United States Third Circuit

In a action brought against automobile insurance providers, district court's grant of plaintiff's motion to remand to state court is vacated in part and remanded where: 1) the court's analysis of the significant basis provision of the local controversy exception to the Class Action Fairness Act erroneously relied on generic market share numbers instead of focusing on the conduct of all of the defendants and the local defendants; and 2) the court did not err in rejecting co-defendant Liberty's argument that the principal injuries provision of the local controversy exception was not satisfied.

Appellate Information

• Argued 01/27/2009
• Decided 03/26/2009
• Published 03/26/2009

Judges

• Before:  McKEE, RENDELL, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• John J. Calkins, Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, Washington, DC, DanaLynn T. Colao, Saiber, Newark, NJ, for Allstate NJ Insurance Company., Mark G. Arnold, (Argued), Husch Blackwell Sanders, St. Louis, MO, for Liberty Mutual Fire., Meloney C. Perry, (Argued), Meckler Bugler Tilson Marick & Pearson, Dallas, TX, David F. Swerdlow, Windels, Marx, Lane & Mittendorf, Princeton, NJ, for Geico Insurance Company., Stephen R. Katzman, Methfessel & Werbel, Edison, NJ, for First Trenton Indemnity Company., Joseph J. DePalma, Bruce D. Greenberg, Lite, De Palma, Greenberg & Rivas, Newark, NJ, for High Point Insurance Company and NJ Manufacturing Insurance Company., Daniel J. Pomeroy, Mortenson & Pomeroy, Springfield, NJ, for High Point Insurance Company and NJ Manufacturing Insurance Company.


• For Appellees:
  
• Eric D. Katz, (Argued), Mazie, Slater, Katz & Freeman, Roseland, NJ, for Appellees., John E. Keefe, Jr., Keefe Bartel, Shrewsbury, NJ, for Appellees.