White v. Rawl Sales ( 2007 )


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  •                             UNPUBLISHED
    UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
    No. 06-1700
    IRA WHITE; CATHY WHITE; AMANDA WHITE; ADAM
    WHITE; LARRY J. BROWN; BRENDA BROWN; BILLY
    SAMMONS, JR.; DEBORAH SAMMONS; JORDAN SAMMONS;
    BRITTANY SAMMONS; ALICE YATES; FRANK COLEMAN;
    RODNEY D. JUDE; RODNEY M. JUDE; ANNETTE JUDE;
    MELISSA JUDE; NOAH JUDE; BRAYDEN LAMBERT;
    CAITLYN   LAMBERT;    CHARITY   LAMBERT;   RANDY
    LAMBERT; DEBORAH MURPHY; KERMIT MURPHY; KERMIT
    MURPHY, JR.; ALLISON CRABTREE; OSCAR ROBERTS;
    TROY STAFFORD; JUANITA PIGMAN; WILLIAM PIGMAN;
    ZELLA PIGMAN; RANDY DEWAYNE MEADOWS; TRACIE
    MEADOWS; MARISSA MEADOWS; RANDALL LESTER;
    KAYCE LESTER; ADAM RANDALL LESTER; TERESA
    STANLEY; THELMA ROBERTS; ALLEN SCHWALB; THELMA
    PRATER; RUBY BLANKENSHIP; RUSSELL ELKINS; ELLA
    MAE ELKINS; TAMMY ELKINS; TIMOTHY ELKINS;
    MIRANDA ELKINS; HANNA ELKINS; SHELLEY AMANDA
    CRABTREE; TAWNYA WHITT; THELMA ELKINS; RITA
    ELKINS;    STEVEN    ELKINS;   WANDA    MOLLETT;
    JACQUELINE MOLLETT; PEARL BROWN; PAUL J.
    BROWN; REGINA SCOTT; RONALD KEITH SCOTT;
    ROSEMARY JUSTICE; JAMES JUSTICE; FRANKLIN D.
    FULLER;     DONNETTA    BLANKENSHIP;     ORVILLE
    BLANKENSHIP;      AMY     RUNYON;     CHRISTINA
    BLANKENSHIP; JOSH RUNYON; DAVID DILLON; MARY
    ELIZABETH DILLON; DAVID EVANS; MAGOLA MAE
    EVANS; CHRISTOPHER S. BROWN; CARMELITA BROWN;
    ERNEST BROWN; OPAL CRABTREE; JOHNNY “BO”
    CRABTREE; PAUL DAVID BROWN; KATHELENE BROWN;
    MARY ANN CRABTREE; IRA EVANS; GLENNA FAE
    EVANS; FRANKLIN FINNELL; FRANK FULLER; FRANCIS
    FULLER; PRESTON CHILDS; LAURA CHILDS; SAMMY
    ROSE; AARON FARMER; TAMMY BROWN BENTLEY;
    SHEENA HUBERT; BRANDON HUBERT; TAMMY MOSLEY;
    TIM MOSLEY; TARA PENNINGTON; DAVID B. MCCOY;
    JUDY MCCOY; DEBORAH IRENE SAMMONS; BILLY
    SAMMONS, III; FAYE SAMMONS; BILLY IRVINE
    SAMMONS, IV; MATTHEW SAMMONS; MIRANDA SAMMONS;
    RUSSELL PRINCE; VIRGINIA PRINCE; JAMES PRINCE;
    ASHLEY PRINCE; BOB VINICIL; BETTY BAISDEN;
    ORVILLE BAISDEN; SHAWN MICHAEL BAISDEN; CONNIE
    MULLINS; JERRY MULLINS; LAURA MULLINS; SHIRLEY
    MULLINS; TERRY MULLINS; CARRIE ANN PRATER;
    AMANDA RENEE HICKS; RICKY HICKS; CHRISTOPHER
    HICKS; ROBIN SMITH; CAITLYN SMITH; REBECCA E.
    ROBERTS; CHESTER ROBERTS; MARY ROBERTS; RANDY
    S. MEADOWS; CRYSTAL PRINCE; BALLARD PRINCE;
    ROBERT PRINCE; SAVANNAH PRINCE; ERIC PRINCE;
    LASSIE PRATER; KENNETH STROUD; CHRISTOPHER
    CHASE STROUD; KENNETH AARON STROUD; KEITH
    STATEN;    CECELIA   STATEN;  JESSIE    MEADOWS;
    JENNIFER SPENCE; JOSHUA SPENCE; DAVID JOE
    MOLLETT; ELMER MOLLETT; MEKIA MOLLETT; JOHN
    MAY; FRANCIS MAY; MATTHEW MAY; JANICE WALLEN;
    DOCK WALLEN; TIMOTHY WALLEN; HESTER RUNYON;
    ARNOLD RUNYON; LARRY BROWN, JR.; KATHY HARDIN;
    MAUDE RICE; MICHAEL LESTER; MICHAEL SHANE
    LESTER; JENNIFER BALDRIDGE; NALO JEAN ROBERTS;
    MARGIE ROBINETTE; JOHN ROBINETTE; JONATHAN
    ROBINETTE; STEVEN ROBINETTE; STEVE BALL; LISA
    WALLEN; MARY MARGARET MILAM; JIMMY MILAM;
    CHRISTOPHER BRIAN MILAM; CHRISTOPHER BRIAN
    MILAM, JR.; MARY SUE MEADOWS; RANDY MEADOWS;
    JOSEPH    MEADOWS;    AUSTIN  MEADOWS;    DANIEL
    MEADOWS; JAMES “BO” SCOTT, and Family; MADGE
    FRANCE; DAVID FRANCE; LUCY CHAFIN; ROY
    FRANKLIN; LISA FRANCIS; ETHAN FRANCIS; LARISA
    FRANCIS; LISA BLANKENSHIP; LEANN MICHELLE
    CENTERS; DESTINY ALEXANDRIA CENTERS; BEVERLY
    IVINS; AMY BAILEY; JAMES L. BAILEY; JAMES C.
    BAILEY; CODY BAILEY; BILLY HATFIELD; JIMMY
    HATFIELD; TIMMY HATFIELD; BRANDI HENSLEY;
    CATHY HENSLEY; DUSTI HENSLEY; JAMES HENSLEY;
    JAMIE    HENSLEY;    SHIRLEY   HENSLEY;    JAMES
    CRABTREE; WILLIAM OSCAR CRABTREE; JAMES D.
    CRABTREE; JULIE ANN CRABTREE; JESSICA DOTSON;
    BRIAN   DOTSON;    VERONICA  DOTSON;    VICTORIA
    DOTSON; BRANDON DOTSON; JIMMY HENSLEY; JOANIE
    DOTSON; JOINE FINNELL; EDNA MARIE FINNELL;
    INGA HURLEY; BILL HURLEY; ESTALENE LESTER;
    LEAH LESTER; EDDIE DILLON; ANITA DILLON; MEGAN
    DILLON; ERIC DILLON; DEBORAH STANLEY; DOROTHY
    SPARKS; DAVID WADE HENSLEY; MARGARET ADKINS;
    JAMES EDWARD PRINCE; LINDA SUE NORTH PRINCE;
    JERRY LEE FIELDS; FRANK ELWOOD FIELDS; SHAYNE
    - 2 -
    ANTHONY FIELDS; MISTY DAWN MILLER DILLON;
    HAILEY DAWN MILLER DILLON; JAMES FIELDS; BETH
    ANN WALLEN; ALYSA WALLEN; MARK ADKINS; MARSHA
    O. ADKINS; DAKOTA BREWSTER; MARY HELEN YATES;
    MELVIN CHARLES MCCOY; MADONNA MCCOY; AMANDA
    DAWN MCCOY; MELVIN LEE MCCOY; DAVID MICHAEL
    MCCOY; MYRA K. SLONE; MISTY DAWN FIELDS
    CUNNINGHAM; JENNIFER LYNN JOHNSON ENDICOTT;
    BRITTANY LYNN JOHNSON; DEBRA ANN MILLER; DAVID
    B. YATES; BETTY FIELDS AYERS; EUGENE CLINE;
    MARK MARCUM; MARGARET ANN WHITT; MARY ANN
    ROBERTS; JACOB ANDREW LOPEZ; JAQLYN MARIE
    LOPEZ; JESSE JACINTO LOPEZ; MARCUS CODY
    ADKINS; MELISSA BENTLEY; AUSTIN PAUL RYAN
    BROWN; KURASTIN PAIGE BROWN; MICHAEL TODD
    ADKINS; MARK STANLEY; NATASHA LYNN STANLEY;
    FRANCIS HICKS MAY; DREAMA LYNN MARCUM GANNON
    HOLMES; CHRISTINA MICHELLE H. OOTEN; BILL
    HENRY; CHARLES EDWARD STANLEY; TERESA ANN
    STANLEY; CHRISTOPHER LEE HICKS; JEREMY DAVID
    MCCOY; ALICE OOTEN; CAROL FRANCIS LOCKARD
    MAYNARD; CHARLOTTE SEWARD; DARLENE HICKS;
    BARBARA ANN CRABTREE HELVEY; OPAL MAY ROBERTS;
    RICHARD LEWIS; ORTHA FRANCE; JESSICA LYNN
    BOWMAN BLANKENSHIP; TIFFANY NICOLE PRICE;
    VICKY LYNN WHITE; ROSCOE WHITE; RUTH WHITE;
    SHEILA RENA MAYNARD; PHILLIP BRYANT COLEMAN;
    ARLEEN FAYE COLEMAN; JOHN ALLEN DILLON;
    JONATHAN   CLIFFORD   WHITT;   RUDOLPH   SCOTT
    SEEFELDT; NANCY ANN LOCKARD SEEFELDT; GARTH
    SIRCHER; ZACHARIAH SCOTT BROOKS SEEFELDT;
    ARTHUR DINGESS; CHARLES TRAVIS LOCKARD; ANGELA
    RHONDA NICOLE ANDERSON LOCKARD; CHARLES TRAVIS
    LOCKARD, JR.; MICHAELA NICOLE LOCKARD; SHARON
    LESTER; MISTIE NICOLE PRINCE; KENNETH PATRICK
    HENSLEY; CARL BOWMAN; LINDA GAYE CLINE BOWMAN;
    CARLA JO BOWMAN; DAKOTA LEE EARL BLANKENSHIP;
    NORMA JEAN HENSLEY CLARK; ROBERT JAMES CLARK,
    JR.; JOSHUA JAMES CLARK; PEGGY SUE MILLER;
    PAUL MICHAEL SLONE; DONNA FIELDS SLONE;
    ANGELEA CHRISTINA FIELDS; PEGGY SUE HENSLEY
    MAY; CHESTER LAWRENCE MAY, JR.; MATTHEW
    LAWRENCE MAY; SABRINA MARIE DOLL; SHARON B.
    ADKINS; MICHAEL ADKINS; DOROTHY P. POPE;
    CHRISI CALODNIA PRINCE; ANGELA MARIE BOWMAN;
    FRANKIE   DALE    HICKS;   CHRISTINE    PRICE;
    ALEXANDRIA RACHELLE LAWSON FIELDS; ROBERT
    - 3 -
    JOSEPH PRICE; CHEYENNE JANE FIELDS; ELMER “BO”
    COLLINS;   CHRISTY   COLLINS;  JOEY   COLLINS;
    FRANCES MOLLET ROER; DONALD L. ROER; DIANA L.
    ROER; ERNIE HALL; HANSEL LEE COLLINS; NINA
    HATFIELD; OPAL L. JERVIS; TOM D. JERVIS; JOYCE
    ANN HENSLEY PATTON; KRISTA DONLEY; CHRISTOPHER
    MATTHEW BROWN; LISA RENEE TYGART BROOKS;
    RONALD H. BROOKS, II; MARK YORK; BARB S. YORK,
    Plaintiffs - Appellees,
    versus
    RAWL SALES AND        PROCESSING   COMPANY;    MASSEY
    ENERGY COMPANY,
    Defendants - Appellants.
    Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern
    District of West Virginia, at Charleston.   Robert C. Chambers,
    District Judge.    (2:05-cv-00965; 2:05-cv-0966; 2:05-cv-0987;
    2:05-cv-1132;   2:05-cv-1151;    2:05-cv-1152;    2:05-cv-1153;
    2:05-cv-1154)
    Submitted:    August 17, 2007                 Decided:   September 7, 2007
    Before NIEMEYER, TRAXLER, and SHEDD, Circuit Judges.
    Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
    Daniel L. Stickler, Albert F. Sebok, Brian J. Moore, JACKSON KELLY,
    P.L.L.C., Charleston, West Virginia, for Appellants. Van Bunch,
    BONNETT, FAIRBOURN, FRIEDMAN & BALINT, P.C., Phoenix, Arizona;
    Martin R. Smith, Jr., Kevin W. Thompson, SMITH & THOMPSON, Cross
    Lanes, West Virginia, for Appellees.
    Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
    - 4 -
    PER CURIAM:
    Rawl Sales and Processing Company and Massey Energy
    Company    (Defendants)     appeal       from    the   district      court’s    order
    granting   the   Plaintiffs’     motion         to   amend   their    complaint       by
    dismissing the sole federal claim (Count 12) and remanding the
    remaining state law claims to West Virginia state court.                             The
    Plaintiffs     have    moved   to    dismiss         the   appeal     for    lack    of
    jurisdiction under 
    28 U.S.C. § 1447
    (d) (2000).
    A district court’s order remanding a case to state court
    is generally not reviewable.              
    28 U.S.C. § 1447
    (d).               Appellate
    review of remand orders is permitted, however, when the district
    court’s order is based on its decision to decline to exercise
    discretionary jurisdiction under 
    28 U.S.C. § 1367
    (c) (2000).                         See
    Jamison v. Wiley, 
    14 F.3d 222
    , 233 (4th Cir. 1994); see also
    Battle v. Seibels Bruce Ins. Co., 
    288 F.3d 596
    , 606 n.16 (4th Cir.
    2002) (explaining that, under “well-settled precedent,” remands
    based on § 1367(c) are appealable final orders under 
    28 U.S.C. § 1291
     (2000)); Hinson v. Norwest Fin. S.C. Inc., 
    239 F.3d 611
    , 615
    (4th Cir. 2001).
    Here,     the   district      court      specifically         declined    to
    exercise jurisdiction under § 1367(c), citing this court’s decision
    in   Hinson.     Accordingly,       we    have    jurisdiction       to    review    the
    district court’s remand order, and we deny the motion to dismiss
    the appeal.
    - 5 -
    We have reviewed the record, the parties’ briefs, and the
    district court’s opinion and find no reversible error in the
    court’s decision to remand the underlying cases to state court. We
    also find no abuse of discretion in the district court’s decision
    to   deny   the   Defendants’    request    for   reimbursement   of   costs
    associated with removal.        We therefore affirm on the reasoning of
    the district court.     White v. Rawl Sales & Processing, Inc., Nos.
    2:05-cv-00965;       2:05-cv-0966;         2:05-cv-0987;    2:05-cv-1132;
    2:05-cv-1151; 2:05-cv-1152; 2:05-cv-1153; 2:05-cv-1154 (S.D. W. Va.
    May 8, 2006).
    We dispense with oral argument because the facts and
    legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before
    the court and argument would not aid the decisional process.
    AFFIRMED
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