Gerald Hopman v. Sunrise Villa Culver City

I. INTRODUCTION

On July 7, 2020, Plaintiff Jessica Hopman (“Ms. Hopman”) filed a complaint in state court individually and on behalf of her deceased father, Plaintiff Gerald Hopman (“Mr. Hopman’’) (collectively, “Plaintiffs”), against Sunrise Villa Culver City (“Sunrise Villa”), Welltower Opco Group LLC (“Welltower’”), Sunrise Senior Living Management, Inc., and Shane Fowler (“Fowler”) (collectively, “Defendants”).! Plaintiffs alleged state law claims for (1) elder abuse, in violation of the California Welfare and Institutions Code § 15600, et seq., (2) negligence, (3) breach of contract, (4) willful misconduct, and (5) wrongful death. On February 24, 2021, Defendants removed this action to federal court, seeking to invoke this Court’s federal question jurisdiction on the theory that Plaintiffs’ state law claims raise a federal question under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (“PREP”) Act, 42 U.S.C. 247d-6d, et. seq. (See Notice of Removal, ECF No. 1). Presently before the Court are: (1) Defendants’ Motion to Transfer to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (“Motion to Transfer”), and; (2) Plaintiffs’ Motion to Remand this case to the…