In Re: LoanCare Data Security Breach Litigation

CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedMarch 24, 2025
Docket3:23-cv-01508
StatusUnknown

This text of In Re: LoanCare Data Security Breach Litigation (In Re: LoanCare Data Security Breach Litigation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re: LoanCare Data Security Breach Litigation, (M.D. Fla. 2025).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA JACKSONVILLE DIVISION

IN RE: LOANCARE DATA 3:23-cv-01508-CRK-MCR SECURITY BREACH LITIGATION

PRELIMINARY APPROVAL ORDER Kelly, Judge: This matter is before the Court on Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement and Memorandum of Law (“Second Am. MPA”), Approval of Class Notice, Scheduling of Final Approval, and Incorporated Memorandum of Law, filed on March 6, 2025. Second Am. MPA, March 6, 2025, ECF No. 126. In the Second Am. MPA, Plaintiffs indicate the parties have reached a proposed class wide settlement of the claims raised in this putative class action (“Settlement Agreement” or “SA” and “Superseding Amendment to the Settlement Agreement” or “Super. Am.”). Plaintiffs’ Notice of Filing of Executed Settlement Agreement, Mar. 19, 2025, ECF No. 131 (“Settlement Agreement” or “SA”); Superseding Amendment to the Settlement Agreement, Mar. 6, 2025, ECF No. 126-2 (“Superseding Amendment to the Settlement Agreement” or “Super. Am.”). Pursuant to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Plaintiffs request that the Court: (1) conditionally certify the class action for settlement purposes only, (2) preliminarily approve the proposed settlement, (3) appoint Plaintiffs as Class Representatives and Plaintiffs’ counsel as Class Counsel for settlement purposes, (4) establish a schedule to complete the tasks necessary to effectuate the proposed

settlement, and (5) provide that, if the settlement is not finally approved or terminates for any other reason, the parties shall retain, without prejudice, all objections, arguments, and defenses with respect to class certification. See SA at ¶¶ 74, 80. Plaintiffs represent that Defendants agree to the requested relief for settlement purposes. Second Am. MPA at 2. I. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Plaintiffs, Kevin Curry, Gregory Arrowsmith, Namuun Bat, Joshua Dryden, Richard Freire, Andrew Gharibian, Christopher Human, Cody Kettlewood, April Manar, Eisin Jahwer Martinez, Douglas Newell, Jose Peralta, and Ryan Turizo, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated (the “Class” or “Class Members”), bring this action in a Consolidated Class Action Complaint, see Amended Consolidated Class Action Complaint, Mar. 19, 2024, ECF No. 40 (“Am. Compl.”), against Defendants Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (“Fidelity National Financial” or

“FNF”) and LoanCare, LLC (“LoanCare”) (collectively, “Defendants”).1 On behalf of themselves and the Class, Plaintiffs allege the following claims against Defendants:

1 The initial complaint filed on December 27, 2023, Class Action Compl., Dec. 27, 2023, ECF No. 1, was stricken on January 4, 2024. See Order, Jan. 4, 2024, ECF No. 7. A corrected complaint was filed on January 17, 2024. Corrected Compl., Jan. 17, 2024, ECF No. 18. Following a motion to consolidate, Pl. Joint Mot. to Consol. Actions, Appoint Interim Class Counsel, and Set Scheduling Deadlines, Feb. 9, 2024, ECF No. 24, Plaintiffs filed this Amended Consolidated Class Action. See Am. Compl. Negligence (Counts I and II); Negligence per se (Counts III and IV); Breach of Implied Contract and Breach of the Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing (Count V); Unjust Enrichment (Count VI); and Breach of Fiduciary Duty (Count VII). Am.

Compl. at ¶¶ 212—334. Prior to significant discovery taking place and pursuant to this Court’s mandatory mediation requirements, the Parties met with Rodney A. Max, an experienced class action mediator, to mediate this dispute on July 25, 2024. See Am. Uniform Case Management Report, Apr. 23, 2024, ECF No. 65. That same day, the Parties reached an agreement on the terms of a class wide settlement and filed a

Notice of Class-wide Settlement on July 29, 2024. Notice of Settlement, Jul. 29, 2024, ECF No. 98. On September 27, 2024, Plaintiffs filed an Unopposed Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement and Memorandum of Law (“MPA”), seeking preliminary approval of the settlement as well as approval of the proposed class notice. See generally MPA, Sept. 27, 2024, ECF No. 113. Upon review of the MPA and its supporting documents, the Court set a telephonic hearing for January 6, 2025

(“Hearing”), see Order, Dec. 11, 2024, ECF No. 116. At that Hearing, the Court discussed with all the parties its concerns regarding the MPA and its supporting documents. Following the Hearing the Court denied, without prejudice, the MPA providing the parties until Feb. 6, 2025, to renew their motion and until February 13, 2025, to file a Motion for Attorneys’ Fees. Order, Jan. 6, 2025, ECF No. 117 (“Fee Order”). On January 17, 2025, Plaintiffs Filed an Amended Unopposed Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement and Memorandum of Law, Jan. 17, 2025, ECF No. 118 (“Amended MPA”); along with a Settlement Agreement Amendment, Jan. 17, 2025, ECF No. 118-2. Thereafter the parties moved jointly for

a hearing on the Amended MPA “to the extent that the Court has additional questions” on the Amended MPA. Joint Mot., Jan. 29, 2025, ECF No. 119. On February 6, 2025, the Court denied the motion for a hearing and directed specific questions to the parties in writing, giving the parties until February 20, 2025, to address the Court’s concerns. Order, Feb. 6, 2025, ECF No. 120. The parties filed their Motion for Attorneys’ Fees on Feb. 13, 2025. Motion for Attorneys’ Fees, Feb.

13, 2025, ECF No. 121. After one request for a brief extension to file amended documents, the parties filed their Second Am. MPA along with its Super Am. See generally Second Am. MPA; SA; Super Am. II. TERMS OF SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement and Super Am. the parties agree, for settlement purposes only, to the certification of a settlement class. “Settlement Class” is defined as follows:

66. “Settlement Class” means all persons residing in the United States who received written notice from Defendants that their Personal Information may have been compromised in the Cybersecurity Incident. Excluded from the Settlement Class are (a) all persons who are employees, directors, officers, and agents of LoanCare and FNF; (b) governmental entities; and (c) the Judge assigned to the Action, that Judge’s immediate family, and Court staff.

Super Am. at ¶ 66; Second Am. MPA at 7. Defendants will pay $5,900,000.00 into a Settlement Fund which will be distributed to Settlement Class Members who submit Valid Claims, after deducting any Court-awarded Attorneys’ Fees and Costs, and all Settlement Administration

Costs. SA at ¶¶ 69, 71—72, 75—78. All Settlement Class Members who do not opt- out may submit Claims to receive (a) cash for ordinary losses up to $1,500 and/or for extraordinary losses up to $5,000 (with supporting documentation) or (b) cash payment of $100. Id. at ¶¶ 67, 76—77.2 In addition to the Cash Payments, Settlement Class Members may submit claims for Identity Monitoring services. Id. at ¶ 78. Upon the effective date of the Settlement,3 the Settlement Class Members

who do not opt out prior to the end of the opt out period will release all claims arising out of the Cybersecurity Incident against Defendants. Id. at ¶¶ 62—63, 111—113. Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($350,000.00) will be set aside to fund the Settlement Administration Costs. Id. at ¶ 72. The parties agree that Class Counsel would apply to the Court for an award of attorneys’ fees of up to 33.33% of the Settlement Fund, approximately $1,966,470.66 (33.33% of the $5,900,000 Settlement Fund) plus reimbursement of reasonable costs. Id. at ¶ 108. Settlement

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