Alexander v. JBC Legal Group, P.C.

237 F.R.D. 628, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63004, 2006 WL 2482461
CourtDistrict Court, D. Montana
DecidedAugust 9, 2006
DocketNo. CV 05-16-H-DWM
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 237 F.R.D. 628 (Alexander v. JBC Legal Group, P.C.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Alexander v. JBC Legal Group, P.C., 237 F.R.D. 628, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63004, 2006 WL 2482461 (D. Mont. 2006).

Opinion

ORDER

MOLLOY, Chief Judge.

I. Factual Background

This is a claim for violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”), 15 U.S.C. §§ 1692-1692o. The alleged violations originate in Defendants’ letters attempting to collect a debt from Plaintiff Brad Alexander.

Alexander alleges that Defendants mailed him a letter on April 4, 2004, in an attempt to collect $6.07 for a dishonored check he had written on March 5, 1992. The letter demanded that Alexander remit to Defendants $46.07 and stated that he would be subject to a penalty of triple the amount of the check, or $100.00, whichever was greater, if he failed to make payment within thirty days. Exh. 1. On May 5, 2004, Defendants sent Alexander a second letter demanding the $46.07 plus an additional $100.00. Exh. 2. On December 16, 2004, Defendants sent Alexander a third letter demanding $46.07 plus an additional $100.00. Exh. 3. Alexander alleges that Defendants have sent letters identical to Exhibit 1 to at least one hundred other Montana residents, letters identical to Exhibit 2 to at least twenty-nine other Montana residents, and letters identical to Exhibit 3 to at least thirty-four other Montana residents.

According to Alexander, the letters sent by Defendants violated federal law regulating debt collectors and state law regarding the fees allowed for the collection of dishonored [630]*630checks because they attempted to collect amounts not authorized by federal or state law.

The Plaintiff has filed a motion for class certification, asking that the Court certify a class comprised of:

(1) all persons in the state of Montana;
(2) to whom a letter in the form of Exhibits 1, 2 or 3 was sent;
(3) in an attempt to collect a debt incurred for personal, family, or household purposes;
(4) which was not returned as undeliverable by the U.S. Post Office.

Defendants oppose class certification.

II. Analysis

In order for a class to be certified, it must meet each of the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(a), and the requirements of one of the three subsections of Rule 23(b). The Supreme Court has described the Rule 23(a) requirements as follows:

Rule 23(a) states four threshold requirements applicable to all class actions: (1) numerosity (a ‘class [so large] that joinder of all members is impracticable’); (2) commonality (‘questions of law or fact common to the class’); (3) typicality (named parties’ claims or defenses ‘are typical ... of the class’); and (4) adequacy of representation (representatives ‘will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class’).

Amchem Prods., Inc. v. Windsor, 521 U.S. 591, 613, 117 S.Ct. 2231, 138 L.Ed.2d 689 (1997). Alexander requests certification pursuant to subsection (b)(3) of Rule 23, which requires that “questions of law or fact common to the members of the class predominate over any questions affecting only individual members, and that a class action is superior to other available methods for the fair and efficient adjudication of the controversy.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(b)(3). This Court is to consider the following pertinent matters when analyzing a case under Rule 23(b)(3):

(A) the interest of members of the class in individually controlling the prosecution or defense of separate actions; (B) the extent and nature of any litigation concerning the controversy already commenced by or against members of the class; (C) the desirability or undesirability of concentrating the litigation of the claims in the particular forum; (D) the difficulties likely to be encountered in the management of a class action.

Id. The plaintiff bears the burden of showing that each of the requirements has been met.

It is improper for this Court to consider the merits of the complaint beyond what is necessary to decide whether the requirements of Rule 23 have been met. See Eisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin, 417 U.S. 156, 177, 94 S.Ct. 2140, 40 L.Ed.2d 732 (1974) (“We find nothing in either the language or history of Rule 23 that gives a court any authority to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the merits of a suit in order to determine whether it may be maintained as a class action. Indeed, such a procedure contravenes the Rule by allowing a representative plaintiff to secure the benefits of a class action without first satisfying the requirements for it.”). Thus, for purposes of this motion, the allegations in Alexander’s complaint must be accepted as true. Id.

A. Rule 23(a)

1. Rule 23(a)(1) Numerosity

The numerosity requirement is met when the class is so large that joinder of all members is impractical. Rule 23(a)(1). Plaintiff alleges that the class size is at least 100 and estimates that approximately 163 letters were sent during the one year class period. Defendants do not dispute the estimated class size, rather they argue that the class does not have enough potential class members to meet the numerosity requirement.

The Ninth Circuit has vacated certification on numerosity grounds where a class consisted of ten members or less, and it has noted the Supreme Court’s holding in General Telephone Company v. EEOC, 446 U.S. 318, 330, 100 S.Ct. 1698, 64 L.Ed.2d 319 (1980), that a class consisting of fifteen members is too small to meet the numerosity requirement. See Hank v. Cal. Teachers Ass’n, 326 F.3d 1042, 1051 (9th Cir.2003). On the other [631]*631hand, it has suggested that a class consisting of as little as thirty-nine members may satisfy the numerosity requirement “solely on the basis of the number of ascertained class members.” See Jordan v. County of Los Angeles, 669 F.2d 1311, 1319 (9th Cir.1982), vacated on other grounds, 459 U.S. 810, 103 S.Ct. 35, 74 L.Ed.2d 48 (1982). In Jordan, the court listed thirteen other cases in which other courts certified classes with less than 100 members. Id. at 1319 n. 10.

Based on the foregoing, a class with at least 100 members meets the numerosity requirement of Rule 23(a). Joinder of that many parties would be impracticable. See also Harry A. v. Duncan, CV 03-13-H-DWM (Docket # 67, Feb. 3, 2004) (holding that a reasonable estimate of 100 or more class members satisfied the numerosity requirement).

2. Rule 23(a)(2) Commonality

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Bluebook (online)
237 F.R.D. 628, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63004, 2006 WL 2482461, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/alexander-v-jbc-legal-group-pc-mtd-2006.