Cherkaoui v. Santander Consumer USA, Inc.

32 F. Supp. 3d 811, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 181861, 2014 WL 3536976
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Texas
DecidedMay 23, 2014
DocketCase No. 4:13-cv-00467
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 32 F. Supp. 3d 811 (Cherkaoui v. Santander Consumer USA, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cherkaoui v. Santander Consumer USA, Inc., 32 F. Supp. 3d 811, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 181861, 2014 WL 3536976 (S.D. Tex. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER

VANESSA D. GILMORE, District Judge.

THIS MATTER came before the Court upon Defendant Santander Consumer USA, Inc’s Rule 56 Motion for Summary Judgment (“Motion”) as to each of Plaintiff Mehdi Cherkaoui’s claims, including claims arising under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Texas Telephone Consumer Protection Act, The Texas Debt Collection Act and for Invasion of Privacy as well as Santander’s Request for Summary Judgment as to Santander’s Breach of Contract claim against Plaintiff, and it

APPEARING TO THE COURT, based on consideration of the pleadings and the briefs filed with the Court that Summary Judgment is warranted, the Court hereby finds:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. On July 21, 2009, Plaintiff applied for an auto loan with Santander to purchase a BMW. On his credit application Plaintiff listed his cellular phone number (231-686-8300). Motion p. 2, UDF ¶2.

[814]*8142. Plaintiff subsequently entered into a Retail Installment Contract (“Contract”) to finance purchase of the BMW, thereby agreeing to make monthly payments of $419.92 until the loan was paid in full. The Contract was assigned to Santander. Motion p. 2, UDF ¶ 8

3. In October of 2009, Plaintiff became delinquent on the loan. Santander provided a total of eight months. of payment deferments, waived certain late fees and extended the payment due date for the loan. However, Plaintiff remained delinquent on the Loan. Over almost 4 years Plaintiff made only 29 payments on the loan and made no more payments after December 8 of 2012 despite a remaining balance in excess of $18,000. Motion p. 2-3, UDF ¶¶ 4-6.

4. Under the terms of the contract, in the event of Plaintiffs default, Santander was entitled take possession of and sell the BMW and to require Plaintiff to pay all amounts still due on the loan. In June of 2013, Santander repossessed the BMW and subsequently sold the vehicle on July 3, 2013. After the sale of the BMW, the remaining balance due on loan was $14,164.18. Motion p. 8, UDF ¶¶ 26-27.

5. Plaintiff never communicated a written or oral request that Santander stop calling his Cell Phone. On Saturday, December 26, 2009, Plaintiff called Santander at 7:10 PM but never spoke with any San-tander representative. Plaintiff could not have spoken with any representatives of Santander at 7:10 PM on Saturday, December 26, 2009 because Santander was closed and no representatives were available. Motion p. 3-4, UDF ¶¶ 7-13.

6. Santander’s Account Notes for Plaintiffs account would have indicated an inbound call if Plaintiff reached a representative. The Account Notes contain no such record. Instead Santander’s records show that the December 26 call only connected to Santander’s Interactive Voice Recognition system, not to any Santander representative. Motion p. 5-6, UDF ¶¶ 15-17.

7. Instead of revoking consent to be called on his cell phone number, Plaintiff repeatedly verified that the cell phone number was an acceptable contact number. Over 99% of the calls Santander placed to Plaintiff went unanswered or otherwise did not result in any conversation between Santander and Plaintiff. Plaintiff also made almost 50 calls to Santander and called Santander exclusively from his cell phone. Motion p. 6-7, UDF ¶¶ 18-19, 23.

8. Santander’s actions in relation to the Loan and Plaintiff were consistent with industry standards and practices under the circumstances of the Loan and demonstrated intent to provide Plaintiff the opportunity to become current and avoid repossession of the BMW. Motion p. 6-7, UDF ¶ 20.

9. Santander did not act with any intent to harass or abuse Plaintiff. Instead, Santander’s purpose in communicating with Plaintiff was to obtain the payments due. Santander never used profanity or any other abusive or harassing language towards Plaintiff. Motion p. 6-7, UDF ¶¶ 21-23.

10. Santander also periodically reviewed Plaintiffs credit report. These reviews were conducted for purpose of routine account review, were not viewable by any other party that obtained Plaintiffs credit report and had no effect on Plaintiffs credit. Motion p 7-8, UDF H 24.

11. Plaintiff suffered no actual injury or damages, including any injury or damage as a result of mental anguish, as a result of any of Santander’s activities. Motion p. 8, UDF 25.

[815]*815 CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

1. This Court has subject-matter jurisdiction over the Plaintiffs’ claims arising under Federal Law pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331. This Court also has supplemental jurisdiction over the pendent state-law claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1367(a) because all of those claims are so related to Plaintiffs’ federal statutory claims that they form part of the same case or controversy.

2. The Retail Installment Sales Contract (“Contract”) is a valid and enforceable contract. Smith Int’l, Inc. v. Egle Grp., LLC, 490 F.3d 380, 387 (5th Cir.2007).

3. In connection with the Contract, Plaintiff completed a Credit Application and provided his cell phone number as the contact number on the Credit Application. Plaintiffs provision of his cell phone number on the Credit Application constitutes his prior express consent to be contacted on that cell phone using an automated telephone dialing system. In re Rules & Regulations Implementing the Tel. Consumer Prot. Act of 1991, 23 F.C.C.R. 559, 564 (2008); Cunningham v. Credit Mgmt., L.P., 3:09-CV-1497-GB(BF), 2010 WL 3791104 at *4-5 (N.D.Tex. Aug. 30, 2010) report and recommendation adopted, 3:09-CV-1497-G(BF), 2010 WL 3791049 (N.D.Tex. Sept. 27, 2010); Adamcik v. Credit Control Servs., Inc., 832 F.Supp.2d 744, 753 (W.D.Tex.2011).

4. Plaintiff never effectively communicated any revocation of his prior express consent to be called on his cell phone using an automated telephone dialing system. Plaintiff’s self-serving and uncorroborated contention that he revoked consent is contradicted by the overwhelming evidence in the record. Accordingly, Plaintiff has not raised a genuine dispute of material fact as to whether he revoked consent. Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372, 380, 127 S.Ct. 1769, 167 L.Ed.2d 686 (2007); Smith v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 519 Fed.Appx. 861, 865 (5th Cir.2013); Widder v. Texas A & M Univ. Corpus Christi, 2:11-CV-00282, 2012 WL 3776477 at *1 (S.D.Tex. Aug. 29, 2012).

5. Because Plaintiff provided his consent to be called on his cell phone using an automated telephone dialing system and never revoked that consent, Santander did not violate the Telephone Consumer Protection Act’s (“TCPA”) restriction on placing calls to Plaintiffs cell phone using an automatic telephone dialing system without his prior express consent. 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1); In re Rules & Regulations Implementing the Tel. Consumer Prot. Act of 1991, 23 F.C.C.R. 559, 564 (2008); Cunningham v. Credit Mgmt., L.P., 3:09-CV-1497-GB(BF), 2010 WL 3791104 at *4-5 (N.D.Tex. Aug. 30, 2010) report and recommendation adopted,

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32 F. Supp. 3d 811, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 181861, 2014 WL 3536976, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cherkaoui-v-santander-consumer-usa-inc-txsd-2014.