G&G Closed Circuit Events, LLC v. Gonzalez Ruiz

379 F. Supp. 3d 1061
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. California
DecidedMarch 13, 2019
DocketCase No.: 18-CV-464-CAB-MDD
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 379 F. Supp. 3d 1061 (G&G Closed Circuit Events, LLC v. Gonzalez Ruiz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
G&G Closed Circuit Events, LLC v. Gonzalez Ruiz, 379 F. Supp. 3d 1061 (S.D. Cal. 2019).

Opinion

Hon. Cathy Ann Bencivengo, United States District Judge

This matter is before the Court on Defendant's motion for summary judgment. The motion has been fully briefed, and the Court deems it suitable for submission without oral argument. The motion is denied.

I. Background

Plaintiff G & G Closed Circuit Events, LLC ("G & G") is a closed circuit distributor of sports and entertaining programming that purchased and retained the exclusive commercial exhibition (closed circuit) licensing rights to Gennady Golovkin v. Saul Alvarez IBF World Middleweight Championship Fight Program (the "Program"), which occurred on Saturday, September 16, 2017. There is no dispute that the Program was shown that night at Cotija Mex Grill a/k/a Cotijas Taco Shop, located at 3695 Fairmount Ave, San Diego, California ("Cotija"), without authorization from G & G. [Doc. No. 23-4 at 31-32; Doc. No. 24-3 at 6-9.]1

Based on these facts, G & G filed this suit against David Gonzalez Ruiz, doing business as Cotija. The complaint asserts four claims: (1) violation of 47 U.S.C. § 605 ; (2) violation of 47 U.S.C. § 553 ; (3) conversion; and (4) violation of California Business and Professions Code § 17200.

II. Legal Standard

The familiar summary judgment standard applies here. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56, the court shall grant summary judgment "if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P 56(a). To avoid summary judgment, disputes must be both 1) material, meaning concerning facts that are relevant and necessary and that might affect the outcome of the action under governing law, and 2) genuine, meaning the evidence must be *1063such that a reasonable judge or jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. , 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986) ; Cline v. Indus. Maint. Eng'g & Contracting Co. , 200 F.3d 1223, 1229 (9th Cir. 2000) (citing Anderson , 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505 ). When ruling on a summary judgment motion, the court must view all inferences drawn from the underlying facts in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp. , 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). "Disputes over irrelevant or unnecessary facts will not preclude a grant of summary judgment." T.W. Elec. Serv., Inc. v. Pacific Elec. Contractors Ass'n , 809 F.2d 626, 630 (9th Cir. 1987).

III. Discussion

Although Ruiz's motion seeks summary judgment on the entire lawsuit, the motion completely ignores the state law claims and directs all of its arguments to the two federal claims. Ruiz acknowledges the state law claims for the first time on the reply, arguing that they are premised on the federal claims and that even if the Court does not grant summary judgment on the state law claims, it should, upon granting summary judgment on the federal claims, decline to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the state law claims and dismiss them on that ground. Because these arguments were not raised in the motion itself, the Court need not consider them here. Zamani v. Carnes , 491 F.3d 990, 997 (9th Cir. 2007) ("The district court need not consider arguments raised for the first time in a reply brief."). Regardless, because, as discussed below, Ruiz is not entitled to summary judgment on the federal claims, these arguments as to the state law claims are moot.

As for the federal claims, Ruiz does not dispute that the Program was shown at Cotija on September 16, 2017, without authorization from G & G, but he argues nevertheless that that summary judgment is warranted for three reasons. First, Ruiz argues that he did not own or operate Cotija on the night the Program was shown. Second, Ruiz argues that 47 U.S.C. § 605 and 47 U.S.C. § 553 do not apply here because the Program was displayed at Cotija using a feed obtained from the internet. Finally, Ruiz argues that G & G lacks standing to sue under its license agreement with the promoter because the Program was shown at Cotija on a time delay. None of these arguments are persuasive.

A. 47 U.S.C. §§ 553 and 605

Section 553 prohibits unauthorized interception of communications over a cable system:

No person shall intercept or receive or assist in intercepting or receiving any communications service offered over a cable system, unless specifically authorized to do so by a cable operator or as may otherwise be specifically authorized by law.

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Bluebook (online)
379 F. Supp. 3d 1061, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gg-closed-circuit-events-llc-v-gonzalez-ruiz-casd-2019.