Coates v. Field Payroll, LLC

CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedJune 29, 2017
DocketCivil Action No. 2017-0191
StatusPublished

This text of Coates v. Field Payroll, LLC (Coates v. Field Payroll, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Coates v. Field Payroll, LLC, (D.D.C. 2017).

Opinion

81,7(' 67$7(6 ',675,&7 &2857 )25 7+( ',675,&7 2) &2/80%,$ BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

-8$1,7$ &2$7(6

3ODLQWLII

Y &LYLO $FWLRQ 1R  $%-

('*(:22' 0$1$*(0(17 &25325$7,21

'HIHQGDQW BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

0(025$1'80 23,1,21

3ODLQWLII -XDQLWD &RDWHV KDV EURXJKW WKLV DFWLRQ DJDLQVW GHIHQGDQW (GJHZRRG 0DQDJHPHQW

&RUSRUDWLRQ ³(GJHZRRG´  DOOHJLQJ WKDW (GJHZRRG GLVFULPLQDWHG DJDLQVW KHU LQ YLRODWLRQ RI 7LWOH

9,, RI WKH &LYLO 5LJKWV $FW RI  ³7LWOH 9,,´ DQG WKH 'LVWULFW RI &ROXPELD +XPDQ 5LJKWV $FW

³'&+5$´ ZKHQ LW SDLG KHU D ORZHU ZDJH WKDQ KHU PDOH FRZRUNHUV &RPSO ˆˆ   

(GJHZRRG KDV PRYHG WR GLVPLVV WKH FRPSODLQW XQGHU )HGHUDO 5XOH RI &LYLO 3URFHGXUH  E  RQ

WKH JURXQGV WKDW SODLQWLII¶V FODLPV DUH XQWLPHO\ XQGHU WKH DSSOLFDEOH VWDWXWHV RI OLPLWDWLRQV 'HI¶V

0RW WR 'LVPLVV >'NW  @ ³'HI¶V 0RW´  0HP RI 3 $ LQ 6XSS RI 'HI¶V 0RW >'NW  @

³'HI¶V 0HP´ 

 3ODLQWLII LGHQWLILHV WKH GHIHQGDQW DV ³)LHOG 3D\UROO //&´ LQ WKH FDSWLRQ EXW SODLQWLII VWDWHV LQ KHU FRPSODLQW WKDW VKH ³ILOHV >WKH@ FRPSODLQW DJDLQVW 'HIHQGDQW (GJHZRRG 0DQDJHPHQW &RUSRUDWLRQ (0& 1RZ )LHOG 3D\UROO //& ´ ([  WR 1RWLFH RI 5HPRYDO >'NW  @ ³&RPSO´  ,Q LWV QRWLFH RI UHPRYDO GHIHQGDQW FODULILHV WKDW WKH WZR FRPSDQLHV ³DUH WZR VHSDUDWH EXW UHODWHG HQWLWLHV´ DQG WKDW SODLQWLII ³SHUIRUPHG VHUYLFHV IRU (GJHZRRG 0DQDJHPHQW &RUSRUDWLRQ EXW VKH ZDV WHFKQLFDOO\ HPSOR\HG E\ )LHOG 3D\UROO //& DQ DIILOLDWH SDVVWKURXJK SD\UROO FRPSDQ\ RI (GJHZRRG 0DQDJHPHQW &RUSRUDWLRQ´ 1RWLFH RI 5HPRYDO >'NW  @ DW  Q ³(GJHZRRG UHVSHFWIXOO\ UHTXHVWV WKDW WKH &OHUN RI &RXUW FRUUHFW WKH UHFRUG DQG GRFNHW IRU WKLV PDWWHU WR UHIOHFW (GJHZRRG 0DQDJHPHQW &RUSRUDWLRQ DV WKH SURSHU GHIHQGDQW´ Id. %HFDXVH SODLQWLII KDV QRW REMHFWHG WR WKLV FRUUHFWLRQ DQG EHFDXVH LW DSSHDUV WKDW VKH VRXJKW WR VXH (GJHZRRG DQG RQO\ QDPHG )LHOG 3D\UROO //& LQ WKH FDSWLRQ EHFDXVH VKH ZDV XQGHU WKH LPSUHVVLRQ WKDW WKLV ZDV (GJHZRRG¶V QHZ QDPH WKH &OHUN RI &RXUW LV RUGHUHG WR PDNH WKLV FKDQJH %HFDXVH SODLQWLII GLG QRW ILOH WKLV ODZVXLW LQ D WLPHO\ IDVKLRQ DV UHTXLUHG E\ 7LWOH 9,, DQG

WKH '&+5$ GHIHQGDQW¶V PRWLRQ WR GLVPLVV ZLOO EH JUDQWHG

%$&.*5281'

3ODLQWLII ZDV HPSOR\HG E\ GHIHQGDQW DV D 0DLQWHQDQFH 7HFKQLFLDQ ,, IURP -XO\  

WKURXJK 2FWREHU   &RPSO ˆ  3ODLQWLII¶V VWDUWLQJ UDWH RI SD\ ZDV  SHU KRXU DQG

E\ WKH WLPH KHU HPSOR\PHQW HQGHG ³VKH ZDV PDNLQJ  SHU KRXU´ Id. 3ODLQWLII FODLPV WKDW

VKH ³FDPH WR NQRZ GXULQJ KHU FRXUVH RI ZRUN WKDW ZLWK KHU FHUWLILFDWHV DQG H[SHUWLVH WKH RQO\

UHDVRQ VKH HDUQHG WKH UDWH VKH GLG ZDV EHFDXVH RI KHU JHQGHU´ DQG WKDW LI ³VKH KDG EHHQ PDOH´ KHU

UDWH RI SD\ ³ZRXOG KDYH EHHQ  DQ KRXU´ Id. ˆ  6KH DOOHJHV WKDW VKH ³PDGH VHYHUDO DWWHPSWV

WR EULQJ XS WKH ZDJH GLVFUHSDQF\´ LQ ³ERWK YHUEDO DQG ZULWWHQ GHPDQGV´ EXW WKDW PDQDJHPHQW

GLG QRW DGGUHVV WKH SUREOHP Id. ˆˆ ± ,QVWHDG GHIHQGDQW ³UHIXVHG WR SD\ DQ\ SDUW RI WKH DPRXQW

GXH DQG RZLQJ´ WR KHU Id. ˆ 

3ODLQWLII ILOHG D FRPSODLQW ZLWK WKH (TXDO (PSOR\PHQW 2SSRUWXQLW\ &RPPLVVLRQ

³((2&´ UHJDUGLQJ ³WKLV JHQGHU EDVHG GLVFULPLQDWLRQ´ EXW RQ -DQXDU\   SODLQWLII¶V FODLP

ZDV GHQLHG &RPSO ˆ  2Q 'HFHPEHU   SODLQWLII ILOHG WKLV ODZVXLW LQ WKH 6XSHULRU &RXUW

RI WKH 'LVWULFW RI &ROXPELD ([  WR 1RWLFH RI 5HPRYDO >'NW  @ VHHNLQJ GDPDJHV WRWDOLQJ

 &RPSO DW  2Q -DQXDU\   GHIHQGDQW UHPRYHG WKH DFWLRQ WR IHGHUDO FRXUW

1RWLFH RI 5HPRYDO 2Q )HEUXDU\   GHIHQGDQW PRYHG WR GLVPLVV WKH FRPSODLQW SXUVXDQW WR

5XOH  E   FRQWHQGLQJ WKDW SODLQWLII¶V FODLPV DUH XQWLPHO\ 'HI¶V 0RW 3ODLQWLII RSSRVHG WKH

PRWLRQ RQ 0DUFK   DUJXLQJ WKDW WKH &RXUW VKRXOG WROO WKH DSSOLFDEOH VWDWXWHV RI OLPLWDWLRQV

XQGHU WKH GRFWULQH RI HTXLWDEOH HVWRSSHO 0HP RI 3 $ LQ 2SS RI 'HI¶V 0RW >'NW  @ ³3O¶V

2SS´  'HIHQGDQW ILOHG LWV UHSO\ RQ 0DUFK   5HSO\ %U LQ 6XSS RI 'HI¶V 0RW >'NW  @

³'HI¶V 5HSO\´ 

 67$1'$5' 2) 5(9,(:

³7R VXUYLYH D >5XOH  E  @ PRWLRQ WR GLVPLVV D FRPSODLQW PXVW FRQWDLQ VXIILFLHQW IDFWXDO

PDWWHU DFFHSWHG DV WUXH WR µVWDWH D FODLP WR UHOLHI WKDW LV SODXVLEOH RQ LWV IDFH¶´ Ashcroft v. Iqbal

 86     TXRWLQJ Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly  86     ,Q Iqbal

WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW UHLWHUDWHG WKH WZR SULQFLSOHV XQGHUO\LQJ LWV GHFLVLRQ LQ Twombly ³)LUVW WKH

WHQHW WKDW D FRXUW PXVW DFFHSW DV WUXH DOO RI WKH DOOHJDWLRQV FRQWDLQHG LQ D FRPSODLQW LV LQDSSOLFDEOH

WR OHJDO FRQFOXVLRQV´ DQG ³>V@HFRQG RQO\ D FRPSODLQW WKDW VWDWHV D SODXVLEOH FODLP IRU UHOLHI

VXUYLYHV D PRWLRQ WR GLVPLVV´ Id. DW ±

$ FODLP LV IDFLDOO\ SODXVLEOH ZKHQ WKH SOHDGHG IDFWXDO FRQWHQW ³DOORZV WKH FRXUW WR GUDZ WKH

UHDVRQDEOH LQIHUHQFH WKDW WKH GHIHQGDQW LV OLDEOH IRU WKH PLVFRQGXFW DOOHJHG´ Id. DW  FLWLQJ

Twombly  86 DW  ³7KH SODXVLELOLW\ VWDQGDUG LV QRW DNLQ WR D µSUREDELOLW\ UHTXLUHPHQW¶

EXW LW DVNV IRU PRUH WKDQ D VKHHU SRVVLELOLW\ WKDW D GHIHQGDQW KDV DFWHG XQODZIXOO\´ Id TXRWLQJ

Twombly  86 DW  $ SOHDGLQJ PXVW RIIHU PRUH WKDQ ³ODEHOV DQG FRQFOXVLRQV´ RU D

³IRUPXODLF UHFLWDWLRQ RI WKH HOHPHQWV RI D FDXVH RI DFWLRQ´ id TXRWLQJ Twombly  86 DW 

DQG ³>W@KUHDGEDUH UHFLWDOV RI WKH HOHPHQWV RI D FDXVH RI DFWLRQ VXSSRUWHG E\ PHUH FRQFOXVRU\

VWDWHPHQWV GR QRW VXIILFH´ Id. FLWLQJ Twombly  86 DW 

:KHQ FRQVLGHULQJ D PRWLRQ WR GLVPLVV XQGHU 5XOH  E   WKH &RXUW LV ERXQG WR FRQVWUXH

D FRPSODLQW OLEHUDOO\ LQ WKH SODLQWLII¶V IDYRU DQG LW VKRXOG JUDQW WKH SODLQWLII ³WKH EHQHILW RI DOO

LQIHUHQFHV WKDW FDQ EH GHULYHG IURP WKH IDFWV DOOHJHG´ Kowal v. MCI Commc’ns Corp.  )G

  '& &LU   1HYHUWKHOHVV WKH &RXUW QHHG QRW DFFHSW LQIHUHQFHV GUDZQ E\ WKH

SODLQWLII LI WKRVH LQIHUHQFHV DUH XQVXSSRUWHG E\ IDFWV DOOHJHG LQ WKH FRPSODLQW QRU PXVW WKH &RXUW

DFFHSW SODLQWLII¶V OHJDO FRQFOXVLRQV See id see also Browning v. Clinton  )G   '&

&LU   ,Q UXOLQJ XSRQ D PRWLRQ WR GLVPLVV IRU IDLOXUH WR VWDWH D FODLP D FRXUW PD\ RUGLQDULO\

 FRQVLGHU RQO\ ³WKH IDFWV DOOHJHG LQ WKH FRPSODLQW GRFXPHQWV DWWDFKHG DV H[KLELWV RU LQFRUSRUDWHG

E\ UHIHUHQFH LQ WKH FRPSODLQW DQG PDWWHUV DERXW ZKLFK WKH &RXUW PD\ WDNH MXGLFLDO QRWLFH´

Gustave-Schmidt v. Chao  ) 6XSS G   ''&   FLWLQJ EEOC v. St. Francis

Xavier Parochial Sch.  )G  ± '& &LU  

$1$/<6,6

, 3ODLQWLII¶V 7LWOH 9,, FODLP LV WLPHEDUUHG VR WKH &RXUW ZLOO JUDQW GHIHQGDQW¶V PRWLRQ WR GLVPLVV WKLV FODLP

7LWOH 9,, FUHDWHV D FDXVH RI DFWLRQ IRU LQGLYLGXDOV ZKR KDYH EHHQ VXEMHFWHG WR YDULRXV W\SHV

RI HPSOR\PHQW GLVFULPLQDWLRQ See  86& † H± %HIRUH EULQJLQJ D ODZVXLW WKH

FRPSODLQDQW LV UHTXLUHG WR ILOH D FKDUJH ZLWK WKH ((2& See, e.g. Payne v. Salazar  )G 

 '& &LU  ³7LWOH 9,, µ>F@RPSODLQDQWV PXVW WLPHO\ H[KDXVW WKH>LU@ DGPLQLVWUDWLYH

UHPHGLHV EHIRUH EULQJLQJ WKHLU FODLPV WR FRXUW¶´ DOWHUDWLRQ LQ RULJLQDO  TXRWLQJ Bowden v. United

States  ) G   '& &LU  

:KHQHYHU D FKDUJH LV ILOHG E\ RU RQ EHKDOI RI D SHUVRQ FODLPLQJ WR EH DJJULHYHG    >

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

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Coates v. Field Payroll, LLC, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/coates-v-field-payroll-llc-dcd-2017.