No jurisdiction, no ruling on the merits

Plaintiff sued for violations of Louisiana’s version of RICO; defendants removed and moved to dismiss.  The trial court said in part: “there is no standing, there is no jurisdiction and the court will grant the Motion to Dismiss pursuant to 12(b)(1).”  Cox, Cox, Filo, Camel & Wilson LLC v. Sasol North America, Inc., No. 12-31123 (May 24, 2013, unpublished).  The Fifth Circuit found error in dismissing with prejudice, noting that “to dismiss with prejudice under Rule 12(b)(1) is to disclaim jurisdiction and then exercise it.”  The Court also found it unclear whether the trial court had dismissed on constitutional standing grounds or standing under the racketeering statute, “[b]ut instead of rewriting the district court’s order to affirm on the merits,” it vacated and remanded for further proceedings consistent with its opinion.