Holt v. Noble House Hotels & Resort, LTD

370 F. Supp. 3d 1158
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. California
DecidedFebruary 28, 2019
DocketCase No.: 17cv2246-MMA (BLM)
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 370 F. Supp. 3d 1158 (Holt v. Noble House Hotels & Resort, LTD) 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
Holt v. Noble House Hotels & Resort, LTD, 370 F. Supp. 3d 1158 (S.D. Cal. 2019).

Opinion

(1) DENYING PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT; AND

(2) GRANTING DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Hon. Michael M. Anello, United States District Judge

Plaintiff Kathleen Holt ("Plaintiff") individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed this class action against Defendant Noble House Hotels & Resort, LTD ("Noble House") alleging causes of action for violations of California's False Advertising Law ("FAL"),1 California Business and Professions Code sections 17500, et seq. ; California's Unfair Competition Law ("UCL"), California Business and Professions Code sections 17200, et seq. ; and California's Consumers Legal Remedy Act ("CLRA"), California Business and Professions Code sections 1750, et seq. Doc. No. 35 ("FAC"). Plaintiff filed a motion for partial summary judgment. Doc. No. 69-1 ("PMSJ"). Noble House filed its response in opposition and cross motion for summary judgment on all claims. Doc. No. 75-1 ("DMSJ"). Plaintiff opposed Noble House's cross motion for summary *1162judgment and replied to Noble House's opposition [Doc. No. 81 ("P Oppo"); Doc. No. 82 ("P Reply") ], and Noble House replied to Plaintiff's opposition [Doc. No. 84 ("D Reply") ]. The Court finds these matters suitable for determination on the papers submitted and without oral argument pursuant to Civil Local Rule 7.1.d.1. For the following reasons, the Court DENIES Plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment and GRANTS Noble House's motion for summary judgment.

MATERIAL FACTS 2

Noble House operates four restaurants located in the Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa in San Diego, California: (1) Acqua California Bistro ("Acqua"); (2) Olive Bar; (3) Fresco's; and (4) Aroma Coffee Shop ("Aroma"). Doc. No. 75-37, Defendant's Statement of Facts ("DSOF") at 2; Doc. No. 75-38, Defendant's Objections to Plaintiff's Statement of Facts ("D Obj.") at 2; Doc. No. 81-1, Plaintiff's Response to Defendant's Statement of Facts ("PRDSOF"); see Doc. No. 69-2, Plaintiff's Statement of Facts ("PSOF") at 2. In February 2017, Noble House began adding a 3.5% surcharge to all bills at the four restaurants. DSOF at 2; PSOF at 2; PRDSOF at 2. Noble House displays a surcharge disclosure on signs, on menus for Acqua, Olive Bar, and Fresco's, and bills. DSOF at 2-3; PSOF at 3, 5; PRDSOF at 3. Aroma does not use a menu. DSOF at 3; PSOF at 3. The surcharge disclosure reads: "A 3.5% surcharge will be added to all guest checks to help cover increasing labor costs and in our support of the recent increases in minimum wage and benefits for our dedicated team members." DSOF at 2-3; PSOF at 3-4; PRDSOF at 6. Signs with this disclosure are placed at the entry host stand, in lounge and bar areas, and around dining areas. DSOF at 2-3; PRDSOF at 6. On the menus, the disclosure is the same size font as the menu items and appears in red text on the Acqua and Olive Bar menus and in black text on the Fresco's menus. DSOF at 3; PSOF at 5. The same surcharge disclosure is also included on the restaurant bills. DSOF at 3-4; PSOF at 4; PRDSOF at 7. The bills contain a line item showing the exact amount of the surcharge, indicating that the surcharge is added after the subtotal is calculated but before taxes are applied. DSOF at 3-4; PRDSOF at 7-8. The surcharge disclosure appears in offset text and in the same size font as is used to list the other items on the bills. DSOF at 3-4; PRDSOF at 7-8. The surcharge practice is the same at Acqua, Olive Bar, and Fresco's. DSOF at 4; PSOF at 5; PRDSOF at 11.

LEGAL STANDARD

A. Motion for Summary Judgment

"A party may move for summary judgment, identifying each claim or defense-or the part of each claim or defense-on which summary judgment is sought. 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). The party seeking summary judgment bears the initial burden of establishing the basis of its motion and of identifying the portions of the declarations, pleadings, and discovery that demonstrate absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett , 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The moving party has "the burden of showing the absence of a *1163genuine issue as to any material fact, and for these purposes the material it lodged must be viewed in the light most favorable to the opposing party." Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co. , 398 U.S. 144, 157, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970). A fact is material if it could affect the outcome of the suit under applicable law. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. , 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A dispute about a material fact is genuine if there is sufficient evidence for a reasonable jury to return a verdict for the non-moving party. Id. The party opposing summary judgment cannot " 'rest upon the mere allegations or denials of [its] pleading' but must instead produce evidence that 'set[s] forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.' " Estate of Tucker v. Interscope Records, Inc. , 515 F.3d 1019, 1030 (9th Cir. 2008), cert. denied, 555 U.S. 827, 129 S.Ct. 174,

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Bluebook (online)
370 F. Supp. 3d 1158, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holt-v-noble-house-hotels-resort-ltd-casd-2019.