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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTEASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
SOUTHERN DIVISION
NISRINE MINI MART, INC., andALI CHEBLI,
Plaintiffs,
v.
ACE AMERICAN INSURANCECOMPANY,
Defendant.
CASE NO. ____________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________IBRAHIM HAMMOUD (P75765)ELSHARNOBY & ASSOCIATES, P.C.Attorney for Plaintiffs12824 Ford Rd Ste. 2Dearborn, MI 48126(313) 478-4494; Fax: (866-380-4535)iyhammoud@gmail.com
RUSSELL W. PORRITT II (P38659)WARD, ANDERSON, PORRITT & BRYANT,PLC
4190 Telegraph Road, Suite 2300Bloomfield Hill, Michigan 48302(248) 593-1440; Fax: 593-7920 (facsimile)rporritt@wardanderson.com
Of counsel:Gregory P. Deschenes (BBO No. 550830)Troy K. Lieberman (BBO No. 681755)NIXON PEABODY LLP100 Summer StreetBoston, Massachusetts 02110(617) 345-1000; Fax: (617) 345-1300
_____________________________________________________________________________
NOTICE OF REMOVAL
Defendant ACE American Insurance Company (ACE), pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1332,
1441, and 1446, files this Notice of Removal of the above-captioned action from the Circuit
Court for the County of Wayne, State of Michigan, where it is denominated as Case No. 12-
006498, to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. As grounds for
removal, ACE states as follows:
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1. On or about May 16, 2012, plaintiffs Nisrine Mini Mart, Inc. and Ali Chebli(Plaintiffs) purportedly served, by certified mail addressed to Melody Curry, ACE Claims
Specialist, with a Proof of Service and Complaint filed in the Circuit Court for the County of
Wayne, State of Michigan. True and accurate copies of the Proof of Service and Complaint are
attached asExhibit A.
2. This is a case that arises from costs allegedly incurred as a result of leakingunderground storage tanks that allegedly occurred at 3344 Puritan Street, Detroit, Michigan. In
substance, Plaintiffs allege that ACE breached an insurance policy with Plaintiffs by [f]ailing to
assist Plaintiff [sic] with updating the underground storage tanks, [f]ailing to compensate
Plaintiffs for their costs in updating the underground storage tanks, and failing to perform on
their obligations under the contract. Complaint at 28. Plaintiffs further allege that ACEs
denial of the claim was unreasonable and done in bad faith. Complaint at 36.
3. In the Complaint, Plaintiffs seek to recover against ACE for their alleged losseson theories of breach of contract (Count I) and unfair failure to pay insurance benefits (Count II).
4. Upon information and belief, Plaintiffs seek to recover in excess of $150,776.20for the damages they allege they sustained. Therefore, without admitting, and expressly denying
the validity of Plaintiffs causes of action, the amount in controversy in this action exceeds the
sum of Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00), exclusive of interest and costs.
5. In the Complaint, Plaintiffs allege that Nisrine Mini Mart is a business entityresiding in Detroit, Michigan. Complaint at 2. Upon information and belief, Plaintiff Nisrine
Mini Mart is a corporation organized under the laws of Michigan with its principal place of
business in Detroit, Michigan.
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6. Upon information and belief, Plaintiff Ali Chebli is a resident of the State ofMichigan.
7. ACE is a corporation organized under the laws of Pennsylvania with its principalplace of business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
8. Accordingly, this Court has original jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28U.S.C. 1332, because this action is between citizens of different states and the amount in
controversy exceeds Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00), exclusive of interest and
costs. Removal of this action is therefore proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1441.
9.
This Notice of Removal is timely filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1446(b), as ACE
removed the case within 30 days of the receipt of the Complaint by the defendants.
10. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan includes theCounty in which the state court action is now pending. Thus, this Court is the proper venue for
this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1446(a).
11. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1446(d), ACE is filing a written notice of this removalwith the Clerk of the Circuit Court for the County of Wayne. See Exhibit B attached hereto.
Copies of the Notice of Filing and this Notice of Removal are being served upon Plaintiffs
counsel as required by 28 U.S.C. 1446(d).
WHEREFORE, this action should be removed to the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Michigan.
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Respectfully submitted,
ACE AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY,
By its attorneys,
/ s / R u s s e ll W . Po r r it t I I
RUSSELL W. PORRITT II (P38659)WARD, ANDERSON, PORRITT & BRYANT,PLC4190 Telegraph Road, Suite 2300Bloomfield Hill, Michigan 48302(248) 593-1440; Fax: 593-7920rporritt@wardanderson.com
Of counsel:Gregory P. Deschenes (BBO No. 550830)Troy K. Lieberman (BBO No. 681755)NIXON PEABODY LLP100 Summer StreetBoston, Massachusetts 02110(617) 345-1000; Fax: (617) 345-1300
The undersigned certifies that a copy of the foregoing instrument was served upon the attorneys of record of all parties to the above cause by
electronic filing at their respective e-mail addresses as disclosed by the pleadings of record herein and/or by U.S. Mail, on June 12, 2012. I declareunder penalty of perjury that the above statement is true to the best of my knowledge, information and belief.
/s/ Bonnie L. Klimek
___________________________________
Bonnie L. Klimek
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INDEX OF EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT A State Verified Complaint
EXHIBIT B Notice of Filing Removal
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EXHIBIT A
VERIFIED COMPLAINT
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EXHIBIT B
NOTICE OF FILING REMOVAL
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF WAYNE
NISRINE MINI MART, INC., and
ALI CHEBLI,
Plaintiffs,
v.
ACE AMERICAN INSURANCE
COMPANY,
Defendant.
CASE NO.: 12-006498-CK
HON. MICHAEL F. SAPALA
_______________________________________________________________________________IBRAHIM HAMMOUD (P75765)ELSHARNOBY & ASSOCIATES, P.C.
Attorney for Plaintiffs
12824 Ford Rd Ste. 2Dearborn, MI 48126
(313) 478-4494; Fax: (866-380-4535)
iyhammoud@gmail.com
RUSSELL W. PORRITT II (P38659)WARD, ANDERSON, PORRITT & BRYANT,
PLC
4190 Telegraph Road, Suite 2300
Bloomfield Hill, Michigan 48302(248) 593-1440; Fax: 593-7920 (facsimile)
rporritt@wardanderson.com
Of counsel:
Gregory P. Deschenes (BBO No. 550830)Troy K. Lieberman (BBO No. 681755)
NIXON PEABODY LLP
100 Summer Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110(617) 345-1000; Fax: (617) 345-1300
_____________________________________________________________________________
NOTICE OF FILING FOR REMOVAL
Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1446(d), defendant ACE American Insurance Company
(ACE), hereby gives notice to the Circuit Court of Wayne County, Michigan and Ibrahim
Hammoud, Esq. as attorney for plaintiffs Nisrine Mini Mart, Inc. and Ali Chebli, that on June 12,
2012, ACE filed a Notice of Removal, thereby removing the above-entitled action to the United
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States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The filing of this notice stays all
proceedings in this Court.
Respectfully submitted,
ACE AMERICAN INSURANCE
COMPANY,
By its attorneys,
/ s / R u s s e ll W . Po r r i t t I I
RUSSELL W. PORRITT II (P38659)WARD, ANDERSON, PORRITT &
BRYANT, PLC
4190 Telegraph Road, Suite 2300
Bloomfield Hill, Michigan 48302(248) 593-1440; Fax: 593-7920
rporritt@wardanderson.com
Of counsel:
Gregory P. Deschenes (BBO No. 550830)Troy K. Lieberman (BBO No. 681755)
NIXON PEABODY LLP
100 Summer Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110(617) 345-1000
Dated: June 12, 2012 (617) 345-1300 (facsimile)
The undersigned certifies that a copy of the foregoing instrument was served upon the attorneys of record of all parties to the above cause by
electronic filing at their respective e-mail addresses as disclosed by the pleadings of record herein and/or by U.S. Mail, on June 12, 2012. I declare
under penalty of perjury that the above statement is true to the best of my knowledge, information and belief.
/s/ Bonnie L. Klimek
___________________________________
Bonnie L. Klimek
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