Before HIGGINBOTHAM, SMITH, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.

PATRICK E. HIGGINBOTHAM, Circuit Judge:

Crystal Power Company, Ltd. filed this suit in Texas state court in 2002. The case was removed to federal court in 2010 by an intervening plaintiff who became named as the defendant on several cross-claims. Because the removal statute may only be invoked by a true defendant, not a cross-defendant, we grant the petition for writ of mandamus and instruct the district court to remand the case to state court.