Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition v. Taco Bell Corp.

184 F.R.D. 354, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1056, 1999 WL 51916
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedFebruary 3, 1999
DocketNo. Civ.A. 97-B-2135
StatusPublished
Cited by28 cases

This text of 184 F.R.D. 354 (Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition v. Taco Bell Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition v. Taco Bell Corp., 184 F.R.D. 354, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1056, 1999 WL 51916 (D. Colo. 1999).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

BABCOCK, District Judge.

Plaintiffs Julie Reiskin (Ms. Reiskin) and Debbie Lane (Ms. Lane), who have disabilities requiring them to use wheelchairs for mobility, assert claims for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213 (1998), and the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (“CADA”), C.R.S. §§ 24-34-601-24-34-605 (1998). Plaintiffs submit a motion to certify an ADA and CADA class action under Rule 23. After consideration of the motion, briefs, and counsels’ arguments at the January 29,1997 class certification hearing, I will grant the motion to certify a class action.

I. FACTS

The following facts are undisputed unless otherwise stated. Ms. Reiskin and Ms. Lane have disabilities requiring them to use wheelchairs and/or scooters for mobility. Both lead extremely active lives. Ms. Reiskin is the executive director of plaintiff Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition (“CCDC”), a nonprofit organization advocating for people with disabilities. Ms. Lane is a full-time volunteer at CCDC. Ms. Reiskin and Ms. Lane enjoy many activities, including eating out at restaurants. Unlike people without disabilities, however, Ms. Reiskin and Ms. Lane cannot patronize the restaurants of defendant Taco Bell Corporation (“Taco Bell”). People without disabilities wait to place their orders in a designated “queue line,” a path cordoned off with barriers causing patrons to form a single line. According to plaintiffs, 38 of Taco Bell’s Colorado restaurants have lines too narrow to be accessed by wheelchairs or scooters because the lines are narrower than the specifications contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (“ADAAG”), 28 C.F.R. Part 36, Appendix A. (Plfs.’ Ex. 116; Plfs.’ Ex. 2. U 7.) Instead, according to Ms. Reiskin and Ms. Lane, they and many other persons who use wheelchairs or scooters are forced into a separate, segregated and inferior route to the service counter which, consistent with Taco Bell’s company policy, is often blocked by a chain during busy hours. (Plfs.’ Ex. 1 n 6-7; Plfs.’ Ex. 2 11 5; Plfs.’ Ex. 3 at 6.) Plaintiffs allege this “alternative wheelchair access” (1) is segregated from all other customers, (2) is frequently blocked by a chain, (3) makes it difficult or impossible for a person using a wheelchair or scooter to determine where they are in line with respect to non-disabled people standing in the queue line, (4) often angers non-disabled customers who believe that disabled patrons in the alternative wheelchair access are “cutting” in [356]*356line, and (5) frequently requires people who use wheelchairs or scooters to shout to get the attention of Taco Bell employees in order to receive service.

Plaintiffs contend that Taco Bell “has designed and constructed Taco Bell restaurants in Colorado for first occupancy after January 26, 1993 with queue lines that do not comply with the ADAAG.” (Third Am. Class Action Compl. H 59.) Plaintiffs have asserted similar claims under the CADA Id. at 1165. The ADA provides, in relevant part:

No individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any person who owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation.

42 U.S.C. § 12182(a). The CADA states:

It is a discriminatory practice and unlawful for a person directly or indirectly, to refuse, withhold from, or deny to an individual or a group, because of disability, ... the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of a place of public accommodation____

C.R.S. § 24-34-601(2).

In their third amended class action complaint, plaintiffs seek an injunction requiring Taco Bell to comply with the ADA by removing or widening narrow queue lines, keep queue lines unobstructed by placards or other objects, and otherwise bring its restaurants into compliance with the ADAAG. (Third Am. Class Action Compl. 1116.) Plaintiffs also seek damages of $50 for each instance of discrimination found to be in violation of the CADA, C.R.S. § 24-34-602. Id. Plaintiffs seek certification of a class pursuant to Rule 23 for violation of the ADA and the CADA. Plaintiffs also request that they be designated as representatives of the class.

II. ANALYSIS OF CLASS CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 23

a. Legal Standards Applicable to Class Certification

To maintain a class action under Rule 23, plaintiffs must first satisfy the four prerequisites of Rule 23(a), which states:

One or more members of a class may sue or be sued as representative parties on behalf of all only if (1) the class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable, (2) there are questions of law or fact common to the class, (3) the claims or defenses of the representative parties are typical of the claims or defenses of the class, and (4) the representative parties will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.

Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a). In addition to the four prerequisites of Rule 23(a), plaintiffs must satisfy one of the three subsections of Rule 23(b).

Plaintiffs bear the burden of demonstrating that all the prerequisites for class designation are met. Rex v. Owens ex rel. State of Oklahoma, 585 F.2d 432, 435 (10th Cir.1978). Class action certification is discretionary with the trial court judge, Anderson v. City of Albuquerque, 690 F.2d 796, 799 (10th Cir.1982), and may be altered, expanded, subdivided or abandoned as the case develops. Daigle v. Shell Oil Co., 133 F.R.D. 600, 602 (D.Colo.1990); Dubin v. Miller, 132 F.R.D. 269, 270-275 (D.Colo.1990). Because of the flexible nature of class certification, I am to favor the procedure. Esplin v. Hirschi, 402 F.2d 94, 99 & 101 (10th Cir.1968), cert. denied, 394 U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1194, 22 L.Ed.2d 459 (1969). I will certify, however, only after rigorous analysis of Rule 23 requirements. General Tel. Co. of Southwest v. Falcon, 457 U.S. 147, 161, 102 S.Ct. 2364, 72 L.Ed.2d 740 (1982); Reed v. Bowen, 849 F.2d 1307, 1309 (10th Cir.1988). In conducting my certification analysis, however, I may not consider the merits of the claim. Eisen v. Carlisle and Jacquelin, 417 U.S. 156, 177-178, 94 S.Ct. 2140, 40 L.Ed.2d 732 (1974).

b. Identifying the Requested Class

Although not specifically mentioned in Rule 23, an essential prerequisite of an action under Rule 23 is the existence of an identifiable class. Daigle,

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

Related

Medina v. Allen
D. Utah, 2024
Kurlander v. Kroenke Arena Co.
276 F. Supp. 3d 1077 (D. Colorado, 2017)
Shields v. Walt Disney Parks & Resorts US, Inc.
279 F.R.D. 529 (C.D. California, 2011)
Reyher v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.
230 P.3d 1244 (Colorado Court of Appeals, 2009)
Garcia v. Medved Chevrolet, Inc.
240 P.3d 371 (Colorado Court of Appeals, 2009)
Castaneda v. Burger King Corp.
597 F. Supp. 2d 1035 (N.D. California, 2009)
Clark v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance
245 F.R.D. 478 (D. Colorado, 2007)
Harvell v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.
2006 OK 24 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 2007)
Pueblo of Zuni v. United States
243 F.R.D. 436 (D. New Mexico, 2007)
Moeller v. Taco Bell Corp.
220 F.R.D. 604 (N.D. California, 2004)
Parker v. Time Warner Entertainment Co.
331 F.3d 13 (Second Circuit, 2003)
Parker v. Time Warner Entertainment Co., L.P.
331 F.3d 13 (Second Circuit, 2003)
Clark v. McDonald's Corp.
213 F.R.D. 198 (D. New Jersey, 2003)
Neiberger v. Hawkins
208 F.R.D. 301 (D. Colorado, 2002)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
184 F.R.D. 354, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1056, 1999 WL 51916, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/colorado-cross-disability-coalition-v-taco-bell-corp-cod-1999.