Chen v. Geo Grp., Inc.

297 F. Supp. 3d 1130
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedFebruary 28, 2018
DocketCASE NO. 3:17–5769–RJB
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 297 F. Supp. 3d 1130 (Chen v. Geo Grp., Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chen v. Geo Grp., Inc., 297 F. Supp. 3d 1130 (W.D. Wash. 2018).

Opinion

ROBERT J. BRYAN, United States District Judge

THIS MATTER comes before the Court upon Plaintiff Chao Chen's Motion to Dismiss or Strike Defendant's Counterclaims and Affirmative Defenses. Dkt. 37. The Court has considered the motion, Defendant The Geo Group, Inc.'s Response, Plaintiff's Reply, Defendant's Answer, and the remainder of the file herein. Dkts. 33, 37, 38, 39.

This case arises out of the allegation that Defendant failed to compensate Plaintiff and a proposed class of immigration detainees commensurate with the Washington Minimum Wage Act. See Dkt. 1. Defendant's Answer alleges two counterclaims, both of which Plaintiff seeks to strike under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f) or dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). See Dkt. 33 at ¶¶ 8.1-8.14, 11.1-12.12. Defendant's Answer raises fourteen affirmative *1132defenses, all but four of which Plaintiff seeks to strike. See id. at 33 at ¶¶ 8.1-8.14.

Facts alleged in the Answer and procedural history are introduced below only where relevant to discussion of each counterclaim and affirmative defense.

I. COUNTERCLAIMS (Dkt. 33 at ¶¶ 11.1-12.12)

A. Standard for relief.

Plaintiff seeks dismissal under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b) motions to dismiss may be based on either the lack of a cognizable legal theory or the absence of sufficient facts alleged under a cognizable legal theory. Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Department , 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 1990). Material allegations are taken as admitted and the claim is construed in the plaintiff's favor. Keniston v. Roberts , 717 F.2d 1295 (9th Cir. 1983). "While a complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiff's obligation to provide the grounds of his entitlement to relief requires more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do." Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly , 550 U.S. 544, 554-55, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) (internal citations omitted). "Factual allegations must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level, on the assumption that all the allegations in the complaint are true (even if doubtful in fact)." Id. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955. The complaint (or counterclaim) must allege "enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face." Id. at 547, 127 S.Ct. 1955.

Plaintiff also moves to strike under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f). Rule 12(f) is designed to help "avoid the expenditure of time and money that must arise from litigating spurious issues by dispensing with those issues prior to trial." Whittlestone, Inc. v. Handi-Craft Co. , 618 F.3d 970, 973 (9th Cir. 2010) (citation omitted). Under Rule 12(f), courts may "strike from a pleading an insufficient defense or any redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f). Motions to strike are disfavored, because they "may be used as delaying tactics and because of the strong policy favoring resolution on the merits." Barnes v. AT & T Pension Ben. Plan-Nonbargained Program , 718 F.Supp.2d 1167 (N.D.Cal.2010), citing to Stanbury Law Firm v. I.R.S. , 221 F.3d 1059, 1063 (8th Cir.2000).

B. Unjust enrichment (Dkt. 33 at ¶¶ 11.1-11.14)

Defendant's counterclaim for Unjust Enrichment alleges that, as required by ICE, GEO operates the Voluntary Work Program, which is not intended to, and does not, create an employer/employee relationship between GEO and detainees, whose participation is voluntary. Dkt. 33 at ¶ 11.1. The program is intended to promote institutional maintenance and reduce detainee idleness, it is alleged, with no traditional, standard, performance metrics used to measure job performance. Id. at ¶ 11.3. The counterclaim further alleges that if Plaintiff prevails in a Washington Minimum Age Act claim for lost wages, Defendant is entitled to recover "its costs and expenses associated with operating the Voluntary Work Program and caring for plaintiff and any putative class member." Id. at ¶ 11.14.

The Answer separately alleges an affirmative defense for offset of any costs incurred in caring for Plaintiff and costs associated with operating the Voluntary Work Program. Dkt. 33 at ¶ 8.14. Plaintiff does not seek to strike or dismiss the offset affirmative defense. Dkt. 39 at 5.

Plaintiff argues that Defendant is not entitled to any restitution from Plaintiff for housing and other expenses, because *1133Defendant has already been fully paid by ICE for those services. Dkt. 39 at 3.

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297 F. Supp. 3d 1130, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chen-v-geo-grp-inc-wawd-2018.