Gold mines, supplemental jurisdiction, and limitations.

The owner of technology for identifying promising sites for gold mines sued an engineering firm for misusing its confidential information.  Target Strike, Inc. v. Marston & Marston, Inc., No. 12-50221 (April 17, 2013, unpublished).  The Fifth Circuit found it appropriate to exercise jurisdiction after dismissal of the federal claim, when the claim had been litigated for an extended period and the timing of the remand motion seemed tactical “when the judicial tide appeared to turn . . .”  (That holding contrasts with a recent opinion that found an abuse of discretion in not remanding a case once all federal claims were eliminated at an early stage of the proceedings.  Enochs v. Lampasas County, 641 F.3d 155 (5th Cir. 2011) (citing Parker & Parsley v. Dresser Indus., 972 F.2d 580 (5th Cir. 1992))).  The Court went on to find the plaintiff’s claim time-barred because the sites were known to the plaintiff and the defendant’s activity was public.