Opinion · Supreme Court of the United States

In Re Winn

213 U.S. 458

Type
Opinion
Court
Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction
Federal
Date
1909-05-03
Topic
general

Mr. Justice Moody delivered the opinion of the court. This is an application for a writ of mandamus to the District Judge of the United States, acting as Circuit Judge, for the Southern District of Iowa, Central Division. The prayer of the petition was for á rule to show cause why a writ of mandamus should not issue, commanding the Judge to remand the case to the state court in which it was originally brought. The rule was issued and cause was shown by a return.

Citator

In Re Winn has been questioned or limited by later authorities: relies on overruled authority: 27 S. Ct. 150 (overruled by Lee v. Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, 260 U.S. 653 (1923)). Read them before relying on it. 95 later decisions cite it.

Authority status
caution
Cited by
95 opinions

Headnotes

  1. Federal Courts & Jurisdiction — Removal No cause can be removed from a state court to a Circuit Court of the United States unless it could have been brought originally in the latter court. 213 U.S. 458 (citing Boston Mining Co. v. Montana Ore Co., 188 U.S. 632, and Ex parte Wisner, 203 U.S. 449)
  2. Federal Courts & Jurisdiction — Federal Question Jurisdiction A suit arises under the Constitution and laws of the United States only when the plaintiff's statement of his own cause of action shows that it is based upon those laws or that Constitution; it is not enough that the defendant may find in the Constitution or laws of the United States some ground of defense, and a defense raising federal rights may be set up in the state courts, with ultimate review in the Supreme Court if the federal claim is denied. 213 U.S. 458 (citing Louisville & Nashville Railroad v. Mottley, 211 U.S. 149)
  3. Federal Courts & Jurisdiction — Removal Where the plaintiff's cause of action itself is not based upon the interstate commerce law or any other law of the United States, and the petition for removal alleges only that the defendant was subject to the federal laws regulating commerce and had a defense thereunder, the case could not have been brought originally in the Circuit Court and is therefore not removable thereto. 213 U.S. 458
  4. General — Mandamus — Appellate Jurisdiction A writ of mandamus issued under § 688 of the Revised Statutes is for the purpose of revising and correcting proceedings in a case already instituted in the courts, and is deemed a part of the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, which is subject to such regulations as Congress shall make. 213 U.S. 458 (citing Marbury v. Madison, 1 Cranch 137; Ex parte Yerger, 8 Wall. 85; In re Green, 141 U.S. 325)
  5. General — Mandamus — Remand to State Court Mandamus will lie from the Supreme Court to compel a Circuit Court to remand a case to the state court where it is apparent from the record that the Circuit Court has no jurisdiction whatever of the case, and the writ is available even though the party aggrieved may also be entitled to a writ of error or appeal. 213 U.S. 458 (citing Virginia v. Rives, 100 U.S. 313; Virginia v. Paul, 148 U.S. 107; Kentucky v. Powers, 201 U.S. 1; Ex parte Wisner, 203 U.S. 449)
  6. General — Mandamus — Adequate Remedy While mandamus never lies where the party praying for it has another adequate remedy, an appeal or writ of error at the end of long proceedings, which must go for naught, is not an adequate remedy for a plaintiff whose case has been wrongfully removed from the state court to the Circuit Court and held there against his protest. 213 U.S. 458
  7. General — Mandamus — Control of Judicial Discretion The rule that mandamus will not lie to control the judicial discretion of an inferior court does not apply to an attempt by that court to exercise discretion on subject-matter not within its jurisdiction; the writ lies only where the record makes it clear as a matter of law that the Circuit Court was without jurisdiction to take any action whatever, whereas where the record shows questions of fact on which the right of removal depends, the Circuit Court's determination of those questions is an exercise of judicial discretion reviewable only by writ of error or appeal. 213 U.S. 458 (distinguishing In re Pollitz, 206 U.S. 323, and Ex parte Nebraska, 209 U.S. 436)
  8. Federal Courts & Jurisdiction — Removal While a general appearance in the Circuit Court after removal may waive objection to the jurisdiction of a particular district where some Circuit Court has jurisdiction of the cause, neither appearance nor consent can confer jurisdiction where no Circuit Court has jurisdiction of the controversy, and in such a case a party does not waive the objection by appearing generally. 213 U.S. 458 (citing In re Moore, 209 U.S. 490; Ex parte Wisner, 203 U.S. 449; Louisville & Nashville R.R. v. Mottley, 211 U.S. 149)