Jamison v. Allstate Fire & Casualty Insurance Company

1
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
EASTERN DIVISION
LAWVETT JAMISON, )
Plaintiff, 	)
v. 	) 	Case No. 4:25-cv-00976-SEP
)
ALLSTATE FIRE & CASUALTY
INSURANCE COMPANY,
)
)
Defendant 	)
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
Before the Court are the parties’ responses to the Court’s order to show cause why this
matter should not be remanded for failure to meet the amount in controversy required for federal
subject matter jurisdiction. Docs. [11], [13], [16]. Defendant removed the case to federal court on
the basis of diversity jurisdiction. Doc. [1]. The diversity jurisdiction statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a),
provides that federal district courts have “original jurisdiction of all civil actions where the matter in
controversy exceeds the sum or value of $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs, and is between . . .
citizens of different States[.]” A complaint that alleges the jurisdictional amount in good faith
suffices to confer jurisdiction. Scottsdale Ins. Co. v. Universal Crop Prot. All., LLC, 620 F.3d 926,
931 (8th Cir. 2010) (citing Kopp v. Kopp, 280 F.3d 883, 884 (8th Cir. 2002). The “proponent of
federal jurisdiction must show ‘that it does not appear to a legal certainty that the claim for relief is
for less than the statutorily prescribed jurisdictional amount.’” Id. (citing 14B Charles A. Wright,
Arthur R. Miller, & Edward H. Cooper, Federal Practice and Procedure § 3702 (3d ed.1998)).
As Defendant alleges in its notice of removal, complete diversity exists among Plaintiff, a
Missouri citizen, and Defendant, an Illinois citizen. Doc. [1]. Though Plaintiff’s existing medical
bills amount to only $9,177.80, he also seeks compensation for the cost of future treatment for
injuries that are allegedly permanent and progressive. Doc. [13] at 2. And he seeks attorneys’ fees
under Missouri’s vexatious refusal to pay statute. Doc. [13] at 3; M O. R EV. S TAT. § 375.420 (1975).
After review of the record, the Court finds that the Complaint alleges the jurisdictional amount in
good faith, and it does not appear to a legal certainty that the claim for relief is less than the $75,000
required for federal subject matter jurisdiction based on diversity.
A separate Case Management Order will issue.
Dated this 20th day of November, 2025.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
Case: 4:25-cv-00976-SEP Doc. #: 17 Filed: 11/20/25 Page: 1 of 1 PageID #:
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