Improper Motive And Sloppy Drafting Defeat Remand

Last week we posted about the need to consider the level of detail and specificity you include in any filing. We happened to stumble across another case that prompted a word to the wise – proofread, proofread, proofread. Today's case is a defense victory in the battle between state and federal forums, but perhaps more importantly it is a reminder that in the age of "cut and paste," proofreading is more important than ever.

Grant v. Johnson & Johnson, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 214078 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 19, 2017), is not a drug or medical device case. But it involves an attempt by plaintiffs to use local pharmacies to defeat federal diversity jurisdiction and that is something drug and device defense lawyers face on a regular basis. Plaintiff filed a complaint in state court alleging that defendants, including a local New York pharmacy, sold and distributed products containing asbestos which caused plaintiff to develop mesothelioma. Id. at *3. Defendants then removed the case