Lachi v. GE Capital Bank

993 F. Supp. 2d 1228, 2014 WL 304436, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10431
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. California
DecidedJanuary 28, 2014
DocketCase No. 3:13-cv-2568-GPC-WMC
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 993 F. Supp. 2d 1228 (Lachi v. GE Capital Bank) 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
Lachi v. GE Capital Bank, 993 F. Supp. 2d 1228, 2014 WL 304436, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10431 (S.D. Cal. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT ENCORE RECEIVABLE MANAGEMENT, INC.’S MOTION TO DISMISS WITH LEAVE TO AMEND (ECF NO. 4)

GONZALO P. CURIEL, District Judge.

INTRODUCTION

Presently before the Court in this fair debt collection case is defendant Encore Receivable Management, Ine.’s (“Encore”) Motion to Dismiss each of plaintiff Megan Lachi’s (“Plaintiff’) claims as asserted against Encore. (ECF No. 4.) Plaintiff has opposed Encore’s Motion to Dismiss, (ECF No. 6), and Encore has filed a reply, (ECF No. 7). The Court finds Encore’s Motion to Dismiss suitable for disposition without oral argument. See CivLR 7.1.d.l. Having considered the parties’ submissions, the Court will GRANT Encore’s Motion to Dismiss WITH LEAVE TO AMEND.

PLAINTIFF’S ALLEGATIONS

Plaintiff alleges that “Defendants and each of them” claim Plaintiff owes them a debt and that, on November 9, 2010, Plaintiff retained the Doan Law Firm, LLP to dispute the validity of the alleged debt. (ECF No. 1, Compl. ¶¶ 20, 21.)

As to Encore, Plaintiff alleges Doan Law Firm sent “one (1) written ‘Cease and Desist Order’ by mail dated April 19, 2011.” (Id. ¶ 27.) The “Cease and Desist Order” provided, among other things, that “Defendants Cease and Desist all further communications with Plaintiff with respect to the debt.” (Id. ¶ 28.)

Plaintiff alleges “Defendants physically received and had actual knowledge of the Cease and Desist Orders” and therefore “knew they were now prohibited from contacting Plaintiff by all means.” (Id. ¶¶ 29, 35.) Plaintiff claims Defendants had actual knowledge that Plaintiff was represented by counsel, refused to pay the debt, disputed the validity of the debt, and was preparing to file for bankruptcy relief. (Id. ¶¶ 30, 32, 33, 34.)

Thereafter, Plaintiff alleges that “Defendants intentionally, willfully, deliberately, and knowingly refused to abide by the laws of’ California’s Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Act (“Rosenthal Act”), the federal Fair Debt Collection Act (“FDCPA”), and the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”). (Id. ¶ 41.)

More Specifically, Plaintiff claims “Defendants continued communications with Plaintiff, as further evidenced by the copies of letters sent to Plaintiff,” which are attached to Plaintiffs Complaint as Exhibit C. (Id. ¶ 42.) Notably, the only letter from Encore that is included in Exhibit C is dated November 22, 2010 — i.e., approximately five months before the Doan Law Firm allegedly sent Encore a “Cease and Desist Order.” (See ECF No. 1-1 at 49; Compl. ¶ 27.)

Plaintiff further claims “Defendants continued to make at least twenty-five (25), probably more, unlawful calls to Plaintiff from March 16, 2011 through March 27, 2011. Plaintiff details the alleged calls in a log attached as Exhibit D to her Complaint. Encore is not listed anywhere on the log. (See ECF No. 1-1 at 53-54.) [1231]*1231And again, these alleged calls were made before the Doan Law Firm allegedly sent Encore a “Cease and Desist Order.” (See id.; Compl. ¶ 27.)

Plaintiff further alleges “Defendants sent two (2) emails to Plaintiff on March 23, 2011 and April 13, 2011,” which emails are attached as Exhibit E to Plaintiffs Complaint. None of the emails are from Encore. (See ECF No. 1-1 at 56-59.) Moreover, the March 23, 2011 email was sent prior to the Doan Law Firm allegedly sending Encore a “Cease and Desist Order.” (See id.; Compl. ¶ 27.)

Plaintiff alleges she “had a consumer credit card account that had originated with, was assigned to, and/or was serviced by Defendants.” (Compl. ¶ 58.) Plaintiff denies, however, “ever providing her cell phone and/or residential telephone number to Defendants with the express consent to be called by an ‘automatic telephone dialing system’ or ‘artificial or prerecorded voice,’ or any other method.” (Id. ¶ 60.)

Based on the foregoing, Plaintiff asserts six causes of action for: (1) violation of the Rosenthal Act, California Civil Code § 1788.17, through violation of the FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(a)(2); (2) violation of the Rosenthal Act, California Civil Code § 1788.17, through violation of the FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c); (3) violation of the Rosenthal Act, California Civil Code § 1788.17, through violation of the FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. § 1692e(10); (4) violation of the Rosenthal Act, California Civil Code § 1788.14(c); (5) negligent violations of the TCPA, 47 U.S.C. § 227 et seq.; (6) knowing and/or willful violations of the TCPA, 47 U.S.C. § 227 et seq. Plaintiff asserts all six causes of action against each of the Defendants. Encore now moves to dismiss all six causes of action as asserted against Encore.

DISCUSSION

Encore argues Plaintiffs claims against it should be dismissed because (1) Plaintiff lacks standing as a “consumer” under the Rosenthal Act, and (2) Plaintiff fails to differentiate in her claims against all “Defendants” which of her allegations relate to Encore.

I. Legal Standard

A motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) tests the sufficiency of a complaint. Navarro v. Block, 250 F.3d 729, 732 (9th Cir.2001). Dismissal is warranted under Rule 12(b)(6) where a plaintiff presents a cognizable legal theory yet fails to plead essential facts under that theory. Robertson v. Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc., 749 F.2d 530, 534 (9th Cir.1984). While a plaintiff need not give “detailed factual allegations,” a plaintiff must plead sufficient facts that, if true, “raise a right to relief above the speculative level.” Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 545, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). That is, “a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’ ” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1949, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 547,127 S.Ct. 1955).

Where a motion to dismiss is granted, “leave to amend should be granted ‘unless the court determines that the allegation of other facts consistent with the challenged pleading could not possibly cure the deficiency.’ ” DeSoto v. Yellow Freight Sys., Inc., 957 F.2d 655, 658 (9th Cir.1992) (quoting Schreiber Distrib. Co. v. Serv-Well Furniture Co., 806 F.2d 1393, 1401 (9th Cir.1986)).

II. Analysis

A.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
993 F. Supp. 2d 1228, 2014 WL 304436, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10431, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lachi-v-ge-capital-bank-casd-2014.