Are you ready for some SCOTUS?

First Monday, baby. And right out of the gate is Dart Cherokee Basin Operating Co. v. Owens, which will be argued on First Tuesday (October 7). The SCOTUSblog argument preview by Ron Mann (Columbia) says the case “could have come straight out of a law-school exam.” Here’s the question presented:

Whether a defendant seeking removal to federal court is required to include evidence supporting federal jurisdiction in the notice of removal, or is alleging the required “short and plain statement of the grounds for removal” enough?

There’s also an interesting side issue regarding the extent of the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction when a federal appellate court has exercised discretion to deny leave to appeal under the special appellate provisions of the Class Action Fairness Act [28 U.S.C. § 1453(c)]. An amicus brief filed by Public Citizen argues that “the only question properly before the Court in this case is whether the court of appeals abused its discretion when it denied leave to appeal.”