Crawford v. Ann Arbor R. Co.

Decision Date20 October 1950
Citation94 F. Supp. 29
PartiesCRAWFORD v. ANN ARBOR R. CO.
CourtU.S. District Court — Southern District of New York

Jacob Rassner, New York City, proctor for libelant.

Atkins & Weymar, New York City, proctors for respondent, by Horace T. Atkins, New York City, advocate.

GODDARD, District Judge.

Motion by respondent to transfer this suit in admiralty to the Western District of Michigan, Southern Division, at Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The libel, filed February 10, 1950, contains two counts. 1 — For damages; 2 — For maintenance and cure, as a result of injuries alleged to have been sustained by libelant, a seaman employed aboard the Steamship Wabash on Lake Michigan on March 2, 1942.

The libelant's home is Elberta, Michigan. Respondent, a Michigan corporation, the owner of the Wabash, operates its vessels exclusively on Lake Michigan. It lists ten witnesses whom it proposes to call; all, with the exception of one, live in the vicinity of Grand Rapids; that one lives in Cleveland. Libelant might have brought this suit in Michigan.

For the convenience of the parties and the witnesses and in the interest of justice, this suit should be transferred to Michigan.

Libelant questions the power of this court to transfer a suit in admiralty. But I think that the language of Title 28 U.S.C.A. § 1404(a) which reads — "* * * a district court may transfer any civil action to any other district court or division where it might have been brought" is broad and unrestricted.

The Supreme Court in Ex parte Collett, 337 U.S. 55, 69 S.Ct. 944, 93 L.Ed. 1207, in holding that Section 1404(a) was applicable to suits brought under the Federal Employers' Liability Act, 45 U.S.C.A. § 51 et seq., said—"The reach of `any civil action' is unmistakable. The phrase is used without qualification, without hint that some should be excluded." 337 U.S. at page 58, 69 S.Ct. at page 946. See opinion in St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company v. American Mail Line, Ltd., D.C., 94 F. Supp. 28.

Motion to transfer to the Western District of Michigan, Southern Division, at Grand Rapids, is granted.

Settle order on notice.

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7 cases
  • Internatio-Rotterdam, Inc. v. Thomsen
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Fourth Circuit
    • January 5, 1955
    ...F.2d 953; Orr v. United States, 2 Cir., 174 F.2d 577; Arrowhead Co. Inc., v. The Aimee Lykes, D.C., 101 F.Supp. 895; Crawford v. Ann Arbor Railroad Co., D.C., 94 F.Supp. 29; St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v. American Mail Line Ltd., D.C., 94 F.Supp. 28. The Supreme Court, in Ex parte Colle......
  • Petition of Backman
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — District of Delaware
    • July 27, 1954
    ...Bros. S. S. Co., D.C.S.D.N.Y., 119 F. Supp. 408; Arrowhead Co. v. The Aimee Lykes, D.C.S.D.N.Y., 101 F.Supp. 895; Crawford v. Ann Arbor R. Co., D.C.S.D. N.Y., 94 F.Supp. 29. Other jurisdictions have similarly held. LeMee v. Streckfus Steamers, Inc., D.C.E.D.Mo., 96 F.Supp. 270; Paco Tankers......
  • Coleman v. STOCKARD STEAMSHIP CORPORATION
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Eastern District of Pennsylvania
    • November 10, 1958
    ...Atlantic Land & Improvement Co., D.C.1952, 108 F.Supp. 406; Le Mee v. Streckfus Steamers, D.C.1951, 96 F.Supp. 270; Crawford v. Ann Arbor R. Co., D.C.1950, 94 F.Supp. 29; and St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v. American Mail Line, Limited, D.C.1950, 94 F.Supp. 28, are all in accord. I am of ......
  • Kinsman Transit Co. v. Dunham Towing & Wrecking Co.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Northern District of Ohio
    • September 9, 1953
    ...Atlantic Land & Improvement Co., D.C. 1952, 108 F.Supp. 406; Le Mee v. Strackfus Steamers, D.C. 1951, 96 F.Supp. 270; Crawford v. Ann Arbor R. Co., D.C. 1950, 94 F.Supp. 29; and St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v. American Mail Line, D.C. 1950, 94 F.Supp. 28, are all in accord. I am of the o......
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