In diversity jurisdiction, what condition prevents removal based on diversity?

• A. A plaintiff shares a state of citizenship with any defendant.
• B. The amount in controversy is less than $75,000.
• C. The case involves a federal question.
• D. All defendants consent to removal.

Answer: (A)

Complete diversity is required for removal under diversity jurisdiction. If a plaintiff shares citizenship with any defendant, complete diversity is destroyed, so removal based on diversity is improper. There must be a different state for every plaintiff compared to every defendant, and without that, the federal court cannot hear the case under a Diversity basis. Remember there’s also an amount-in-controversy threshold (over $75,000) that must be met, but even with that, lack of complete diversity blocks removal on the diversity ground. The other options don’t capture the fundamental barrier tested here: the presence of a shared state citizenship between at least one plaintiff and one defendant.