Carpenters Southern California Administrative Corp. v. Knight

O’SCANNLAIN, Circuit Judge:

We must decide whether a district court’s lack of subject matter jurisdiction precludes it from awarding costs and attorneys’ fees against a plaintiff alleging a cause of action under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

I

Homer and Donzelle Knight (collectively “the Knights”) are construction contractors and the sole shareholders of the H.K. Concrete Company (“H.K. Concrete”). H.K. Concrete was bound by a master labor agreement (“MLA”) executed between the United General Contractors, Inc., and the Southern California District Conference of Carpenters. H.K.…