The following excerpt is from Medina v. Performance Auto. Grp. Inc., NO. CIV. S-11-2809 LKK/KJN (E.D. Cal. 2012):
Upon removal, the district court must determine whether it has subject matter jurisdiction and, if not, it must remand. Lyons v. Alaska Teamsters Employer Serv. Corp., 188 F.3d 1170, 1171 (9th Cir. 1999). A defendant may remove any state court action to federal district court if the latter court has original jurisdiction under a claim or right "arising under the Constitution, treaties or laws of the United States." 28 U.S.C. 1441; see also 28 U.S.C. 1331.
Whether a cause of action arises under the Constitution, treaties or laws of the United States must be determined solely from what is contained in the plaintiff's well-pleaded complaint. Taylor v. Anderson, 234 U.S. 74, 75-76, 34 S.Ct. 724,
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