)
      49                                            9
      49                                            16(2)
      49                                            16(9)
      49                                            16(12)
      49                                            17(9)
      49                                            19a(l)
      49                                            20(9)
      49                                            23
      49                                            26(h)
      49                                            41(1)(3)
      49                                            43
      49                                            181(b)(c)
      49                                            305(g)
      49                                            322(b)
      49                                            647
      49                                            916
      49                                            1017
      49                                            1021
      50                                            23
      D.C. Code                                     11-305 - 11-307
      D.C. Code                                     11-309
      D.C. Code                                     11-324

REFERENCES IN TEXT

      Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, referred to in
    subsec. (d)(1)(B), (11)(C)(ii), is set out in the Appendix to this
    title.

AMENDMENTS

      2005 - Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 109-2 added subsec. (d) and
    redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e).
      1996 - Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 104-317 substituted "$75,000"
    for "$50,000".
      1988 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100-702, Sec. 201(a), substituted
    "$50,000" for "$10,000" in introductory text.
      Pub. L. 100-702, Sec. 203(a), inserted at end "For the purposes
    of this section, section 1335, and section 1441, an alien admitted
    to the United States for permanent residence shall be deemed a
    citizen of the State in which such alien is domiciled."
      Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100-702, Sec. 201(a), substituted "$50,000"
    for "$10,000".
      Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100-702, Sec. 202(a), amended subsec. (c)
    generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: "For
    the purposes of this section and section 1441 of this title, a
    corporation shall be deemed a citizen of any State by which it has
    been incorporated and of the State where it has its principal place
    of business: Provided further, That in any direct action against
    the insurer of a policy or contract of liability insurance, whether
    incorporated or unincorporated, to which action the insured is not
    joined as a party-defendant, such insurer shall be deemed a citizen
    of the State of which the insured is a citizen, as well as of any
    State by which the insurer has been incorporated and of the State
    where it has its principal place of business."
      1976 - Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 94-583 substituted "and citizens
    or subjects of a foreign state;" for ", and foreign states or
    citizens or subjects thereof; and".
      Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 94-583 substituted "citizens or subjects
    of a foreign state are additional parties; and" for "foreign states
    or citizens or subjects thereof are additional parties".
      Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 94-583 added par. (4).
      1964 - Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 88-439 inserted proviso deeming an
    insurer of liability insurance, in an action to which the insurer
    is not joined as a party-defendant, a citizen, of the State of
    which the insured is a citizen, as well as the State the insurer
    has been incorporated by and the State where it has its principal
    place of business.
      1958 - Pub. L. 85-554 included costs in section catchline.
      Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 85-554 substituted "$10,000" for "$3,000".
      Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 85-554 added subsecs. (b) and (c)
    and redesignated former subsec. (b) as (d).
      1956 - Subsec. (b). Act July 26, 1956, included the Commonwealth
    of Puerto Rico.
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2005 AMENDMENT
      Pub. L. 109-2, Sec. 9, Feb. 18, 2005, 119 Stat. 14, provided
    that: "The amendments made by this Act [enacting chapter 114 and
    section 1453 of this title and amending this section and sections
    1335 and 1603 of this title] shall apply to any civil action
    commenced on or after the date of enactment of this Act [Feb. 18,
    2005]."
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1996 AMENDMENT
      Section 205(b) of Pub. L. 104-317 provided that: "The amendment
    made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect 90
    days after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 19, 1996]."
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1988 AMENDMENT
      Section 201(b) of title II of Pub. L. 100-702 provided that: "The
    amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall apply
    to any civil action commenced on or after the 180th day after the
    date of enactment of this title [Nov. 19, 1988]."
      Section 202(b) of title II of Pub. L. 100-702 provided that: "The
    amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply
    to any civil action commenced in or removed to a United States
    district court on or after the 180th day after the date of
    enactment of this title [Nov. 19, 1988]."
      Section 203(b) of title II of Pub. L. 100-702 provided that: "The
    amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply
    to claims in civil actions commenced in or removed to the United
    States district courts on or after the 180th day after the date of
    enactment of this title [Nov. 19, 1988]."
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1976 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 94-583 effective 90 days after Oct. 21,
    1976, see section 8 of Pub. L. 94-583, set out as an Effective Date
    note under section 1602 of this title.
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1964 AMENDMENT
      Section 2 of Pub. L. 88-439 provided that: "The amendment made by
    this Act to section 1332(c), title 28, United States Code, applies
    only to causes of action arising after the date of enactment of
    this Act [Aug. 14, 1964]."
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1958 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 85-554 applicable only in the case of
    actions commenced after July 25, 1958, see section 3 of Pub. L. 85-
    554, set out as a note under section 1331 of this title.

FOOTNOTE

    (!1) So in original. Probably should be preceded by "section".
    (!2) So in original. Probably should be "77p(f)(3)".
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