Walker v. Norwest Corp.

Massey, the Walkers' attorney (plaintiffs), failed to properly plead the complete diversity of citizenship needed to invoke federal diversity jurisdiction, since among the several defendants (including Norwest, a Minnesota corporation) were also South Dakota corporations that could defeat diversity with South-Dakota-citizen plaintiffs. The district court sanctioned Massey under Rule 11, and Massey argued determining every defendant's citizenship was too burdensome.

Whether an attorney can be sanctioned under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure Rule 11 for failing to properly plead diversity jurisdiction.