John Muir Health v. Cement Masons Health & Welfare Trust Fund
Opinion
Lead Opinion
Henderson, J.
ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO REMAND
Plaintiff John Muir Health has moved to remand its case against Defendant Cement Masons Health and Welfare Trust Fund for Northern California. After carefully considering the parties’ submissions and oral arguments, the court now GRANTS Plaintiffs motion to remand for the reasons set forth below.
*1013 BACKGROUND
On May 29, 2014, Plaintiff filed suit against Defendant in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Contra Costa, for damages based on the state-law claims quantum meruit and breach of statutory duties (California Health & Safety Code Section 1371.4). On July 9, 2014, Defendant removed this matter to federal court under 28 U.S.C. § 1441 for putative federal question jurisdiction, on the basis that Plaintiffs claims are preempted by the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). Notice of Removal (Docket No. 1). On August 8, 2014, Plaintiff filed a motion to remand the case to state court, contending that it asserts only state-law based causes of action that are independent of any ERISA-preempted claim for benefits. Mot. at 3-4 (Docket No. 10).