In re Scotts EZ Seed Litigation

304 F.R.D. 397, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9116, 2015 WL 670162
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJanuary 26, 2015
DocketNo. 12 CV 4727(VB)
StatusPublished
Cited by65 cases

This text of 304 F.R.D. 397 (In re Scotts EZ Seed Litigation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Scotts EZ Seed Litigation, 304 F.R.D. 397, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9116, 2015 WL 670162 (S.D.N.Y. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION

BRICCETTI, District Judge:

Lead plaintiffs Michael Arcuri, David Browne, Gwen Eskinazi, Stacy Lonardo, Lance Moore, Vance Smith, and Nancy Thomas (collectively, “plaintiffs” or “lead plaintiffs”) bring this putative consumer class action against defendants The Scotts Mira-ele-Gro Company, Inc., and The Scotts Company LLC (collectively, “Scotts” or “defendants”). Plaintiffs allege numerous causes of action for false advertising, breach of warranty, and unjust enrichment under New York and California law.1

Now pending is plaintiffs’ motion for class certification. (Doc. # 72). For the following reasons, the motion is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. Also pending are defendants’ motion to exclude the opinions of plaintiffs’ damages expert (Doc. #88), and plaintiffs’ motions to strike certain evidence offered by defendants (Docs. ## 103, 105). Those motions are DENIED.

The Court has subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d).

BACKGROUND

The parties have submitted briefs, and declarations with supporting exhibits, which reflect the following factual background.

Scotts produces and sells Scotts Turf Builder EZ Seed (“EZ Seed”), which combines “premium grass seed with an innovative mulch and slow release fertilizer as an all-in-one product.” (Faust Decl ¶ 5). According to Scotts, “[i]n addition to protecting the [grass] seeds and helping to keep moisture in the underlying soil, the mulch in EZ Seed acts as an absorbent growing medium to promote seed germination and seedling establishment.” (Id. ¶ 7). EZ Seed comes in six varieties, called “flavors”: EZ Seed Sun & Shade, EZ Seed Tall Fescue, EZ Seed Bermudagrass, EZ Seed Dog Spot Repair for Sun & Shade, EZ Seed Dog Spot Repair for Tall Fescue, and EZ Seed Ultimate Winter Lawn Mix. (Sass Decl ¶ 5). All six flavors are distributed to retailers in California, and all but EZ Seed Bermudagrass and EZ Seed Ultimate Winter Lawn Mix are distributed to retailers in New York. From EZ Seed’s launch in January 2009 through the end of 2013, 1,524,812 packages of EZ Seed were sold in California, and 992,338 packages were sold in New York.

According to a previous version of the packaging on all six flavors, EZ Seed grows grass “50% thicker with half the water” compared to “ordinary seed” (the “50% thicker claim”).2 (Marchese Decl Ex. J). To back [404]*404up its claims regaining EZ Seed’s effectiveness, Seotts offers purchasers of EZ Seed a “No Quibble Guarantee,” which provides:

If for any reason you, the consumer, are not satisfied after using this product, you are entitled to get your money back. Simply send us the original evidence of purchase and we will mail you a refund check promptly.

(Regan Decl Ex. 12). Additionally, Seotts has discretion to award a “goodwill” refund to individuals who cannot or choose not to comply with the terms of the No Quibble Guarantee. (Taubler Decl ¶ 12).

The crux of plaintiffs’ complaints is that EZ Seed does not grow grass at all or, in the alternative, does not grow grass as advertised by the 50% thicker claim. Plaintiffs now seek the certification of two classes, defined as follows:

(i) All persons who purchased EZ Seed in the state of California containing the label statement “50% Thicker With Half the Water,” excluding persons who purchased for purpose of resale (the “California Class”).
(ii) All persons who purchased EZ Seed in the state of New York containing the label statement “50% Thicker With Half the Water,” excluding persons who purchased for purpose of resale (the “New York Class”).

Plaintiffs Browne and Smith purchased EZ Seed in California and seek to represent the California Class. The California Class brings claims under California’s Unfair Competition Law (“UCL”), False Advertising Law (“FAL”), and Consumer Legal Remedies Act (“CLRA”), in addition to claims for breach of warranty and unjust enrichment. Plaintiffs Arcuri, Eskinazi, Lonardo, Moore, and Thomas purchased EZ Seed in New York and seek to represent the New York Class. The New York Class brings claims under New York’s General Business Law (“GBL”), in addition to claims for breach of warranty and breach of contract.

DISCUSSION

I. Legal Standard

To qualify for certification, plaintiffs must demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that the putative classes meet the four requirements set forth in Rule 23(a):

(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.

Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a); see Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, — U.S. —, 131 S.Ct. 2541, 2548, 180 L.Ed.2d 374 (2011). Plaintiffs must also demonstrate the proposed classes “satisfy at least one of the requirements listed in Rule 23(b).” Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, 131 S.Ct. at 2548.

The Supreme Court has recently cautioned that “Rule 23 does not set forth a mere pleading standard.” Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, 131 S.Ct. at 2551. Instead, “[t]he party seeking ‘class certification must affirmatively demonstrate ... compliance with the Rule,’ and a district court may only certify a class if it ‘is satisfied, after a rigorous analysis,’ that the requirements of Rule 23 are met.” In re Am. Int’l Grp., Inc. Sec. Litig., 689 F.3d 229, 237-38 (2d Cir.2012) (quoting Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, 131 S.Ct. at 2551). “Such an analysis will frequently entail overlap with the merits of the plaintiffs underlying claim ... because the class determination generally involves considerations that are enmeshed in the factual and legal issues comprising the plaintiffs cause of action.” Comcast Corp. v. Behrend, — U.S. —, 133 S.Ct. 1426, 1432, 185 L.Ed.2d 515 (2013) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted).

II. Rule 23(a) Factors

A. Numerosity

Rule 23(a)(1) requires a finding that “the class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable.” Courts in the [405]*405Second Circuit have found this requirement met by a class consisting of forty or more members. See Consol. Rail Corp. v. Hyde Park, 47 F.3d 473, 483 (2d Cir.1995).

Defendants do not contest the numerosity requirement. From EZ Seed’s launch in January 2009 until the end of 2013, 1,524,812 packages of EZ Seed were sold in California, and 992,338 packages were sold in New York. These numbers suggest far more than 40 individuals comprise each class; therefore, the numerosity requirement is met.

B. Commonality

Rule 23(a)(2) requires a showing of “questions of law or fact common to the class.” “Commonality is satisfied where a single issue of law or fact is common to the class.” In re IndyMac Mort.-Backed Sec. Litig., 286 F.R.D.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
304 F.R.D. 397, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9116, 2015 WL 670162, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-scotts-ez-seed-litigation-nysd-2015.