Answer the following fact patterns and questions as best you can by determining the issue, the applicable law and how you believe the law should be applied to answering the question posed by the issue. Pay attention only to the facts as stated. Do not read into the facts or make assumptions.
Fact Pattern 1
An engineer had formerly been involved with manufacturing nuclear reactor parts that were to be put into US Navy vessels. However, he was fired after superiors heard he had been complaining to coworkers about quality control problems he felt he had observed.
His superiors determined that these complaints were probably breaking the company's Navy contract. Subsequently, the engineer was fired.
The engineer brought suit against the company for wrongful discharge in 2005. However, he brought suit in federal court. His reasoning for suing in federal court was that the firing violated two federal statutes.
Both statutes banned the submission of untrue claims to the military or federal government. Generally, these statutes concern fraud in government contracting, although the engineer felt that his firing could be loosely linked to government statutes.
A wrongful discharge suit, however, is generally subject to state law.
Therefore, the company attempted to move the suit from the federal court to a state court, arguing that the federal court had absolutely no jurisdiction over the case.
Which court has jurisdiction? Support your answer.