Shoffner, et Al. v. L.W. Pritchett, Jr., Inc., et Al.

MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM and for Lack of Jurisdiction

M.D.N.C.January 13, 2017

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA 1:16-CV-01354 STEPHEN DOUGLAS SHOFFNER, NANCY G. SHOFFNER, SHOFFNER PROPERTIES, LLC, SHOFFNER HOLDINGS, LLC, and KELLI SHOFFNER HARRELL, Plaintiffs, v. L. W. PRITCHETT, JR., INC., CHEVRON U.S.D.A, INC., BP PRODUCTS NORTH AMERICA, INC., JAMES HUNT JOHNSON, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF REBECCA STEEDLY FAIRCLOTH, Defendants. MOTION TO DISMISS Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1), (6) Pursuant to Rules 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Defendant L.W. Pritchett, Jr., Inc. (“Pritchett”), by and through undersigned counsel, moves the Court to dismiss Plaintiffs’ Complaint entirely as to Pritchett. Plaintiffs plead five claims for relief: (1) violation of the North Carolina Oil Pollution and Hazardous Substances Control Act, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143.215.75 et seq., (2) negligence, (3) res ipsa loquitur, (4) nuisance, and (5) trespass. Plaintiffs’ claims fail on several critical fronts: I. Plaintiffs’ claims are barred by the applicable statute of repose, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(16), and had expired before a substantive amendment of that Case 1:16-cv-01354-CCE-JEP Document 18 Filed 01/13/17 Page 1 of 3 statute was passed in June 2014, so Plaintiffs cannot successfully state a claim upon which relief can be granted; II. Because Plaintiffs’ claims had expired before June 2014 under the then- existing statute of repose, they could not be revived by subsequent changes to the law; and II. The Court has no subject matter jurisdiction to consider claims that were extinguished by the statute of repose. In accordance with Local Rule 7.3, this motion is supported by a brief in support, filed contemporaneously herewith. This the 13th day of January, 2017. /s/Bradley M. Risinger N.C. State Bar No. 23629 brad.risinger@smithmoorelaw.com Jeffrey R. Whitley N.C. State Bar. No. 46497 Jeff.Whitley@smithmoorelaw.com SMITH MOORE LEATHERWOOD LLP 434 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2800 (27601) Post Office Box 27525 Raleigh, North Carolina 27611 Telephone: (919) 755-8700 Facsimile: (919) 755-8800 Attorneys for Defendant L. W. Pritchett, Jr., Inc. Case 1:16-cv-01354-CCE-JEP Document 18 Filed 01/13/17 Page 2 of 3 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE The undersigned hereby certifies that the foregoing MOTION TO DISMISS was electronically filed with the Clerk of Court using the CM/ECF system, which will send notice of such filing to the following registered CM/ECF users: F. Bryan Brice, Jr., Esq. E. Warren Kuhn, Esq. Law Offices of F. Bryan Brice, Jr. 127 W. Hargett Street, Suite 600 Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 Attorneys for Plaintiffs Chelsea Corey, Esq. King & Spalding LLP 100 North Tryon Street, Suite 3900 Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 Attorneys for Defendant Chevron U.S.A., Inc. Michael A. Kaeding, Esq. Alston & Bird LLP 4721 Emperor Boulevard, Suite 400 Durham, North Carolina 27703 Meaghan Goodwin Boyd, Esq. Alston & Bird LLP One Atlantic Center 1201 West Peachtree Street, Suite 4900 Atlanta, Georgia 30309 Attorneys for Defendant BP Products North America, Inc. James Hunt Johnson, Esq. Law Offices of James Hunt Johnson 106-B South Maple Street Graham, North Carolina 27253 Attorney for Defendant James Hunt Johnson, Administrator of the Estate of Rebecca Steedly Faircloth James Maher, Esq. King & Spalding LLP 1100 Louisiana Street, Suite 4000 Houston, Texas 77002-5213 Attorneys for Chevron U.S.A., Inc. This the 13th day of January, 2017. /s/Bradley M. Risinger Bradley M. Risinger Case 1:16-cv-01354-CCE-JEP Document 18 Filed 01/13/17 Page 3 of 3