Bell Bey v. The Mount Sinai Hospital

Background

Cooleridge Bey Bell, representing himself, sued The Mount Sinai Hospital about an outstanding bill. The opinion says that the bill was addressed to Cooleridge Bell, that the address on the bill matched the plaintiff's address, and that the plaintiff claimed he was not the person who owed the debt. He sought several million dollars in damages. The court had previously allowed him to proceed without paying the filing fee.

Jurisdiction

Federal district courts have limited subject matter jurisdiction, meaning they may hear only cases authorized by federal law. The court considered federal-question jurisdiction and diversity jurisdiction. It found no federal-question jurisdiction because the plaintiff's claims did not arise under federal law. It also found no diversity jurisdiction because the complaint indicated that both the plaintiff and The Mount Sinai Hospital were in New York. The court therefore concluded that it could not exercise jurisdiction over the action.

Disposition

The court dismissed the complaint without prejudice for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(h)(3). The court also warned that further similar litigation in the Southern District of New York would result in an order barring the plaintiff from filing new actions without paying fees unless he first obtained permission. The court certified that any appeal would not be taken in good faith and denied the plaintiff permission to proceed without paying fees for an appeal.