Kline v. Security Guards, Inc.

196 F.R.D. 261, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13589, 2000 WL 1336320
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedAugust 8, 2000
DocketNo. CIV.A. 00-CV-566
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 196 F.R.D. 261 (Kline v. Security Guards, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kline v. Security Guards, Inc., 196 F.R.D. 261, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13589, 2000 WL 1336320 (E.D. Pa. 2000).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

VAN ANTWERPEN, District Judge.

Plaintiffs Daulph and Terry Kline (“Plaintiffs”) bring this case against Security Guards, Inc., Dana Corporation, and Radio Maintenance, Inc. (“Defendants”). Plaintiffs allege violations of Pennsylvania’s Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act (“Wiretap Act”)1, conspiracy, and negligent supervision, each arising from Defendants’ alleged electronic surveillance of oral communications by individuals at Dana Corporation over a three-month period. Currently before the court is Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification; they seek to establish themselves as the representatives of the proposed class. Defendants have moved to oppose Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification. The Court has before it Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification (“Pis.’ Mot. for Class Cert.”), Defendant Dana’s Motion in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification (“Def. Dana’s Opp. to Mot.”), Defendant Security Guards, Inc.’s Motion in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification (“Def. SGI’s Opp. to Mot.”), Defendant Radio Maintenance, Inc.’s Motion in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification (“Def. RMI’s Opp. to Mot.”), Plaintiffs’ Reply Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion for Class Certification (“Pis.’ Reply”), and Defendant Dana’s Sur-Reply Memorandum Opposing Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification (“Def. Dana’s Sur-Reply”).

I. BACKGROUND

The proposed class action seeks damages from Dana Corporation (“Dana”), Security Guards, Inc. (“SGI”), and Radio Maintenance, Inc. (“RMI”). Plaintiffs claim that Defendants unlawfully intercepted oral communications over a three-month period via electronic surveillance. The oral communications allegedly intercepted were those of employees and others using the employee entrance to the Heavy Truck Division at Dana during the period in question. The following are material facts alleged by the Plaintiffs.

Employees of Dana2 must enter the building through both an exterior and an interior [265]*265set of side-by-side glass doors in order to access employee time clocks. The time clocks are located at the employee entrance to the Heavy Truck Division. See Pls.’ Compl. at H1I9-10. On or about October 1, 1998, Dana installed two new time clocks, locating them in the area between the exteri- or and interior glass doors. Id. at 1116. The new clocks were within two feet of a pay telephone, which itself was within 18 inches of a telephone facility; the latter allowed wire communications both within and outside Dana. Id. at H1Í11-12. Plaintiffs allege that, contemporaneously with installing the new time clocks, Dana purchased an electronic surveillance system from RMI, which RMI installed. Id. at H 21.

The surveillance system consisted of two cameras, each of which had a microphone that was able to record all sound within fifteen feet. Pis.’ Reply at 1. One camera was located approximately three feet above the telephone facilities. Pis.’ Compl. at H18. The cameras, via an attached wire, transmitted the captured audio and video feed to an adjoining room, where there was a video monitor with integrated audio speakers atop a videocassette recorder. Id. at fH 19-20. The videocassette recorder was capable of recording 24 hours per day, and could also superimpose the date and time onto the recorded image. Pis.’ Reply at 2.

Allegedly, SGI, employed by Dana to provide general security, and Dana used the electronic surveillance system to illegally capture and disclose oral and wire communications of the Plaintiffs and other employees and outside vendors who used the employee entrance during the time period at issue.3 Specifically, Plaintiffs assert their oral communications were intercepted when they met other employees in the area where the alleged monitoring took place, including times when they were conducting union business. Pis.’ Compl. at H 25. Plaintiffs further allege that one side of their wire communications were intercepted, while they were using the phones located near the time clocks. Id at U26. Plaintiffs assert that the Defendants illegally intercepted oral communications from the time the electronic surveillance equipment was installed in October until the equipment was removed in December.4 Id. at K 36.

In their Complaint, Plaintiffs sought class certification for “all persons who were present in Dana Corporation’s Heavy Truck Division (Weiser Building) located in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, during the period of time from or on or about September 1, 1998 to on or about November 30, 1998 who were subjected to unlawful electronic audio surveillance.” Id. at 213. Included in the proposed class were Dana employees assigned to the Heavy Truck Division, Dana employees who used facilities in the Heavy Truck Division, and other, unknown individuals. Id.

In Plaintiffs’ subsequent Motion for Class Certification, the class was changed to include “[a]ll persons whose communications were intercepted by electronic surveillance” at the building housing Dana’s Heavy Truck Division. The time period at issue was also shifted to October 1,1998 through December 31, 1998. Pls.’ Mot. for Class Cert, at 1.

Plaintiffs further modified the definition for the proposed class in their Reply in Sup[266]*266port of Motion for Class Certification. The class would consist of “[a]ll persons who passed through the employee entrance” at Dana’s Heavy Truck Division building from October 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998. Pis.’ Reply at 3.

Plaintiffs assert that they are adequate representatives of the potential class and that their claims and defenses are typical of the claims and defenses of the other members of the proposed class. Pls.’ Compl. at 1111216-17.

II. DISCUSSION

Class actions are governed by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23. A plaintiff seeking class certification “must establish that all four requisites of Rule 23(a) and at least one part of Rule 23(b) are met.” Baby Neal v. Casey, 43 F.3d 48, 55 (3d Cir.1994); see FED. R. CIV. P. 23. Rule 23(a) provides that:

One or more members of a class may sue’... 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... of the representative parties are typical of the claims... of the class, and (4) the representative parties will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.

Id.

Plaintiffs have moved for certification pursuant to Rule 23(b)(3). Pis.’ Mot. for Class Cert, at 11. Rule 23(b)(3) is satisfied if the court finds 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.

Plaintiffs bear the burden of proving that all of the requirements for certification have been met. See, e.g., Amchem Products v. Windsor,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
196 F.R.D. 261, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13589, 2000 WL 1336320, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kline-v-security-guards-inc-paed-2000.