Borden v. Antonelli Coll.

304 F. Supp. 3d 678
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedMarch 29, 2018
DocketCase No. 1:16–cv–519
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 304 F. Supp. 3d 678 (Borden v. Antonelli Coll.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Borden v. Antonelli Coll., 304 F. Supp. 3d 678 (S.D. Ohio 2018).

Opinion

Timothy S. Black, United States District Judge

This civil case is before the Court on Defendants' motion for summary judgment on the claims of Plaintiff Annie Borden *681(Doc. 50) and the parties' responsive memoranda (Docs. 56, 61).1

I. BACKGROUND

A. Introduction.

Plaintiffs Annie Borden and Kachena Richardson commenced this lawsuit, which alleges that Defendants engaged in deceptive and misleading marketing and advertising practices. Plaintiffs are former students in Antonelli's Practical Nursing Program ("PNP"). Plaintiffs' claims, which are asserted on behalf of themselves and a putative class, are premised on their contentions that Defendants misrepresented facts about the PNP, including its quality and approval from the Ohio Board of Nursing ("OBN"), and failed to provide adequate instruction.

On these bases, the Complaint asserts claims for violation of the Ohio Deceptive Trade Practices Act ("ODTPA"), breach of contract, fraud, constructive fraud, intentional misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, promissory estoppel and unjust enrichment. (Doc. 30).

In response, Antonelli filed a Counterclaim against Ms. Borden. (Doc. 47). The Counterclaim asserts that Ms. Borden is liable for $6,815.50 in unpaid tuition and asserts claims for breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

B. Facts pertaining to Ms. Borden's claims.

1. Antonelli opens the PNP; encounters issues with its approval from the OBN.

In September, 2013, Antonelli opened the PNP. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 12; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 12). At the time it opened, the PNP was "conditionally approved" by the OBN. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 13; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 13). While designated "conditionally approved," Antonelli was still allowed to enroll and graduate students, and its graduates were eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam and to become licensed practical nurses in the State of Ohio. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 15; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 15).2

In November 2014, the OBN and Antonelli entered into a consent agreement ("Consent Agreement") (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 14; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 14).3 The Consent Agreement recognized that the PNP had not met certain standards set forth in the Ohio Administrative Code applicable to nursing education programs and extended the PNP's conditional approval until November 2015, at which time the OBN stated it may grant or deny full approval status. (Doc. 50-8).

In November, 2015, the OBN provided Antonelli with another proposed consent agreement ("Second Consent Agreement") that would have extended the conditional approval of the program until November, 2016. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 16; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 16; Doc. 50-10). The proposed Second Consent Agreement again explained that the PNP had not met certain standards set forth in the Ohio Administrative Code applicable to nursing education programs. (Doc. 50-10). Antonelli was required to sign the proposed Second Consent Agreement by November 12, 2015. (Id. at 2).

Instead of signing the proposed Second Consent Agreement by the required date, Ms. Barnette, then the Program Administrator of the PNP, added proposed modifications and returned it to the OBN. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 17; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 17). Ms. Barnette's changes were rejected and the *682deadline for Antonelli to sign Second Consent Agreement passed. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 18; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 18).

On November 20, 2015, the OBN issued a Notice of Opportunity for Hearing ("Notice") to Antonelli. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 19; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 19; Doc. 50-13). The Notice informed Antonelli that the OBN "is authorized to propose to deny full approval and withdraw conditional approval of the [PNP] based on its failure to meet and maintain the standards established in rules adopted under Section 4723.07, ORC." (Doc. 50-13 at 5). The Notice gave Antonelli thirty days to request a hearing. (Id. )

Ms. Barnette drafted a Request for Hearing ("Request") and mailed it to the OBN on December 14, 2015. (Doc. 50 at ¶ 21).4 On January 4, 2016, Ms. Barnette contacted the OBN to inquire as to the hearing date. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 22; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 22). The OBN advised it had not received Ms. Barnette's request. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 23; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 23).

Subsequently, the OBN issued an Order withdrawing the PNP's conditional approval and denying full approval status for the program; the Order was sent via Certified Mail to Antonelli on March 29, 2016. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 24; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 24). On March 30, 2016, the PNP was suspended. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 25).

Antonelli filed a Motion to Stay against the OBN in the Franklin County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on April 11, 2016. The Motion for Stay was granted and the program was re-opened after less than 20 days. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 26; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 26).

The issue of whether Antonelli properly made a Request for Hearing that must be honored by the OBN was then before the Court of Common Pleas. A hearing was held on April 26, 2016. On May 11, 2016, the Court ruled in Antonelli's favor and ordered that Antonelli had complied with the requirements to request a hearing and was, therefore, entitled to a hearing before the OBN. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 27; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 27).

The Administrative Hearing with the OBN was conducted before Hearing Examiner Ronda Shamansky on September 20-21, 2016. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 28; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 28). Thereafter, Ms. Shamansky entered her Report and Recommendation recommending that the OBN continue conditional approval of the PNP for at least one additional year. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 29; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 29).

On November 17, 2016, the OBN adopted the Report and Recommendation and ordered that conditional approval be extended for the PNP through November 16, 2017. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 30; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 30).

2. Ms. Borden's experience in the PNP.

Ms. Borden enrolled in the PNP in or around May 2014. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 1; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 1). At the time she enrolled, she signed and initialed several documents that are of consequence to this litigation.

First, Ms. Borden executed an Enrollment Agreement. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 32; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 32). In bold print, the Enrollment Agreement expressly notified Ms. Borden that Antonelli does not guarantee its credits will transfer to another institution:

Antonelli College does not guarantee transferability of its credits to other institutions of higher education. Transfer credit is always at the discretion of the receiving institution. If you plan to transfer credit *683from Antonelli College to another institution, please check with the other institution before enrolling to determine if it will accept credits and/or specific courses taken at Antonelli College.

(Doc. 50-2 at 3) (emphasis in original).

Second, concurrent with the Enrollment Agreement, Ms. Borden executed a State of Ohio Student Disclosure Form issued by the State of Ohio Board of Career Colleges and Schools. (Doc. 50-1 at ¶ 34; Doc. 56-1 at ¶ 34). Ms.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
304 F. Supp. 3d 678, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/borden-v-antonelli-coll-ohsd-2018.