American Stores Co. v. Gerlach, 4660.

Decision Date04 February 1932
Docket NumberNo. 4660.,4660.
Citation55 F.2d 658
PartiesAMERICAN STORES CO. v. GERLACH et al.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Third Circuit

Louis Wagner, R. A. Smith, and Thomas J. Clary, all of Philadelphia, Pa., for appellant.

Abraham M. Rose, of Philadelphia, Pa., for appellee.

Before BUFFINGTON, WOOLLEY, and DAVIS, Circuit Judges.

BUFFINGTON, Circuit Judge.

This suit was originally brought in the state court. The plaintiffs claimed $20,000 each, or $40,000 damage. The defendant, alleging plaintiffs were citizens of Pennsylvania and defendant a corporate citizen of Delaware, removed the case to the federal court. It was there tried and resulted in a verdict of $100 for each plaintiff. Plaintiffs moved for a new trial, which the court granted, and plaintiffs having reduced their claims to $2,750, the court remanded the case to the state court. Thereupon the defendant, alleging the court had no ground on which to grant a new trial, took this appeal.

On due consideration, we are of opinion the court committed no error. It had satisfied itself that there was really no such sum in issue as the plaintiffs alleged, and, when the plaintiffs agreed to reduce their claim below the statutory removal sum provided and the court was satisfied from the testimony that such statutory removal sum was not really involved, it was justified by the statute in remanding the case.

We had this same general subject before us in the case of Wilderman v. Roth (C. C. A.) 17 F.(2d) 486, 487, and we there held: "We agree with the opinion of the court, as stated in the margin, that the court was without jurisdiction and accordingly affirm its order of dismissal." The opinion therein referred to is reported at (D. C.) 9 F.(2d) 637.

The order remanding the case to the state court is affirmed.

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4 cases
  • City of Greenwood v. Humphrey & Co., Inc
    • United States
    • Mississippi Supreme Court
    • May 23, 1938
    ... ... J. 899, sec. 270; [182 Miss. 95] Harrison v ... German-American F. Ins. Co., 90 F. 758; Wallace v ... Clements, 248 N.W. 58; Realty ... Chesapeake ... & Ohio Ry. Co., 215 F. 24; American Stores Co. v ... Gerlach, 55 F.2d 658; General Investment Co. v. Lake ... ...
  • St Paul Mercury Indemnity Co v. Red Cab Co
    • United States
    • U.S. Supreme Court
    • February 28, 1938
    ...knew that the amount involved was too little to give jurisdiction: Turmine v. West Jersey R. Co., D.C., 44 F.2d 614; American Stores Co. v. Gerlach, 3 Cir., 55 F.2d 658. 24 The same principle applies in cases where a fixed amount is requisite to jurisdiction on appeal. Lee v. Watson, 1 Wall......
  • Martin v. Western Union Telegraph Co.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Eastern District of Wisconsin
    • October 18, 1944
    ...it is the duty of the federal courts to remand the action. Turmine v. West Jersey & S. S. R. Co., D.C., 44 F.2d 614; American Stores Co. v. Gerlach, 3 Cir., 55 F.2d 658. This rule was approved in St. Paul Mercury Indemnity Co. v. Red Cab Co., 303 U.S. 283, 292, 58 S.Ct. 586, 82 L.Ed. The ru......
  • Duarte v. Donnelley
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — District of Hawaii
    • April 5, 1967
    ...Supreme Court (Note 23, 303 U.S. at 293, 58 S.Ct. 586), in Turmine v. West Jersey & S. R. Co., D.C., 44 F.2d 614 and American Stores Co. v. Gerlach, 3 Cir., 55 F.2d 658, where it appeared at trial that plaintiff's injuries and losses were so slight that a verdict for more than a fraction of......

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