Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 1 of 9

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

LAURA LOOMER, Individually
Plaintiff
v.
Case Number:
FACEBOOK, INC.,
1 Hacker Way
Menlo Park, CA, 94025
Defendant.

COMPLAINT FOR DEFAMATION
Plaintiff, LAURA LOOMER (“Plaintiff” or “Ms. Loomer”) hereby files this action
against FACEBOOK, INC. (“Defendant Facebook”) for Defamation, Defamation Per Se and
Defamation by Implication.
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
1.

This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §

1332 under diversity of citizenship. The parties are citizens of different states and the amount in
controversy exceeds $75,000.
2.

Venue is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b)(2) as this is the judicial district

in which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred.
THE PARTIES
3.

Plaintiff Laura Loomer is an individual and a citizen and resident of the state of

Florida and lives and does substantial business in this district.
4.

Defendant Facebook is s a corporation incorporated in the state of Delaware. Facebook

does substantial business in all 50 states, including Florida and in this district.

1

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STANDING
5.

Plaintiff Loomer has standing to bring this action because she has been directly

affected, victimized and severely damaged by the unlawful conduct complained herein. Her
injuries are proximately related to the conduct of Defendant Facebook.
FACTS
1.

Ms. Loomer is a well-known conservative investigative journalist.

2.

Ms. Loomer is also a conservative Jewish female activist.

3.

In the past, Ms. Loomer has worked for Canadian news publisher, The Rebel

Media, as well as Project Veritas.
4.

Ms. Loomer has long maintained a page on Defendant Facebook’s platform,

where she engaged with fans and promoted her work.
5.

On Friday, May 2, 2019, Ms. Loomer was banned from Defendant Facebook’s

platform, along with other conservative figures.
6.

In a statement released and published widely to the public in this district,

nationally and internationally, Defendant Facebook explained their purported and false
justification behind Ms. Loomer’s ban:
We've always banned individuals or organizations that promote or engage in
violence and hate, regardless of ideology. The process for evaluating potential
violators is extensive and it is what led us to our decision to remove these
accounts today. 1

1

Oliver Darcy, Louis Farrakhan, Alex Jones and other 'dangerous' voices banned by Facebook
and Instagram, CNN Business, May 3, 2019, available at:
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/05/02/tech/facebook-ban-louis-farrakhan-infowars-alex-jonesmilo-lauraloomer/index.html#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24
s.

2

 Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 3 of 9

7.

In issuing the ban against Ms. Loomer, Defendant Facebook and its sister

publication Instagram publicly designated her as “dangerous,” which publication was widely
disseminated in this district, nationally and internationally.
8.

A spokesperson for Defendant Facebook represented and published that:

… such factors [for designating an individual as “dangerous”] include whether the
person or organization has ever called for violence against individuals based on
race, ethnicity, or national origin; whether the person has been identified with a
hateful ideology; whether they use hate speech or slurs in their about section on
their social media profiles; and whether they have had pages or groups removed
from Facebook for violating hate speech rules.2
9.

According to Defendant Facebook’s own posted Community Standards,

“Dangerous Individuals and Organizations” are defined as “organizations or individuals involved
in the following: Terrorist activity, Organized hate, Mass or serial murder, Human trafficking,
[or] Organized violence or criminal activity.”3
10.

Ms. Loomer does not fall, or come close to falling, within any of the defined

groups set forth by Defendant Facebook.
11.

Ms. Loomer has never once advocated violence against any person or group of

persons.
12.

In fact, Ms. Loomer uses social media to call out anti-Semitism, Islamic terrorism,

political violence, and violence against homosexuals, as just one example once having tweeted:
Ilhan is pro Sharia Ilhan is pro- FGM Under Sharia homosexuals are oppressed &
killed. Women are abused & forced to wear the hijab. Ilhan is anti Jewish.
13.

Facebook subsequently banned Ms. Loomer for 30 days.

14.

Ms. Loomer’s tweet refers to Rep. Ilhan Omar (“Rep. Omar”), who was elected to

Congress from Minnesota and took office in January of 2019.
2
3

Id.
https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards/dangerous_individuals_organizations

3

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15.

Indeed, Ms. Loomer’s tweet simply contained facts about Sharia law, which Rep.

Omar admittedly is known to support. The tweet pointed out the fact out that Rep. Omar’s
supports Sharia law and thus this does not make her an ally for gay people, women, or Jews. Ms.
Loomer was also simply pointing out that Rep. Omar is anti-Jewish, a fact that even Nancy
Pelosi has agreed with and said publicly.
16.

As a result of this tweet, Twitter has now permanently banned Ms. Loomer and

Facebook and Instagram followed suit by removing Ms. Loomer’s Facebook and related
Instagram account.
17.

Now, in addition to banning Ms. Loomer from Facebook and its sister social

media site Instagram, which it owns, controls and directs, without any just cause, Defendant
Facebook has maliciously defamed her by falsely accusing her of “promot[ing] or engag[ing] in
violence and hate….”
18.

Defendant Facebook has also maliciously defamed Ms. Loomer by falsely

designating her as a “dangerous” individual, which defamation was widely published in this
district, nationally and internationally.
19.

Defendant Facebook and its various owned and pliant entities such as Instagram

at all times knew that Ms. Loomer had never once promoted or engaged in violence and hate,
and that Ms. Loomer was not a “dangerous” individual.
20.

Ms. Loomer is simply a conservative, Jewish woman who has used social media

to call out anti-Semitism and violence against homosexuals, while expressing her political views
and opinions.
21.

There is nothing dangerous, violent, or remotely illegal and improper about Ms.

Loomer’s conduct.

4

 Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 5 of 9

22.

Indeed, in Facebook’s own Civil Rights Audit, 4 which stated:

Designated Hate Figures Enforcement: In recent months, Facebook has continued
to apply its “Dangerous Individuals and Organizations” policy, which bans
organizations or individuals from the platform when they meet Facebook’s Civil
Rights Audit certain hate or violence criteria. Under that policy, individuals or
organizations that amplify or traffic in hate are banned from the platform, as was
the case with Facebook’s recent bans of Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopolous, Laura
Loomer, Minister Louis Farrakhan and others. For individuals or organizations
that go beyond amplifying hate to proclaiming a violent or hateful mission or
engaging in acts of hate or violence, Facebook not only bans them from the
platform but also prohibits other users from praising or supporting them.
FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION
Defamation
23.

Plaintiff re-alleges and incorporates by reference the allegations in the preceding

paragraphs of the Complaint as if fully set forth herein.
24.

Defendant Facebook published the malicious, false and defamatory statements

that Plaintiff Loomer had promoted or engaged in violence and hate.
25.

Defendant Facebook published the malicious, false and defamatory statements

that Plaintiff Loomer was a dangerous individual.
26.

This false and misleading statements were published with malice, as Defendant

Facebook knew that they were false and misleading, or at a minimum acted and published with a
reckless disregard for the truth.
27.

Plaintiff Loomer has been severely harmed and damaged by these and other false

and misleading statements by Defendant Facebook, because they subjected her to hatred,
distrust, ridicule, contempt, and disgrace, and the threat of severe bodily injury or death by those
who are now lead to believe that she is dangerous and a domestic terrorist against Muslims in

4

https://fbnewsroomus.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/civilrightaudit_final.pdf

5

 Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 6 of 9

particular. Muslims and other extremists thus are now prone to retaliate against her and her life is
in mortal danger.
28.

Plaintiff Loomer has been severely damaged by these false and misleading

statements because they damaged Plaintiff Loomer’s reputation and good will and severely
harmed financially in her profession and business as a conservative investigative journalist, as
well as personally.
SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION
Defamation Per Se
29.

Plaintiff re-alleges and incorporates by reference the allegations in the preceding

paragraphs of the Complaint as if fully set forth herein.
30.

Defendant Facebook, as alleged herein, published numerous false, misleading and

defamatory statements to severely harm and damage Plaintiff Loomer, which were republished
widely elsewhere. Specifically, Defendant Facebook published in this district, nationally and
internationally the falsity that Plaintiff Loomer is a “dangerous” individual that has engaged in
hate and/or violence and is a domestic terrorist, which has a criminal felonious meaning.
31.

Under Florida Law, “it is established…that an oral communication is

actionable per se - that is, without a showing of special damage - if it imputes to another (a) a
criminal offense amounting to a felony, or (b) a presently existing venereal or other loathsome
and communicable disease, or (c) conduct, characteristics or a condition incompatible with the
proper exercise of his lawful business, trade, profession or office, or (d) the other being a woman,
acts of unchastity.” Wolfson v. Kirk, 273 So. 2d 774, 777 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1973)
32.

These false, misleading and defamatory statements were published in this district,

domestically and internationally on the internet and elsewhere for the entire world to see and
hear. Specifically, Defendant Facebook published false and misleading facts, inter alia, that

6

 Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 7 of 9

Plaintiff’s conduct, characteristics or a condition is incompatible with the proper exercise of her
lawful business, trade, profession or office as a journalist, as well as personally.
33.

These false and misleading statements were published with malice, as Defendant

Facebook knew that they were false and misleading, and/or at a minimum acted and published
with a reckless disregard for the truth.
34.

These false, misleading, and defamatory statements are defamatory per se because

these false and misleading statements severely harmed and damaged Plaintiff Loomer in her
profession and business as an investigative journalist, as they concern conduct and characteristics
incompatible with being an investigative journalist, and personally. Damage is presumed by law
when defamation per se is shown as alleged herein.
35.

An investigative journalist’s reputation is paramount. Falsely labeling Plaintiff

Loomer as “dangerous” and falsely accusing her of having engaged in hate and/or violence
damages her good will and reputation, making it impossible for her to successfully continue her
profession and also harms her personally as alleged herein.
THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION
Defamation By Implication
36.

Plaintiff re-alleges and incorporates by reference the allegations in the preceding

paragraphs of the Complaint as if fully set forth herein.
37.

Defendant Facebook published numerous false, misleading and defamatory

statements about Plaintiff Loomer, as set forth in the preceding paragraphs.
38.

These false, misleading and defamatory statements were published on the internet

and published and republished elsewhere in this district, nationally and internationally for the
entire world to see and hear.
39.

These false and misleading statements were published with malice, as Defendant

7

 Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 8 of 9

Facebook knew that they were false and misleading, and/or at a minimum acted with a reckless
disregard for the truth.
40.

These statements created the false and misleading implication that Plaintiff

Loomer has engaged in hate and/or violence as is a “dangerous” individual and in fact is a
domestic Jewish female terrorist.
41.

Plaintiff Loomer has been severely harmed and damaged by these false and

misleading statements because they subject her to hatred, distrust, ridicule, contempt, and
disgrace, as well as put her life in danger by those who would seek to retaliate against her.
42.

Plaintiff Loomer has been damaged by these false and misleading statements

because the statements severely harmed Plaintiff Loomer in her profession and business as an
investigative journalist, as well as personally, as pled herein.
43.

Plaintiff Loomer has requested pursuant to Florida law that these defamatory

statements be retracted, an apology made and that she be reinstated on Facebook and Instagram.
Defendant Facebook has arrogantly and unlawfully ignored this request and the defamation as
pled herein is on-going and compounded each and every day.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff Laura Loomer prays for judgment against Defendant Facebook
as follows:
a.

Awarding Plaintiff Loomer compensatory including actual, consequential, and incidental

damages for malicious defamatory conduct as alleged herein in an amount to be determined at
trial and in excess of $35, 000,000 U.S. Dollars.
b.

Awarding punitive damages for Defendant Facebook’s malicious defamatory conduct

based on the routine and accepted calculation of 5 percent of Facebook’s current net worth of

8

 Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 9 of 9

about $63 billion U.S. dollars. Thus, punitive damages are requested be awarded by the jury in
an amount to exceed $ 3 billion U.S. dollars, which amount of punitive damages are designed to
sufficiently punish Defendant Facebook in order that its illegal conduct not reoccur.
c.

Awarding Plaintiff Loomer attorney’s fees and costs.

d.

Granting any such further relief as the Court deems appropriate including preliminary and

permanent injunctive relief.
PLAINTIFF LOOMER DEMANDS A JURY TRIAL ON ALL COUNTS SO TRIABLE.

Dated: July 9, 2019

Respectfully Submitted,
/s/ Larry Klayman
Larry Klayman, Esq.
FL Bar No. 246220
KLAYMAN LAW GROUP, P.A.
7050 W. Palmetto Park Road
Boca Raton, Florida 33433-3426
Telephone: (561) 558-5536
Email: leklayman@gmail.com
Counsel for Plaintiff

9

 Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document 1-1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 1 of 2
AO 440 (Rev. 06/12) Summons in a Civil Action

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
for the

Southern
District
of Florida
__________
District
of __________
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)

Laura Loomer

Plaintiff(s)

v.
Facebook Inc.

Defendant(s)

Civil Action No. 9:19-cv-80893

SUMMONS IN A CIVIL ACTION
To: (Defendant’s name and address) Facebook, Inc.
1 Hacker Way
Menlo Park, CA, 94025

A lawsuit has been filed against you.
Within 21 days after service of this summons on you (not counting the day you received it) — or 60 days if you
are the United States or a United States agency, or an officer or employee of the United States described in Fed. R. Civ.
P. 12 (a)(2) or (3) — you must serve on the plaintiff an answer to the attached complaint or a motion under Rule 12 of
the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The answer or motion must be served on the plaintiff or plaintiff’s attorney,
whose name and address are: Klayman Law Group P.A.
Larry Klayman, Esq.
7050 W. Palmetto Park Road #15-287
Boca Raton, FL, 33433

If you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint.
You also must file your answer or motion with the court.

CLERK OF COURT

Date:
Signature of Clerk or Deputy Clerk

 Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document 1-1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 2 of 2
AO 440 (Rev. 06/12) Summons in a Civil Action (Page 2)

Civil Action No. 9:19-cv-80893
PROOF OF SERVICE
(This section should not be filed with the court unless required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 4 (l))
This summons for (name of individual and title, if any)
was received by me on (date)

.

’ I personally served the summons on the individual at (place)
on (date)

; or

’ I left the summons at the individual’s residence or usual place of abode with (name)
, a person of suitable age and discretion who resides there,
on (date)

, and mailed a copy to the individual’s last known address; or

’ I served the summons on (name of individual)

, who is

designated by law to accept service of process on behalf of (name of organization)
on (date)

; or

’ I returned the summons unexecuted because

; or

’ Other (specify):
.
My fees are $

for travel and $

for services, for a total of $

0.00

I declare under penalty of perjury that this information is true.

Date:
Server’s signature

Printed name and title

Server’s address

Additional information regarding attempted service, etc:

Print

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 Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document
1-2 COVER
EnteredSHEET
on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 1 of 2
CIVIL

JS 44 (Rev. 06/17) FLSD Revised 06/01/2017

The JS 44 civil cover sheet and the information contained herein neither replace nor supplement the filing and service of pleadings or other papers as required by law, except as
provided by local rules of court. This form, approved by the Judicial Conference of the United States in September 1974, is required for the use of the Clerk of Court for the purpose
of initiating the civil docket sheet. (SEE INSTRUCTIONS ON NEXT PAGE OF THIS FORM.) NOTICE: Attorneys MUST Indicate All Re-filed Cases Below.

I. (a)

PLAINTIFFS Laura Loomer

DEFENDANTS Facebook, Inc.

(b) County of Residence of First Listed Plaintiff

County of Residence of First Listed Defendant

(EXCEPT IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES)

(IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES ONLY)
NOTE:

(c) Attorneys (Firm Name, Address, and Telephone Number)
Larry Klayman, 7050 W.Palmetto Park Road #15-287, Boca Raton, FL,
33433; 561-558-5536
(d) Check County Where Action Arose:

MIAMI- DADE

II. BASIS OF JURISDICTION

MONROE

BROWARD

3

Federal Question
(U.S. Government Not a Party)

2

U.S. Government
Defendant

4

Diversity
(Indicate Citizenship of Parties in Item III)

110 Insurance
120 Marine
130 Miller Act
140 Negotiable Instrument
150 Recovery of Overpayment
& Enforcement of Judgment
151 Medicare Act
152 Recovery of Defaulted
Student Loans
(Excl. Veterans)
153 Recovery of Overpayment
of Veteran’s Benefits
160 Stockholders’ Suits
190 Other Contract
195 Contract Product Liability
196 Franchise

REAL PROPERTY
210 Land Condemnation
220 Foreclosure
230 Rent Lease & Ejectment
240 Torts to Land
245 Tort Product Liability
290 All Other Real Property

V. ORIGIN
1

Original
Proceeding

(Place an “X” in One Box Only)
TORTS
PERSONAL INJURY
310 Airplane
315 Airplane Product
Liability
320 Assault, Libel &
Slander
330 Federal Employers’
Liability
340 Marine
345 Marine Product
Liability
350 Motor Vehicle
355 Motor Vehicle
Product Liability
360 Other Personal
Injury
362 Personal Injury Med. Malpractice
CIVIL RIGHTS
440 Other Civil Rights
441 Voting
442 Employment
443 Housing/
Accommodations
445 Amer. w/Disabilities -

VI. RELATED/
RE-FILED CASE(S)

MARTIN

ST. LUCIE

INDIAN RIVER

OKEECHOBEE

DEF
1

PRISONER PETITIONS
Habeas Corpus:
463 Alien Detainee
510 Motions to Vacate
Sentence
Other:
530 General
535 Death Penalty
540 Mandamus & Other
550 Civil Rights
555 Prison Condition
560 Civil Detainee –
Conditions of
Confinement

4 Reinstated
or
Reopened

5

(See instructions): a) Re-filed Case
JUDGE:

HIGHLANDS

and One Box for Defendant)
PTF DEF
Incorporated or Principal Place
4
4
of Business In This State

Citizen of Another State

2

2

Incorporated and Principal Place
of Business In Another State

5

5

Citizen or Subject of a
Foreign Country

3

3

Foreign Nation

6

6

Click here for: Nature of Suit Code Descriptions
FORFEITURE/PENALTY
BANKRUPTCY

PERSONAL INJURY
365 Personal Injury Product Liability
367 Health Care/
Pharmaceutical
Personal Injury
Product Liability
368 Asbestos Personal
Injury Product
Liability
PERSONAL PROPERTY
370 Other Fraud
371 Truth in Lending
380 Other Personal
Property Damage
385 Property Damage
Product Liability

Employment
446 Amer. w/Disabilities Other
448 Education

(Place an “X” in One Box Only)
2 Removed
3 Re-filed
from State
(See VI
Court
below)

PALM BEACH

(For Diversity Cases Only)
PTF
Citizen of This State
1

U.S. Government
Plaintiff

CONTRACT

Attorneys (If Known)

III. CITIZENSHIP OF PRINCIPAL PARTIES (Place an “X” in One Box for Plaintiff)

(Place an “X” in One Box Only)

1

IV. NATURE OF SUIT

IN LAND CONDEMNATION CASES, USE THE LOCATION OF
THE TRACT OF LAND INVOLVED.

625 Drug Related Seizure
of Property 21 USC 881
690 Other

PROPERTY RIGHTS
820 Copyrights
830 Patent
835 Patent – Abbreviated
New Drug Application
840 Trademark
SOCIAL SECURITY
861 HIA (1395ff)
862 Black Lung (923)
863 DIWC/DIWW (405(g))
864 SSID Title XVI
865 RSI (405(g))

LABOR
710 Fair Labor Standards
Act
720 Labor/Mgmt. Relations
740 Railway Labor Act
751 Family and Medical
Leave Act
790 Other Labor Litigation
791 Empl. Ret. Inc.
Security Act

FEDERAL TAX SUITS
870 Taxes (U.S. Plaintiff
or Defendant)
871 IRS—Third Party 26
USC 7609

6 Multidistrict
Litigation
Transfer

NO

b) Related Cases

375 False Claims Act
376 Qui Tam (31 USC
3729 (a))
400 State Reapportionment
410 Antitrust
430 Banks and Banking
450 Commerce
460 Deportation
470 Racketeer Influenced and
Corrupt Organizations
480 Consumer Credit
490 Cable/Sat TV
850 Securities/Commodities/
Exchange
890 Other Statutory Actions
891 Agricultural Acts
893 Environmental Matters
895 Freedom of Information
Act
896 Arbitration
899 Administrative Procedure
Act/Review or Appeal of
Agency Decision
950 Constitutionality of State
Statutes

IMMIGRATION
462 Naturalization Application
465 Other Immigration
Actions

Transferred from
another district
(specify)

YES

OTHER STATUTES

422 Appeal 28 USC 158
423 Withdrawal
28 USC 157

7 Appeal to
District Judge
from Magistrate
Judgment

YES

8 Multidistrict
Litigation
– Direct
File

from
9 Remanded
Appellate Court

NO

DOCKET NUMBER:

Cite the U.S. Civil Statute under which you are filing and Write a Brief Statement of Cause (Do not cite jurisdictional statutes unless diversity):

VII. CAUSE OF ACTION Defamation
LENGTH OF TRIAL via

VIII. REQUESTED IN
COMPLAINT:

days estimated (for both sides to try entire case)

CHECK IF THIS IS A CLASS ACTION
UNDER F.R.C.P. 23

CHECK YES only if demanded in complaint:

DEMAND $

JURY DEMAND:
ABOVE INFORMATION IS TRUE & CORRECT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE
DATE

SIGNATURE OF ATTORNEY OF RECORD

July 8, 2019

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
RECEIPT #

AMOUNT

IFP

Save As...

JUDGE

Print

/s/ Larry Klayman
MAG JUDGE

Reset

Yes

No

 Case 9:19-cv-80893-XXXX Document 1-2 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/08/2019 Page 2 of 2
JS 44 (Rev. 06/17) FLSD Revised 06/01/2017

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS COMPLETING CIVIL COVER SHEET FORM JS 44
Authority For Civil Cover Sheet
The JS 44 civil cover sheet and the information contained herein neither replaces nor supplements the filings and service of pleading or other papers as
required by law, except as provided by local rules of court. This form, approved by the Judicial Conference of the United States in September 1974, is
required for the use of the Clerk of Court for the purpose of initiating the civil docket sheet. Consequently, a civil cover sheet is submitted to the Clerk of
Court for each civil complaint filed. The attorney filing a case should complete the form as follows:
I.
(a) Plaintiffs-Defendants. Enter names (last, first, middle initial) of plaintiff and defendant. If the plaintiff or defendant is a government agency, use
only the full name or standard abbreviations. If the plaintiff or defendant is an official within a government agency, identify first the agency and then the
official, giving both name and title.
(b) County of Residence. For each civil case filed, except U.S. plaintiff cases, enter the name of the county where the first listed plaintiff resides at the
time of filing. In U.S. plaintiff cases, enter the name of the county in which the first listed defendant resides at the time of filing. (NOTE: In land
condemnation cases, the county of residence of the “defendant” is the location of the tract of land involved.)
(c) Attorneys. Enter the firm name, address, telephone number, and attorney of record. If there are several attorneys, list them on an attachment,
noting in this section “(see attachment)”.
II.
Jurisdiction. The basis of jurisdiction is set forth under Rule 8(a), F.R.C.P., which requires that jurisdictions be shown in pleadings. Place an “X” in
one of the boxes. If there is more than one basis of jurisdiction, precedence is given in the order shown below.
United States plaintiff. (1) Jurisdiction based on 28 U.S.C. 1345 and 1348. Suits by agencies and officers of the United States are included here.
United States defendant. (2) When the plaintiff is suing the United States, its officers or agencies, place an “X” in this box.
Federal question. (3) This refers to suits under 28 U.S.C. 1331, where jurisdiction arises under the Constitution of the United States, an amendment to the
Constitution, an act of Congress or a treaty of the United States. In cases where the U.S. is a party, the U.S. plaintiff or defendant code takes precedence, and
box 1 or 2 should be marked. Diversity of citizenship. (4) This refers to suits under 28 U.S.C. 1332, where parties are citizens of different states. When Box 4
is checked, the citizenship of the different parties must be checked. (See Section III below; federal question actions take precedence over diversity cases.)
III.
Residence (citizenship) of Principal Parties. This section of the JS 44 is to be completed if diversity of citizenship was indicated above. Mark this
section for each principal party.
IV.
Nature of Suit. Nature of Suit. Place an "X" in the appropriate box. If there are multiple nature of suit codes associated with the case, pick the nature
of suit code that is most applicable. Click here for: Nature of Suit Code Descriptions.
V.

Origin. Place an “X” in one of the seven boxes.

Original Proceedings. (1) Cases which originate in the United States district courts.
Removed from State Court. (2) Proceedings initiated in state courts may be removed to the district courts under Title 28 U.S.C., Section 1441. When the
petition for removal is granted, check this box.
Refiled (3) Attach copy of Order for Dismissal of Previous case. Also complete VI.
Reinstated or Reopened. (4) Check this box for cases reinstated or reopened in the district court. Use the reopening date as the filing date.
Transferred from Another District. (5) For cases transferred under Title 28 U.S.C. Section 1404(a). Do not use this for within district transfers or multidistrict
litigation transfers.
Multidistrict Litigation. (6) Check this box when a multidistrict case is transferred into the district under authority of Title 28 U.S.C. Section 1407. When this
box is checked, do not check (5) above.
Appeal to District Judge from Magistrate Judgment. (7) Check this box for an appeal from a magistrate judge’s decision.
Remanded from Appellate Court. (8) Check this box if remanded from Appellate Court.
VI.
Related/Refiled Cases. This section of the JS 44 is used to reference related pending cases or re-filed cases. Insert the docket numbers and the
corresponding judges name for such cases.
VII. Cause of Action. Report the civil statute directly related to the cause of action and give a brief description of the cause. Do not cite jurisdictional
statutes unless diversity. Example: U.S. Civil Statute: 47 USC 553
Brief Description: Unauthorized reception of cable service
VIII. Requested in Complaint. Class Action. Place an “X” in this box if you are filing a class action under Rule 23, F.R.Cv.P.
Demand. In this space enter the dollar amount (in thousands of dollars) being demanded or indicate other demand such as a preliminary injunction.
Jury Demand. Check the appropriate box to indicate whether or not a jury is being demanded.

Date and Attorney Signature. Date and sign the civil cover sheet.