Andrade v. Teichroeb
Andrade v. Teichroeb
Opinion of the Court
On this day, the Court considered:
(1) Defendant Jacob Wiebe Teichroeb, Individually, d/b/a Seminole Metal's Motion to Dismiss pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6), filed July 11, 2018; and
(2) Plaintiff Laura Andrade's Response to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss, filed July 30, 2018.
The Court, having considered the foregoing, is of the opinion Defendant's Motion to Dismiss should be GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.
I.
BACKGROUND
On June 29, 2018, Laura Andrade ("Plaintiff") filed the above-styled and -numbered civil action against Jacob Wiebe Teichroeb, Individually, d/b/a Seminole Metal ("Defendant"), alleging willful violations under the Fair Standards Labor Act pursuant to
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1), Defendant moves to dismiss Plaintiff's state law claim, contending the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction and that such claims are not properly within the exercise of supplemental jurisdiction under
II.
STANDARD
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1)
Motions filed under Rule 12(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure allow a party to challenge the subject matter jurisdiction of the district court to hear a case. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1). Lack of subject matter jurisdiction may be found in any one of three instances: (1) the complaint alone; (2) the complaint supplemented by undisputed facts evidenced in the record; or (3) the complaint supplemented by undisputed facts plus the court's resolution of disputed facts. King v. U.S. Dept. Of Veterans Affairs ,
In examining a Rule 12(b)(1) motion, the district court is empowered to *685consider matters of fact which may be in dispute. Williamson v. Tucker ,
When a Rule 12(b)(1) motion is filed in conjunction with other Rule 12 motions, the court should consider the Rule 12(b)(1) jurisdictional attack before addressing any attack on the merits. Willoughby v. U.S. ex rel. U.S. Dept. of the Army ,
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6)
A complaint must contain "a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief." Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a). The court must accept all factual allegations in a complaint as true and draw all reasonable inferences in the plaintiff's favor. Lormand v. US Unwired, Inc. ,
III.
DISCUSSION
Subject Matter Jurisdiction
Plaintiff pleads in her Complaint the existence of federal question jurisdiction and complains that the Defendant has violated
Within the confines of
*686is whether the supplemental claims are so related to the original claims that they ... 'derive from a common nucleus of operative fact.' " Mendoza v. Murphy ,
The Court, having considered the briefing submitted addressing this jurisdictional dispute, is of the opinion Plaintiff has carried her burden of establishing the existence of supplemental jurisdiction over her state law tort claim. Accordingly, the Court DENIES Defendant's Motion under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) for the reasons set forth in Plaintiff's Response.
Motion to Dismiss pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6)
i. Fair Standards Labor Act
Turning now to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), Defendant moves to "dismiss all FLSA claims ... arising prior to June 29, 2016, because those claims are barred under the applicable statute of limitations." Def.'s Mot. to Dismiss ¶ 21. Defendant contends that "[a]lthough Plaintiff states that Defendant intentionally violated the FLSA, Defendant (sic) has failed to show any factual basis for that contention, or to identify any facts which make that claim plausible, other than the merely conclusory statement." Id. at ¶ 23. Conversley, Plaintiff asserts her "allegations adequately plead that Defendant's conduct was willful, [and therefore] a three-year statute of limitations applies to her FLSA claims ...." Pl.'s Resp. to Def.'s Mot. to Dismiss p. 12. Plaintiff's Complaint asserts Defendant: (1) intentionally misclassified her as an independent contractor; (2) knew she was working overtime, but did not pay her one and a half times her normal hourly rate; and (3) the conduct committed by the Defendant was in complete disregard for the laws under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Pl.'s Compl. ¶¶ 19, 26-7.
Ordinarily, claims brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act are subject to a two-year statute of limitations.
Equally important, "[a] statute of limitations may support dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6) where it is evident from the plaintiff's pleadings that the action is barred and the pleadings fail to raise some basis for tolling or the like." Jones v. Alcoa, Inc. ,
The Court, having reviewed Plaintiff's Complaint and all relevant authority, is disinclined at this stage of litigation to make a determination of whether or not Defendant's conduct was willful.
ii. State Law Assault Claim
Plaintiff pleads in her Complaint that Defendant committed the state law tort of assault. Defendant moves to "dismiss ... [the] state tort claims arising prior to June 29, 2016, because those claims are barred under the applicable statute of limitations." Def.'s Mot. to Dismiss ¶ 21. In addition, Defendant asserts that "for all of the incidents alleged by the Plaintiff to be assaultive in nature, Plaintiff is required to allege, as an element of the tort, some degree of bodily injury." Id. at ¶ 26.
In response, Plaintiff indicates that "[i]n Texas, the definition of assault is the same under civil and criminal law and covers three types of contact: (1) bodily injury; (2) imminent bodily injury; or (3) intentional or knowing physical contact with another when the person knows or should reasonably believe that the other will regard the contact as offensive and provocative." Pl.'s Resp. to Def.'s Mot. to Dismiss p. 10 (citing LaBella v. Charlie Thomas, Inc. ,
Plaintiff argues that "Defendant describes the first type of contact in his Motion to Dismiss. However, [Plaintiff] pleaded her case under the third prong."
The Court, having considered Plaintiff's Complaint and all briefing submitted, finds Plaintiff has alleged sufficient facts to sustain a cause of action arising under Texas Penal Code Section 22.01(a)(3). However, Plaintiff's assault claims arising prior to June 29, 2016, are barred under the applicable statute of limitations. Accordingly, the Court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART Defendant's Motion to Dismiss under 12(b)(6) as it relates to Plaintiff's assault allegations.
IV.
CONCLUSION
The Court, having considered Defendant's Motion to Dismiss and Plaintiff's Response, is of the opinion Defendant's Motion pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) should be DENIED. Further, Defendant's Motion under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART in accordance with the Court's finding set forth above.
SO ORDERED this 24th day of October, 2018.
See Perkins ,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Laura ANDRADE v. Jacob Wiebe TEICHROEB, Individually and d/b/a Seminole Metal
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published