Party Notice: VICKIE ESPOSITO vs. CLEANAIRE, INC., et al

On April 05, 2023 a Party Notice was filed involving a dispute between Esposito, Vickie, and A K A Mann + Hummel, Cleanaire, Inc., Cleanair, Llc, D B A Pamlico Air, Mann & Hummel, Gmbh, Pamlico Air, Inc., Pamlico Air, Llc, Rise Properties, Llc, for PROPERTY in the District Court of Dallas County.

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FILED
5/12/2023 5:41 PM
FELICIA PITRE
DISTRICT CLERK
DALLAS CO., TEXAS
Jenifer Trujillo DEPUTY

CAUSE NO. DC-23-04532

VICKIE ESPOSITO, [N THE DISTRICT COURT

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§
Plaintlfﬁ

CLEANAIRE, INC.; CLEANAIR, LLC
d/b/a PAMLICO AIR; PAMLICO
AIR, LLC a/k/a MANN + HUMMEL; DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
PAMLICO AIR, INC. a/k/a MANN +
HUMMEL; RISE PROPERTIES,
LLC; MANN & HUMMEL, GmbH
d/b/a MANN + HUMMEL AIR
FILTRATION AMERICAS,

Defendants.
116th JUDICIAL DISTRICT
DEFENDANT’S NOTICE TO STATE COURT OF REMOVAL

On or about May 12, 2023, CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a Pamlico, Inc. ﬁled its Notice of

Removal in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division.

The Notice of Removal effects the removal, and the state court shall proceed no further unless

and until the case is remanded. 28 U.S.C. § 1446(d). The Notice of Removal is attached as

Exhibit “A.”

Defendant’s Notice to State Court ofRemoval Page 1
12421 1 52v1
03982.725
Respectfully submitted,

By: /s/ Daniel Buechler
Daniel Buechler
State Bar No. 24047756
dbuechler@thompsoncoe.com
214-871-8268
Matthew Alagha
State Bar No. 24094502
malagha@thompsoncoe.com

THOMPSON, COE, COUSINS & IRONS, L.L.P.
Plaza of the Americas, 700 N. Pearl Street
Twenty-Fifth Floor
Dallas, Texas 75201-2832
Telephone: 214-880-8200
Facsimile: 214-871-8209

ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT
CLEANAIR, INC. d/b/a PAMLICO AIR, INC.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I certify a true and correct copy of this document was served upon the following counsel
of record in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure on the 12th day of May, 2023:

I. Scott
Lidji Tanja K. Martini
Mary Jo R. Betzen The Martini Law Firm, PC
Carlos G. Galliani 10440 N. Central Expwy., Suite 1240
K. Gracie Everitt Dallas, Texas 75231
The Lidji Firm 214-753-4757
10440 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1240 Facsimile: 888-248-1734
Dallas, Texas 75231 tama@themartinilawﬁrm.com
1egal@thelidjiﬁrm.com Attorney for Plaintiff
972-223-7455
Facsimile: 214-753-4751
Attorneys for Plaintiff

/s/ Daniel P. Buechler
Daniel P. Buechler

Defendant’s Notice to State Court ofRemoval Page 2
12421 1 52v1
03982.725
Case 7:23-cv-00049—O Document 1 Filed 05/12/23 Page 1 of 6 PagelD 1
EXHIBIT A

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
WICHITA FALLS DIVISION

VICKIE ESPOSITO,

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§
Plaintiﬁ
v.

CLEANAIRE, INC.; CLEANAIR, LLC
PAMLICO AIR; PAMLICO AIR,
d/b/a
LLC a/k/a MANN + HUMMEL; CIVIL ACTION NO.
PAMLICO AIR, INC. a/k/a MANN +
HUMMEL; RISE PROPERTIES, LLC;
MANN & HUMlVIELL, GmbH dﬂ)/a
MANN + HUMMEL AIR FILTRATION
AMERICAS,

Defendants.

DEFENDANT CLEANAIRE, INC. d/b/a PAMLICO AIR, INC.’S (formerlv known as
CleanAir, LLC d/b/a Pamlico Air, LLC) NOTICE 0F REMOVAL

Defendant CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a Pamlico Air, Inc. (formerly known as CleanAir, LLC d/b/a
Pamlico Air, LLC) (“Defendant CleanAire, Inc.”) timely ﬁles this Notice of Removal, pursuant to
28 U.S.C. §§ 1441 (a), 1446(b), and 1332(a), removing this action from the 116th Judicial District

CouIt of Dallas County, Texas to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas,

Wichita Falls Division. In support thereof, Defendant CleanAire, Inc. shows the Court as follows:

I. Procedural Historv and Basis for Removal

1. Plaintiﬂ‘ Vickie Esposito commenced this lawsuit on April 5, 2023, against

Defendants in the 116th District Court, Dallas County, Texas bearing cause number DC-23 -045 32

(the “State Court Action”).

2. On April 13, 2023, Defendant CleanAire, Inc. received notice of the lawsuit by

receiving a copy of Plaintiff ’s Original Petition (Exhibit “D”), and Defendant CleanAire, Inc. ﬁled

Defendant CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a Pamlico Air, Inc. ’s Notice of Removal Page 1
12420543v1
03982.725
Case 7:23-cv-00049—O Document 1 Filed 05/12/23 Page 2 of 6 PagelD 2
EXHIBIT A

its Motion to Transfer Venue and Original Answer Subject Thereto in the State Court Action on

May 8, 2023.

3. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1446(b), this Notice of Removal is ﬁled Within the thirty-

day statutory time period for removal.

4. Plaintiff seeks to recover damages in this lawsuit based on allegations of premises

liability and negligence. Plaintiff’s claims arise due to injuries allegedly sustained when she

tripped and fell while picking up ﬁlters at Defendant CleanAire, Inc.’s facility located at 2801

Production Boulevard in Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Texas.

5. Defendant CleanAire, Inc. ﬁles this Notice of Removal pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

§ 1441(b) which permits removal based on diversity jurisdiction and requests that this lawsuit be

removed to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas Wichita Falls

Division located at 1000 Lamar Street, Room 203, Wichita Falls, Texas 76301. Section 1332 sets

forth the factual predicates justifying the exercise of diversity jurisdiction. Those requirements

are: (i) complete diversity among the parties; and (ii) that the matter in controversy exceeds the

sum or value of $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs.

A. Jurisdiction

6. In a removal, “the burden of persuasion for establishing diversity jurisdiction is on

the party asserting it.” See Hertz Corp. v. Friend, 559 U.S. 77, 130 S. Ct. 1181, 175 L. Ed. 2d

1029 (2010). This Court has jurisdiction in this case pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332 in that there is

complete diversity of citizenship between the parties and the amount in controversy exceeds

Defendant CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a Pamlico Air, Inc. ’s Notice of Removal Page 2
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Case 7:23-cv-00049—O Document 1 Filed 05/12/23 Page 3 of 6 PagelD 3
EXHIBIT A

$75,000.001. Accordingly, statutory authority for the removal of this matter is conferred by

28 U.S.C. §§ 1441 and 1446.

7. Removal based on diversity of citizenship may only be effectuated if none of the

parties in interest properly joined and served as defendants is a citizen of the State in which the

action is brought. 28 U.S.C. § 1441.

8. Complete diversity under 28 U.S.C. § 1332 exists in this case. Plaintiff is a citizen

of the State ofArizona. Both at the time the lawsuit was originally ﬁled, and at the time of removal,

Defendant CleanAire, Inc. was a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in North

Carolina. Accordingly, Defendant CleanAire, Inc. is a citizen of the State of North Carolina for

diversity purposes. Therefore, complete diversity of citizenship exists. Further, there is no proof

that the remaining co-defendants named in the State Court Action have been properly joined and

served requiring them to join in the notice of removal or their consent to the removal. 28 U.S.C. §

1446(b)(2)(A).

9. In addition to diversity of citizenship, the amount in controversy meets the

minimum jurisdictional requirements under 28 U.S.C. § 1332. See Exhibit D, Plaintiff’s Original

Petition, 11 12. Plaintiff seeks damages in excess of $25 0,000.00 but not more than $1,000,000. Id.

B. Venue

10. Removal to this Court is made pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § l44l(e) because the state

court action was ﬁled in this district, and while Plaintiff plead Dallas County as its choice of venue,

the proper state court venue is Wichita Countyz, which is located in the Wichita Falls Division.

1
See Exhibit D, Plaintiff’s Original Petition 1] 12 wherein Plaintiff seeks monetary relief over $250,000 but not more
than $1,000,000.
2
See Exhibit J, Motion to Transfer Venue and Original Answer Subject Thereto of Defendant CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a
Pamlico Air, Inc. (formerly known as CleanAir, LLC d/b/a Pamlico Air, LLC) 1H] 1.1-1.5.

Defendant CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a Pamlico Air, Inc. ’s Notice of Removal Page 3
12420543v1
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Case 7:23-cv-00049—O Document 1 Filed 05/12/23 Page 4 of 6 PagelD 4
EXHIBIT A

C. Removal Requirements

11. Contemporaneous with the ﬁling of this Notice of Removal, Defendant CleanAire,

Inc. is ﬁling a Notice of Filing Notice of Removal with the Clerk of Court for the 116th District

Court of Dallas County, Texas pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1446(d).

12. Attached hereto are all the documents required by 28 U.S.C. § 1446(a) and Local

Rules 81.1 of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, including:

Exhibit A: Civil Cover Sheet

Exhibit B: Supplemental Cover Sheet

Exhibit C: Index of Documents Filed in State Court Action

Exhibit D: Plaintiff’s Original Petition

Exhibit E: Plaintiff’s Letter Dated April 14, 2023 Requesting Hague Convention
Citation for Defendant Mann + Hummel, GmbH d/b/a Mann + Hummel Air
Filtration Americas (Letter re: Citation Fee Paid)

Exhibit F: Executed Citation — Cleanair, LLC d/b/a Pamlico Air, LLC
Exhibit G: Executed Citation — CleanAire, Inc.

Exhibit H: Plaintiff’s Letter Dated April 18, 2023 Requesting Hague Convention
Citation for Defendant Mann + Hummel, GmbH d/b/a Mann + Hummel Air
Filtration Americas (USM-94 Form for Hague Citation Mann + Hummel In
Germany; Letter re: Request for Service Abroad of Judicial or Extrajudicial
Documents)

Exhibit I: Executed Citation — Pamlico Air, Inc. a/k/a Mann + Hummel

Exhibit J: Motion to Transfer Venue and Original Answer Subject Thereto of
Defendant CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a Pamlico Air, Inc. (formerly known as
CleanAir, LLC d/b/a Pamlico Air, LLC)

Exhibit K: State Court Docket Sheet

Exhibit L: Certiﬁcate of Interested Parties

Defendant CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a Pamlico Air, Inc. ’s Notice of Removal Page 4
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Case 7:23-cv-00049—O Document 1 Filed 05/12/23 Page 5 of 6 PagelD 5
EXHIBIT A

Plaintiff requests a jury, and Defendant CleanAire, Inc. also requests a trial by jury pursuant

to FED. R. CIV. P. 81(c)(3)(A).

13. All fees required by law in connection with this Notice have been tendered and paid

by Defendant CleanAire, Inc.

H. Prayer

WHEREFORE, Defendant CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a Pamlico Air, Inc. hereby removes the

above-captioned matter, now pending in the 116th Judicial District Court of Dallas County, Texas,

to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Wichita Falls Division.

Respectfully submitted,

By: /s/ Daniel Buechler
Daniel Buechler
State Bar No. 24047756
dbuechler@thompsoncoe.com
214-871-8268
A. Matthew Alagha
State Bar No. 24094502
malagha@thompsoncoe.com

THOMPSON, COE, COUSINS & IRONS, L.L.P.
Plaza of the Americas, 700 N. Pearl Street
Twenty-Fifth Floor
Dallas, Texas 75201-2832
Telephone: 214-880-8200
Facsimile: 214-871-8209

ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT
CLEANAIR, INC. d/b/a PAMLICO AIR, INC.

Defendant CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a Pamlico Air, Inc. ’s Notice of Removal Page 5
12420543v1
03982.725
Case 7:23-cv-00049—O Document 1 Filed 05/12/23 Page 6 of 6 PagelD 6
EXHIBIT A

I. Scott Lidji Tanja K. Martini
J
Mary o R. Betzen The Martini Law Firm, PC
Carlos G. Galliani 10440 N. Central Expwy., Suite 1240
K. Gracie Everitt Dallas, Texas 75231
The Lidji Firm 214-753-4757
10440 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1240 Facsimile: 888-248-1734
Dallas, Texas 75231 tania@themartinilawﬁrm.com
lega1@thelidjiﬁrm.com Attorney for Plaintiﬂ
972-223-7455
Facsimile: 214-753-4751
Attorneys for Plaintiff

/s/ Daniel P. Buechler
Daniel P. Buechler

Defendant CleanAire, Inc. d/b/a Pamlico Air, Inc. ’s Notice of Removal Page 6
12420543v1
03982.725
Automated Certificate of eService
This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system.
The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system
on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing
certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a
certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.

Cathy Schmitz on behalf of Daniel Buechler
Bar No. 24047756
cschmitz@thompsoncoe.com
Envelope ID: 75609785
Filing Code Description: Notice Of Removal To Federal Court
Filing Description: CASE: 7:23-CV-00049-O
Status as of 5/15/2023 9:37 AM CST

Associated Case Party: CLEANAIRE, INC.

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status
Daniel PBuechler dbuechler@thompsoncoe.com 5/12/2023 5:41 :58 PM SENT
Berlinda Jimenez bjimenez@thompsoncoe.com 5/12/2023 5:41:58 PM SENT
Christi Crafton ccrafton@thompsoncoe.com 5/12/2023 5:41:58 PM SENT
Matthew Alagha malag ha@thompsoncoe.com 5/12/2023 5:41:58 PM SENT

Case Contacts

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Legal Lidji legal@thelidjifirm.com 5/12/2023 5:41 :58 PM SENT
Tanja Martini tanja@themartini|awfirm.com 5/12/2023 5:41:58 PM SENT
SCOTT LIDJI scott@thelidjifirm.com 5/12/2023 5:41:58 PM SENT

Case Info

Judge

PARKER, TONYA Track Judge’s New Case

Case No.

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Document Filed Date

May 12, 2023

Case Filing Date

April 05, 2023

County

Parties

A/K/A MANN + HUMMEL Defendant
BUECHLER, DANIEL P Attorney for the Defendant
CLEANAIRE, INC. Defendant
CLEANAIR, LLC Defendant
D/B/A PAMLICO AIR Defendant
ESPOSITO, VICKIE Plaintiff
LIDJI, I SCOTT Attorney for the Plaintiff
MANN & HUMMEL, GMBH Defendant
PAMLICO AIR, INC. Defendant
PAMLICO AIR, LLC Defendant
RISE PROPERTIES, LLC Defendant
Isaac Lidji Attorney
Mary Betzen Attorney
Carlos Galliani Attorney
Kearston Everitt Attorney
Tanja Martini Attorneys for Plaintiffs
Alexander Alagha Attorneys for Defendants

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Party Notice: VICKIE ESPOSITO vs. CLEANAIRE, INC., et al

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