Pa. Judge Remands After Allowing Amended Claims Against Drilling Support Firms

SCRANTON, Pa. - Senior U.S. District Judge Richard A. Caputo has remanded a hydraulic drilling lawsuit to state court, ruling that two non-diverse drilling support firms were not joined solely to defeat the federal court's diversity jurisdiction over the environmental damage claims. Stiles, et al. v. Chesapeake Appalachia LLC, et al., No. 3:10-cv-02453 (ARC) (M.D. Pa.).

Judge Caputo also rejected defendant Chesapeake Appalachia's contention that plaintiffs' amended complaint - which added claims against the support firms - was untimely, noting in his July 29 memorandum that it was filed one day after Chesapeake filed its memorandum in support of its …