Gibson v. Lynn University, Inc.

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedMarch 23, 2021
Docket9:20-cv-81173
StatusUnknown

This text of Gibson v. Lynn University, Inc. (Gibson v. Lynn University, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gibson v. Lynn University, Inc., (S.D. Fla. 2021).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

CASE NO. 20-CIV-81173-RAR

RAYMOND GIBSON, individually, and on behalf of all others similarly situated,

Plaintiff,

v.

LYNN UNIVERSITY, INC.,

Defendant. ________________________________________/ ORDER DENYING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS AND/OR STRIKE CLASS ACTION ALLEGATIONS

THIS CAUSE comes before the Court upon Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss and/or Strike Plaintiff’s Class Action Allegations [ECF No. 49] (“Motion”), filed on December 28, 2020. The Court having reviewed the Motion, Plaintiff’s Response [ECF No. 50], Defendant’s Reply [ECF No. 53], and being otherwise fully advised, it is hereby ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss and/or Strike Plaintiff’s Class Action Allegations [ECF No. 49] is DENIED as set forth herein. BACKGROUND Plaintiff Raymond Gibson, an undergraduate student at Lynn University (“Lynn”), contends that he and similarly situated students contracted with Lynn for “live on-campus instruction and access to campus facilities,” and were deprived of the benefit of their bargain when Lynn closed its facilities and moved its courses online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. See Second Am. Compl. [ECF No. 46] ¶¶ 1, 3. Plaintiff alleges that Lynn’s relationship with its students “is based on the terms and conditions set forth inter alia, in Lynn’s Academic Catalog, in its University Policies, and its invoices, and is informed by Lynn’s common course of conduct and procedures.” Id. ¶ 15. He indicates that Lynn offers students the opportunity to enroll in one of three divisions—the Undergraduate Day Division, the Online Division, and the Graduate Division—and that when students enroll in the Undergraduate Day Division, which costs more per credit than the Online Division, they are specifically contracting with the university to provide in- person instruction and access to campus facilities and activities. Id. ¶¶ 16-22. Plaintiff contends that Lynn’s promises are set forth in a variety of university publications and documents. For example, for students who enroll in the Undergraduate Day Division, Lynn’s

University Policies expressly state that “[t]he University believes that ... the classroom experience is the most important part of the student’s educational experience.” Id. ¶ 30. Lynn’s Academic Catalog also indicates that “[t]he student’s involvement in classroom activities and discussions is encouraged and expected ... [t]herefore, attendance is not only important, but essential to the learning experience.” Id. ¶ 31. Plaintiff alleges that the Academic Catalog “boasts a rich and lively on-campus student experience,” including social activities, intramural sports, and a fitness center. Id. ¶ 37. He also asserts that the tuition and fees reflected in his invoice for the Spring 2020 term clearly reflect enrollment in the University’s Undergraduate Day Division. Id. ¶ 47. Plaintiff contends that he and similarly situated students are entitled to “the prorated portion of tuition and fees necessary to compensate them for the difference in value between what they

bargained and paid for and what they received.” Id. ¶ 119. On August 31, 2020, Lynn moved to dismiss Plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), arguing that Plaintiff fails to allege any contractual provisions requiring Defendant to provide exclusively in-person education or requiring a refund of fees. See Mot. to Dismiss First Am. Compl. [ECF No. 15] at 6-12. Lynn further argued that Plaintiff fails to allege a material breach and non-speculative damages; that Plaintiff ratified any alleged breach; and that impossibility and/or frustration of purpose bar Plaintiff’s breach of contract claim. Id. at 13-17. Lynn also moved to dismiss Plaintiff’s unjust enrichment claim, arguing that (i) Plaintiff has an adequate remedy at law because of its contractual relationship with Lynn; and (ii) Plaintiff cannot establish that it would be inequitable for Lynn to retain the cost of tuition and other fees for the Spring 2020 semester. Id. at 17-20. On November 29, 2020, this Court denied Lynn’s initial Motion to Dismiss because (1) Plaintiff plausibly alleged the existence of a valid contract for in-person education, a material breach, and damages; (2) Lynn failed to conclusively establish that Plaintiff’s breach of contract

claim was barred by affirmative defenses of impossibility or frustration of purpose; and (3) Lynn failed to establish that Plaintiff affirmatively manifested intent to approve Lynn’s actions with full knowledge of all material facts. See Gibson v. Lynn Univ., Inc., No. 20-CIV-81173-RAR, 2020 WL 7024463, at *1 (S.D. Fla. Nov. 29, 2020). Plaintiff then filed his Second Amended Class Action Complaint [ECF No. 46] on December 14, 2020 alleging breach of contract and unjust enrichment on behalf of himself and other similarly situated persons. The Second Amended Complaint defines the “Class” as follows: All persons who paid, on behalf of themselves or another, tuition or fees for in-person education in the Undergraduate Day Division or Graduate Division at Lynn University for the Spring 2020 term. Second Am. Compl. ¶ 78. On December 28, 2020, Lynn filed both an Answer to the Second Amended Class Action Complaint [ECF No. 48] and the instant Motion to Dismiss and/or Strike the Class Allegations. In its Motion, Lynn asks this Court to dismiss and/or strike Plaintiff’s class action allegations for four reasons. First, Lynn asserts that Plaintiff’s contractual claims are individualized and not “capable of being answered on a class-wide basis.” Mot. at 2-3. Specifically, Lynn argues that because Plaintiff’s claims are based on students’ expectations concerning whether they would receive in-person education—and not an explicit written contractual term promising it—the Court must engage in an individualized inquiry for each student to determine if there was a contract and what its terms were. Id. at 6-10. Second, Lynn contends that determining damages, if any, in this case would be an individualized inquiry for each student because damages would be based on “loss of experience,” which is inherently subjective. Id. at 3- 4. Third, Lynn argues that under Eleventh Circuit precedent, “unjust enrichment claims are inherently incapable of being assessed on a class basis.” Id. at 4. Finally, Lynn asserts that the proposed class includes many individuals who lack standing. Id.

LEGAL STANDARD a. Motion to Dismiss Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) To survive a motion to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), “a complaint must include ‘enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’” Hunt v. Aimco Properties, L.P., 814 F.3d 1213, 1221 (11th Cir. 2016) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007)). When reviewing a motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), a court must accept as true all factual allegations contained in the complaint, and the plaintiff should receive the benefit of all favorable inferences that can be drawn from the facts alleged. See Chaparro v. Carnival Corp., 693 F.3d 1333, 1335 (11th Cir. 2012); Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009). A court considering a 12(b)(6) motion is generally limited to the facts contained in the

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Gibson v. Lynn University, Inc., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gibson-v-lynn-university-inc-flsd-2021.