299 F. 972 (E.D.N.Y. 1924), Wienbroer v. United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation

• Citation: 299 F. 972
• Party Name: WIENBROER v. UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD EMERGENCY FLEET CORPORATION et al.
• Case Date: May 29, 1924
• Court: United States District Courts, 2nd Circuit, Eastern District of New York

Page 972

299 F. 972 (E.D.N.Y. 1924)

WIENBROER

v.

UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD EMERGENCY FLEET CORPORATION et al.

United States District Court, E.D. New York.

May 29, 1924

Frederick R. Graves, of New York City, for plaintiff.

Ralph C. Greene, U.S. Atty., of Brooklyn, N.Y. (Edgar G. Wandless, of New York City, of counsel, appearing specially for defendant United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation, only, and Nathan A. Smyth, of New York City, appearing specially for defendant Munson Steamship Line, for purpose of this motion only), for defendants.

Page 973

CAMPBELL, District Judge.

This is a motion made by both defendants, pursuant to section 278 of the Civil Practice Act and rule 107 of the Rules of Civil Practice, for a judgment dismissing the complaint herein, on the ground that the court had no jurisdiction of the person of the defendants. The action has been removed to this court from the New York Supreme Court, Richmond County, and the defendants have both appeared specially for the purpose of making this motion.

This action is brought under the Merchant Marine Act of June 5, 1920, c. 250, Sec. 33 (Comp. St. Ann. Supp. 1923, Sec. 8337a), for damages for injuries alleged to have been caused to the plaintiff by the negligence of the defendants, their agents or servants, aboard a ship owned or leased by them. The complaint alleges that the defendant Munson Steamship Line was and now is a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the state of New York, and at all said times was and now is doing business in the state of New York, with its principal office for the regular transaction of business in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and state of New York.

The county of Richmond is in the Eastern district of New York, while the county of New York is in the Southern district of New York, as the said state is divided into federal court districts. The state of New York is under the state Constitution divided into judicial districts, the county of Richmond being in the Second judicial district, and the county of New York in the First judicial district.

In my opinion, however, Congress did not, by the words 'the court of the district in which the employer defendant resides or in which his principal office is located, mean the federal court district when the action is brought in the state courts, nor the state...