Larocca v. Larocca

86 F. Supp. 3d 540, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8008, 2015 WL 349315
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedJanuary 23, 2015
DocketCivil Action No. 13-4748
StatusPublished

This text of 86 F. Supp. 3d 540 (Larocca v. Larocca) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Larocca v. Larocca, 86 F. Supp. 3d 540, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8008, 2015 WL 349315 (E.D. La. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER AND REASONS

IVAN L.R. LEMELLE, District Judge.

I. NATURE OF THE MOTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

Before the Court is Defendant, Joseph R. LaRocca’s, Motion for Summary Judgment.1 Plaintiff, Eloisa C. LaRocca has filed an opposition.2 The motion, set for submission January 21, 2015, is before the Court without oral argument. Accordingly, and for the reasons enumerated below,

IT IS ORDERED that the Motion for Summary Judgment (Rec. Doc. No. 44) is DENIED.

II. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On June 7, 2013, Plaintiff, Eloísa C. LaRocca (hereinafter “Plaintiff’), filed suit for damages from Joseph LaRocca3 (hereinafter “Defendant”) under 18 U.S.C. § 2510 et seq., the federal Wiretap Act, as amended by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA).4 Mrs. LaRocca and Mr. LaRocca formerly were married as husband and wife.5 In or about May 2011, while residing together, Defendant filed for divorce.6 In the original complaint, Plaintiff alleges that, by use of the eBlaster spyware program, the “Defendant unlawfully intercepted and transferred the private communications and computer activities” of Plaintiff to an email address, in violation of the ECPA.7

III.LAW AND ANALYSIS

Defendant moves for summary judgment, arguing that Plaintiff “cannot demonstrate with sufficient summary judgment evidence that the software installed on her computer by Defendant continuously transmitted any intercepted communications as required to state a claim” under the ECPA.8 Defendant contends that unless the eBlaster spyware, which indicated that reports would be sent every sixty (60) minutes, also “created a concurrent report with each communication, then it would have been created from stored communications and therefore use of the eBlaster software would fall outside the purview of the ECPA.”9

A. Summary Judgment Standard of Review

Summary judgment is appropriate only if “the pleadings, depositions, answers to [542]*542interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); TIG Ins. Co. v. Sedgwick James, 276 F.3d 754, 759 (5th Cir.2002). The proponent of the motion bears the burden of showing a lack of evidence to support his opponent’s case. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); Stauffer v. Gearhart, 741 F.3d 574, 582 (5th Cir.2014).

A genuine dispute of material fact exists when the “evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Royal v. CCC & R. Tres Arboles, L.L.C., 736 F.3d 396, 400 (5th Cir.2013). A party cannot “defeat summary judgment with conclusory allegations, unsubstantial assertions, or ‘only a scintilla of evidence.’ ” Celtic Marine Corp. v. James C. Justice Companies, Inc., 760 F.3d 477, 481 (5th Cir.2014); TIG Ins. Co., 276 F.3d at 759.

B. The Wiretap Act and Title I of the ECPA

In 1986, Congress passed the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), Pub.L. No. 99-508, 100 Stat. 1848. Konop v. Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., 302 F.3d 868, 874 (9th Cir.2002). Title I of the ECPA (“Title I”) amended the federal Wiretap Act, which previously addressed only wire and oral communications, to “address the interception of ... electronic communications.” 10

The Wiretap Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2511(l)(a)(“Act”), proscribes “intentionally intercept[ing] ... any wire, oral, or electronic communication,” unless the intercept is authorized by court order or other exceptions. An “electronic communication” is defined as “any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire ... system.” 18 U.S.C. § 2510(12). “Intercept” is defined as “the aural or other acquisition of the contents of any wire, electronic, or oral communication through the use of any electronic, mechanical, or other device.” Id. § 2510(4).

In Steve Jackson Games, Inc. v. United States Secret Service, 36 F.3d 457 (5th Cir.1994), the Fifth Circuit held that the government’s acquisition of email messages stored on an electronic bulletin board system, but not yet retrieved by the intended recipients, was not an “interception” under the Wiretap Act.

The court noted that the word “intercept” could not describe the exact same conduct with respect to wire and electronic communications, because wire and electronic communications were defined differently in the statute. Specifically, the term “wire communication” was defined to include storage of the communication, while “electronic communication” was not. Id. at 461.

Thus, the court concluded that this textual difference evidenced Congress’ understanding that, although one could “intercept” a wire communication in storage, one could not “intercept” an electronic communication in electronic storage. Id. at 462.11 “By including the electronic storage of wire communications within the definition [543]*543of such communications but declining to do the same for electronic communications, Congress sufficiently evinced its intent to make acquisitions of electronic communications unlawful under the Wiretap Act only if they occur contemporaneously with their transmission.” Id. at 463-64; Wesley Coll. v. Pitts, 974 F.Supp. 375, 386 (D.Del.1997), aff'd, 172 F.3d 861 (3d Cir.1998); see United States v. Reyes, 922 F.Supp. 818, 836 (S.D.N.Y.1996); Bohach v. City of Reno, 932 F.Supp. 1232, 1236-37 (D.Nev.1996) (requiring acquisition diming transmission).12

The narrow issue before the Court is: whether the unauthorized installation of spyware, which collects and reports email and activity on Plaintiffs computer, constitutes an ‘interception’ of an electronic communication as prohibited by 18 U.S.C.. § 2511(l)(a).

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Related

TIG Insurance v. Sedgwick James of Washington
276 F.3d 754 (Fifth Circuit, 2002)
Robert C. Konop v. Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.
302 F.3d 868 (Ninth Circuit, 2002)
Bohach v. City of Reno
932 F. Supp. 1232 (D. Nevada, 1996)
Wesley College v. Pitts
974 F. Supp. 375 (D. Delaware, 1997)
United States v. Reyes
922 F. Supp. 818 (S.D. New York, 1996)
Tonia Royal v. CCC&R Tres Arboles, L.L.C.
736 F.3d 396 (Fifth Circuit, 2013)
Shawn Stauffer v. Marna Gearhart
741 F.3d 574 (Fifth Circuit, 2014)

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Bluebook (online)
86 F. Supp. 3d 540, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8008, 2015 WL 349315, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/larocca-v-larocca-laed-2015.