GREAT LAKES v. POMARICO, 294 Fed.Appx. 501 (11th Cir. 2008)

GREAT LAKES REINSURANCE (UK) PLC, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Steven POMARICO, Dennis Dodson, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 07-15066.United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit.
September 23, 2008.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: This case is unpublished as indicated by the issuing court.]

Jonathan W. Skipp, Stephanie H. Wylie, Horr, Novak Skipp, P.A., Miami, FL, for Plaintiffs-Appellants.

Michael Ramer Karcher, Karcher Canning Karcher, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, for Defendant-Appellee.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. D.C. Docket No. 07-21512-CV-CMA.

Before BIRCH and MARCUS, Circuit Judges and FORRESTER,[*]
District Judge.

[*] Honorable J. Owen Forrester, United States District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia, sitting by designation.

PER CURIAM:

Having thoroughly reviewed the record and the briefs of the parties and having heard oral argument by counsel, we can find no abuse of discretion, [1] particularly in view of the “Savings to Suitors” clause of 28 U.S.C. § 1333(1)[2] and the familiarity of the Florida courts with maritime disputes See, e.g. Carnival Corp. v. Carlisle, 953 So.2d 461
(Fla. 2007). Therefore, we AFFIRM the judgment of the district court.

[1] See Wilton v. Seven Falls Co., 515 U.S. 277, 289-90, 115 S.Ct. 2137, 2144, 132 L.Ed.2d 214 (1995) (determining that a stay by the district court of a declaratory judgment action is reviewed for abuse of discretion).

[2] 28 U.S.C. § 1333. Admiralty, maritime and prizecases.

The district courts shall have original jurisdiction, exclusive of the courts of the States, of:

(1) Any civil case of admiralty or maritime jurisdiction, saving to suitors in all cases all other remedies to which they are otherwise entitled.

(emphasis added).