Adams v. Swanson

652 F. Supp. 762
CourtDistrict Court, D. Oregon
DecidedNovember 22, 1985
DocketCiv. No. 85-868
StatusPublished

This text of 652 F. Supp. 762 (Adams v. Swanson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Adams v. Swanson, 652 F. Supp. 762 (D. Or. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION

REDDEN, Judge:

Judge Juba’s Findings and Recommendation is before me pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) and Fed.R.Civ.P. 72(b). When either party objects to any portion of the Magistrate’s Findings and Recommendation, the district court must make a de novo determination of that portion of the Magistrate’s report. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(C); McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Commodore Business Machines, Inc., 656 F.2d 1309, 1313 (9th Cir.1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 920, 102 S.Ct. 1277, 71 L.Ed.2d 461 (1982).

Plaintiffs filed this action alleging securities laws violations against a nationwide securities broker, a stockbroker and a branch office manager. Defendants moved to compel enforcement of an arbitration clause in their investment services contract or, alternatively, to dismiss. Judge Juba recommended that defendants’ motion to compel arbitration be granted. Plaintiffs have timely objected. I have given the case a de novo review. I do not adopt the Magistrate’s Findings and Recommendation that arbitration be compelled. I also consider defendants’ alternative motion to dismiss and deny that motion.

Background

Defendant Smith Barney is a nationwide securities broker and dealer. Defendant Swanson is a stockbroker and defendant Davidson is branch manager for Smith Barney in Medford, Oregon. Plaintiffs William D. Adams, Rita E. Adams and William E. Adams signed a “Customer Agreement” for investment services and transferred $124,000 to Smith Barney in May 1984. This agreement contains an arbitration clause.1 Plaintiffs’ suit alleges violations of Section 10(b) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (1934 Act) as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 78j(b), and Rule 10b-5, 17 C.F.R. 240, 10b-5. Further, plaintiffs allege violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), 18 U.S.C. § 1962, common law fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.

Discussion

Plaintiffs’ sole argument is that Judge Juba’s Findings and Recommendation is contrary to the law of the Ninth Circuit and the District of Oregon. Plaintiffs rely on a recent unpublished opinion of this district, Schnitzer v. Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., 633 F.Supp. 92 (D.C.Or.1985).

The question is whether courts may order enforcement of arbitration clauses in investment contracts subject to pending actions arising under the 1934 Act. In actions arising under § 12(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 (1933 Act), agreements to arbitrate future controversies are unenforceable. Wilko v. Swan, 346 U.S. 427, 74 S.Ct. 182, 98 L.Ed. 168 (1953). There, the Court reasoned that § 12(2) of the 1933 Act expressly granted individuals a private cause of action, and § 14 of the Act expressly declared void the waiver of any provision of the Act. Thus, with respect to claims under the 1933 Act, parties may not waive their rights to judicial relief. Such arbitration clauses are unenforceable.

The case law is not dispositive with respect to 1934 Act claims, however. The Supreme Court recently refused to decide whether Wilko applied to § 10(b) claims [764]*764under the 1934 Act. Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. v. Byrd, 470 U.S. 213, 105 S.Ct. 1238, 84 L.Ed.2d 158 (1985). In a footnote, they did note that it was the general rule in some circuits, including the Ninth, not to compel arbitration in actions arising under the 1934 Act, even though there was not an explicit statutory grant of a private cause of action. Byrd, 105 S.Ct. at 1240, n. 1. The Supreme Court pointed to De Lancie v. Birr, Wilson & Co., 648 F.2d 1255 (9th Cir.1981) as expressing the Ninth Circuit rule.

The judge’s recommendation to compel arbitration here was based on his interpretation of Byrd. He interpreted Byrd as strongly suggesting that § 10(b) claims should be subject to compelled arbitration, and pointed to the concurring opinion in Byrd and to recent district court decisions from Florida.

However, in an opinion from this district, filed shortly before Judge Juba’s Findings and Recommendation, this issue was considered and ruled upon. Schnitzer, 633 F.Supp. 92. That decision, relying on De Lancie and Byrd, held that federal securities claims under the 1934 Act are not arbitrable. Judge Panner explained that Byrd, although not dispositive on the issue of claims arising under the 1934 Act, did not change the rule set down by the Ninth Circuit in De Lancie. Schnitzer, 633 F.Supp. at 99-100.

Also, another more recent opinion of this district followed Schnitzer and held that federal securities claims under § 10(b) of the 1934 Act were considered nonarbitrable. Lampros v. Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Civ. No. 85-684-LE (D.C.Or. October 3, 1985). There, the recent developments in the Ninth Circuit, Supreme Court decisions and Securities and Exchange Commission Releases were fully discussed. Contra, Dees. v. Distenfield, 618 F.Supp. 123 (C.D.Cal.1985).

The rule in this district is now that the federal securities claims under the 1934 Act are nonarbitrable. Thus, arbitration may not be compelled.

Defendants move to dismiss counts one, two and three of the complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Defendants argue that plaintiffs have failed to allege either a violation of the federal securities laws or the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization Act (RICO). I do not agree.

Plaintiffs claim that defendants induced them through false, fraudulent and untrue statements and representations to open an account with Smith Barney of which defendant Swanson exercised complete control. After opening an account with Smith Barney plaintiffs claim that defendants, contrary to plaintiffs’ stated objectives and without plaintiffs’ knowledge, placed plaintiffs’ money in speculative investments that resulted in less than the promised rate of return and losses to the account. Plaintiffs further allege that defendants “churned” plaintiffs’ account to generate commissions.

I conclude that plaintiffs state a claim cognizable under § 10(b) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. Plaintiffs allege specific factual misrepresentations as to the type of investment and the percentage return. The complaint alleges that the statements were false and made with scienter and were knowingly intended to induce plaintiffs to purchase securities through defendants.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
652 F. Supp. 762, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/adams-v-swanson-ord-1985.