Atlantic Ship Rigging Co. v. McLellan

Decision Date06 April 1961
Docket NumberNo. 13442.,13442.
Citation288 F.2d 589
PartiesATLANTIC SHIP RIGGING CO., Inc., and the State Insurance Fund, Appellants, v. John D. McLELLAN, Jr., Deputy Commissioner for the 2nd Compensation District of the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Employees' Compensation, and Zurich Insurance Company, and John E. Murphy.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Third Circuit

Louis Bussell, New York City (Francis D. Murphy, West New York, N. J., on the brief), for plaintiffs-appellants.

Raymond W. Young, Asst. U. S. Atty., Newark, N. J. (Chester A. Weidenburner, U. S. Atty., Newark, N. J., on the brief), for appellee.

Before KALODNER, STALEY and HASTIE, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM.

Appellants, The State Insurance Fund, created under the laws of the State of New York, and its insured, Atlantic Ship Rigging Co., Inc., employer, commenced an action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York to review a compensation order of the defendant-appellee, the Deputy Commissioner for the Second Compensation District of the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Employees' Compensation, making a compensation award under the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, 33 U.S.C.A. § 901 et seq. ("Act"), to an employee of Atlantic named Murphy.

Subsection 921(b) of the Act provides that a compensation order is reviewable in the district court for the judicial district in which the injury occurred.1 The single allegation in appellants' complaint as to the place of Murphy's injury was that he was employed in Hoboken, New Jersey. The district court in New York, therefore, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1406 (a), transferred the action to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. That court, however, dismissed the action, holding that since subsection 921(b) is jurisdictional, the district court in New York lacked jurisdiction over the subject matter and was, therefore, without power to transfer the action.

We think that the district court below was correct. It was made clear in Continental Fire and Casualty Insurance Company v. O'Leary, 9 Cir., 1956, 236 F.2d 282, and Bassett v. Massman Construction Co., 8 Cir., 120 F.2d 230, certiorari denied 1941, 314 U.S. 648, 62 S.Ct. 92, 86 L.Ed. 520, that subsection 921(b) of the Act is jurisdictional and that it is not merely a venue provision. Recently, this court in Hohensee v. News Syndicate, Inc., 3 Cir., 1961, 286 F.2d 527, held that a court is without power to transfer an action under 28 U.S.C. § 1406(a) absent...

To continue reading

Request your trial
26 cases
  • Mills v. State of Me.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — First Circuit
    • February 5, 1997
    ...[a defect] which precludes it from acting at all, a fortiori, a court lacks power to transfer.' ") (quoting Atlantic Ship Rigging Co. v. McLellan, 288 F.2d 589, 591 (3rd Cir.1961) and citing Panhandle E. Pipe Line Co. v. FPC, 343 F.2d 905, 908 (8th Cir.1965)); Klett v. Pim, 965 F.2d 587, 59......
  • Stewart V. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Stewart (In re Stewart)
    • United States
    • U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Western District of Pennsylvania
    • May 21, 2012
    ...over an action do not have the authority to transfer that action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1406. Atlantic Ship Rigging Co. v. McLellan, 288 F.2d 589, 591 (3d Cir.1961) ( per curiam ). Indeed, § 1406 only concerns the ability of district courts to cure “venue” defects not a defect involving la......
  • Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, U.S. Dept. of Labor v. National Van Lines, Inc.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — District of Columbia Circuit
    • December 19, 1979
    ...dismiss the petitions rather than acquiesce in the parties' decision not to press the issue further. * Cf. Atlantic Ship Rigging Co. v. McLellan, 288 F.2d 589 (2d Cir. 1961) (predecessor to 33 U.S.C. § 921(c), which provided for initial review in the district court for the judicial district......
  • New Mexico ex rel. Energy and Minerals Dept., Min. and Minerals Div. v. U.S. Dept. of Interior
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — District of Columbia Circuit
    • June 5, 1987
    ...F.2d 299, 301 (1st Cir.1980), Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Co. v. FPC, 343 F.2d 905, 908 (8th Cir.1965), and Atlantic Ship Rigging Co. v. McLellan, 288 F.2d 589, 591 (3d Cir.1961) (courts lack power to transfer such ...
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT