Bixler v. Iberia, Líneas Aereas de España
Bixler v. Iberia, Líneas Aereas de España
Opinion of the Court
ORDER
The issue to be resolved in this civil action brought against Iberia, Líneas Aereas de España (hereinafter referred to as Iberia) by two passengers is whether the requisite jurisdictional amount is present. Jurisdiction is invoked under 28 U.S.C. § 1332 and 48 U.S.C. § 863.
The complaint charges that plaintiffs’ suitcases were twice lost on a vacation
The entire file of Civil 939-70 has been examined and the situation raised therein compared with the present one. No doubt they are analogous in that both are claims made by passengers arising from the loss of suitcases and in both actions defendants sought dismissal based on the absence of the jurisdictional value. However, there is a substantial difference between them. Said difference lies in the fact that the complaint in the case before me was filed on April 3, 1970, almost exactly two months before the repeal of 48 U.S.C. § 863.
The particular facts of each case determine whether the amount in controversy has been met. Even assuming that the provisions of the Warsaw Convention fixing limits of liability were here applicable,
Accordingly, the motion to dismiss filed on May 25, 1970 is hereby denied and defendant Iberia is granted 10 days within which to answer the complaint.
It is so ordered.
. Section 863 was repealed on June 2, 1970 by Public Law 91-272, 84 Stat. 298.
. See savings provision contained in Public Law 91-450, October 14, 1970, 84 Stat. 922 providing that nothing in the repeal of section 863 would impair the jurisdiction of this Court to hear and determine any action or matter begun in the Court on or before June 2, 1970. Long v. Continental Casualty Co., D.C., 323 F.Supp. 1158, Memorandum and Order filed and entered on December 31, 1970 by Chief Judge Hiram R. Cancio.
. See: Lisi v. Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane, S. p. A., D.C., 253 F.Supp. 237, affirmed 370 F.2d 508, affirmed 390 U.S. 455, 88 S.Ct. 1193, 20 L.Ed.2d 27, reh. den. 391 U.S. 929, 88 S.Ct. 1801, 20 L.Ed.2d 671.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ralph Wayne BIXLER v. IBERIA, LÍNEAS AEREAS DE ESPAÑA
- Status
- Published