In re Jackson National Life Insurance Co. Premium Litigation

209 F.R.D. 134
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Michigan
DecidedJune 6, 2002
DocketNo. MDL 1122; No. 5:96-MD-1122
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 209 F.R.D. 134 (In re Jackson National Life Insurance Co. Premium Litigation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Jackson National Life Insurance Co. Premium Litigation, 209 F.R.D. 134 (W.D. Mich. 2002).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT ON THE CARFAGNO PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION

MCKEAGUE, District Judge.

Plaintiffs Francesco A. Carfagno and Laura Lujan de Carfagno, husband and wife, are residents of the Republic of Mexico. In 1991 and 1995, respectively, they purchased life insurance policies issued by defendant Jackson National Life Insurance Company (“Jackson National”), a Michigan corporation. On April 7, 1999, they commenced this putative class action in the District Court for Bexar County, Texas, asserting claims in contract and tort growing out of dissatisfaction with their insurance policies. Defendant Jackson National removed the action to the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, with consent of defendants Cora Turpin and Fernando Turpin, the independent insurance agents in San Antonio, Texas, who negotiated the sales of plaintiffs’ policies. Subsequently, the action was consolidated with other related cases in this multi-district litigation and transferred to this Court. On July 18, 2001, the Court issued a choice of law ruling concluding that Texas, not Mexico, has the most significant relationship to the parties and subject matter of this litigation. In re Jackson National Life Ins. Co. Premium Litigation, 156 F.Supp.2d 846 (W.D.Mich.2001). Accordingly, all of plaintiffs’ claims are governed by Texas law. Now before the Court is plaintiffs’ motion for class certification.

I. PLAINTIFFS’CLAIMS

At all times pertinent to this matter, both plaintiffs were and have been domiciled in Mexico. It is undisputed, however, that their initial contact with defendants Fernando and Cora Turpin, the independent insurance agents, occurred in San Antonio, Texas, while [137]*137plaintiffs were visiting at their aunt’s home. There they first discussed the possibility of purchasing a Jackson National life insurance policy. There were subsequent meetings and negotiations, in person, by telephone and by facsimile communication, both in Mexico and San Antonio. According to the applications for insurance, each plaintiffs application was signed in San Antonio. Yet, while the Tur-pins’ deposition testimony is consistent with the applications in this regard, plaintiffs recall having signed their applications in Mexico. There are also disputes of fact as to whether plaintiff Francesco Carfagno underwent a medical examination in conjunction with his application, and whether plaintiff Laura Lujan de Carfagno’s medical examination was conducted in Mexico or Florida. Still, it is undisputed that the initial and subsequent premium payments, drawn either on a Texas bank or an Ohio bank, have been paid to the Turpins in San Antonio, and that both policies became effective upon delivery to plaintiffs in San Antonio. Both policies remain in force.

In their second amended complaint, plaintiffs assert eight claims against defendants. Count I is a claim for rescission of the insurance policies, contending plaintiffs purchased the policies as a result of actions by defendants that violated Mexican law.1 The remaining seven claims allege defendants engaged in deceptive trade practices, committed fraud, made negligent misrepresentations, breached fiduciary duties, breached the insurance contracts, are civilly liable for criminal conduct, and violated duties of good faith and fair dealing. These claims are based (1) on allegations that defendants Jackson National and the Turpins misrepresented that they were authorized to conduct business in Mexico; and (2) in the case of plaintiff Francesco Carfagno, on allegations that defendants misrepresented that he was required to make premium payments only for a specified number of years to maintain his “vanishing premium” life insurance policy-

Plaintiffs ask the Court to certify two policyholder classes, defined as follows:

1. Mexican Resident Class — All purchasers, who were residents of Mexico at the time of the purchase, that purchased one or more whole or variable life insurance policies and/or annuity products from a Jackson National life insurance Texas agent from July 4, 1991 to April 7, 1999.
2. Texas Agent Vanishing Premium Class — All purchasers, who were residents of Mexico at the time of purchase, that purchased one or more whole or variable life insurance policies sold on the basis that the projected cash outlay would be for only a limited period of time from a Texas agent.

II. RULE 23 STANDARDS

Plaintiffs seek class certification pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a) and 23(b)(3). Rule 23(a) sets forth four threshold requirements that must all be met before a class can be certified:

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.

If each of these prerequisites (numerosity, commonality, typicality and adequacy of representation) is satisfied, plaintiffs must also show, pursuant to Rule 23(b)(3), “that the questions of law or fact common to the members of the class predominate over any questions affecting only individual members, and that a class action is superior to other available methods for the fair and efficient adjudication of the controversy.”

[138]*138The Court has broad discretion in deciding whether to certify a class, but must conduct a “rigorous analysis” to ensure the prerequisites of Rule 23 are met. Stout v. J.D. Byrider, 228 F.3d 709, 716 (6th Cir. 2000); Sprague v. General Motors Corp., 133 F.3d 388, 397 (6th Cir.1998); In re American Medical Systems, Inc., 75 F.3d 1069,1078-79 (6th Cir.1996). “Maintainability may be determined by the court on the basis of the pleadings, if sufficient facts are set forth, but ordinarily the determination should be predicated on more information than the pleadings will provide.” American Medical Systems, 75 F.3d at 1079, quoting Weathers v. Paters Realty Corp., 499 F.2d 1197, 1200 (6th Cir. 1974). See also Newton v. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc., 259 F.3d 154, 168 (3rd Cir.2001) (“[A] preliminary inquiry into the merits is sometimes necessary to determine whether the alleged claims can be properly resolved as a class action.”); Castano v. American Tobacco Co., 84 F.3d 734, 744 (5th Cir.1996) (going beyond pleadings is necessary to enable understanding of the precise nature of the claims in the context of certification issues). The party seeking class certification bears the burden of proof. American Medical Systems, 75 F.3d at 1079.

III.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
209 F.R.D. 134, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-jackson-national-life-insurance-co-premium-litigation-miwd-2002.