Miss. Federal Court Lacks Subject Matter Jurisdiction Over Transesophageal Cardiogram Action, Judge Says

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — A Mississippi federal judge has ruled that he lacks federal subject matter jurisdiction over an action involving an allegedly defective transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) because it does not raise a disputed, substantial federal issue.

In a Jan. 11 order, Judge Keith Starrett of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi explained that the plaintiffs state law claims against the device manufacturer and healthcare providers do not require resolution of a federal issue.

On March 26, 2015, Jerry Don Webb was taken to Forrest General Hospital due to an irregular heart rhythm characterized as atrial fibrillation. …