9th Circuit: Federal Court Has Jurisdiction Because ERISA Plaintiff Has Colorable Claim

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal district court erred in dismissing a claim for disability benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because the claimant asserted a colorable claim that he was a plan participant and, therefore, satisfied the threshold for establishing federal court subject matter jurisdiction, the Ninth Circuit ruled Jan. 23 (Jack C. Leeson v. Transamerica Disability Income Plan, No. 10-35380, 9th Cir.; 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 1248). Full story on lexis.com