Adamcik v. Credit Control Services, Inc.

832 F. Supp. 2d 744, 2011 WL 6793976, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150107
District Court, W.D. Texas·Decided December 19, 2011·No. Case No. A-10-CA-399-SS·Published·Cited by 15 cases

Opinion

ORDER

SAM SPARKS, District Judge.

BE IT REMEMBERED on this day the Court reviewed the file in the above-styled cause, and specifically Defendant Credit Control Services, Inc.’s Motion for Entry of Judgment [# 99], Plaintiff Staci Adamcik’s Response and Motion for Entry of Judgment [# 104], CCS’s Reply [# 107]; Adamcik’s brief — Prior Express Consent Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act May be Revoked Orally [# 100], and CCS’s Response to Plaintiff’s Motion for Entry of Judgment [# 103]. Having reviewed these filings, the applicable law, and the case file as a whole, the Court enters the following opinion and orders.

Background

Adamcik applied to Wachovia Bank for a student loan to cover tuition for the University of Phoenix. The loan was funded in 2008, with the first payment to be made on February 14, 2010. Adamcik apparently has made no payments.1 Wachovia Bank referred her account to CCS on March 1, 2010, in order to either facilitate payment, or to obtain a completed forbearance application from her. The parties dispute whether she was actually in “default” or was merely “delinquent” on her account.2 CCS began attempting to reach [746] Adamcik by phone, using an automatic dialing system to repeatedly call both her home and cellular phones.

A trial was conducted in this ease from November 7, 2011, through November 9, 2011. Adamcik contended CCS violated both federal and state law, particularly the Texas Debt Collection Practices Act (TDCPA),3 the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). After the close of evidence, CCS moved for judgment as matter of law. However, the Court determined there may have been fact issues as to claims under all three statutes, and submitted questions to the jury accordingly. Regarding the state and federal debt collection claims, the verdict form asked whether CCS (1) violated both the TDCPA and FDCPA by making repeated phone calls for purposes of harassment,4 (2) violated the FDCPA by calling her place of work, when CCS knew or should have known she was not allowed to receive such calls,5 and (8) failed to provide disclosures required by the FDCPA.6 As to the TCPA claims, the jury was asked whether Adamcik revoked her consent to receive, on her cellular phone, automatically dialed calls, and calls from an artificial or prerecorded voice system.7 The jury was further asked how many such calls, if any, were received after any revocation of consent. The jury returned a verdict on November 9, 2011. The jury found no liability under the TDCPA, and also answered “No” to the FDCPA questions regarding calls at work and failure to provide notice. However, the jury found CCS did “cause ... Adamcik’s telephones to ring, repeatedly or continuously, with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass,” giving rise to statutory liability under the FDCPA,8 for which the jury awarded her $300.00. Finally, the jury found Adamcik had revoked her consent to receive automatically dialed and artificial or prerecorded voice system to her cellular phone, and found further CCS' had placed thirty-nine automatically dialed calls to her cellular phone after consent was revoked.9

Discussion

CCS argues it is entitled to judgment notwithstanding the verdict because the jury did not have a legally sufficient evidentiary basis to find for Adamcik on her FDCPA harassment claim. CCS further asserts the jury’s finding of revocation of consent to receive automatically dialed calls likewise lacks an evidentiary basis, arguing only a written revocation notice is effective under the TCPA, and Adamcik admits she provided no written notice. The Fifth Circuit has explained that a court should deny a motion for judgment as a matter of law after a jury has rendered its verdict unless the jury’s decision was utterly insupportable by the evidence at trial. Navigant Consulting, Inc. v. Wilkinson, 508 F.3d 277, 282 (5th Cir.2007) (“[Jjudgment as a matter of law should not be granted unless the facts and inferences point so strongly and overwhelmingly in the movant’s favor that rea[747] sonable jurors could not reach a contrary conclusion.”).

I. FDCPA Claim — Intent to Harass

The FDCPA regulates the manner in which debt collectors interact with debtors. Relevant here, it forbids “any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse” the debtor. 15 U.S.C. § 1692d. One of the nonexclusive examples provided by the FDCPA is: “[clausing a telephone to ring or engaging any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.” Id. § 1692d(5). Violation of the FDCPA makes a debt collector liable to the debtor for, inter alia, (1) “any actual damage[s],” (2) additional statutory damages up to $1,000, and (3) costs and reasonable attorney’s fees. Id. § 1692k(a)(l)-(3).

The jury found CCS violated § 1692d, and awarded $300 in statutory damages under § 1692k(a)(2). CCS urges the Court to set aside those findings, and argues the jury lacked sufficient evidence to support the requisite finding of “intent to annoy, abuse, or harass” under the FDCPA.10 See 15 U.S.C. § 1692d(5). The evidence showed CCS called Adamcik at least 134 times over an approximately forty-day period. CCS asserts this is not enough, and cites recent cases in other district courts, holding intent to harass cannot be inferred from volume of calls alone, but must be based on the overall nature and pattern of the calls. See, e.g., Daniel v. W. Asset Mgmt., Inc., No. 11-10034, 2011 WL 5142980, at *4 (E.D.Mich. Oct. 28, 2011).

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Adamcik v. Credit Control Services, Inc., 832 F. Supp. 2d 744, 2011 WL 6793976, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150107 (W.D. Tex. 2011).

832 F. Supp. 2d 744 (Adamcik v. Credit Control Services, Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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