Leonard H. Matz, Jr. v. Tiffin Motor Homes, Inc.

CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Alabama
DecidedFebruary 19, 2026
Docket2:24-cv-00637
StatusUnknown

This text of Leonard H. Matz, Jr. v. Tiffin Motor Homes, Inc. (Leonard H. Matz, Jr. v. Tiffin Motor Homes, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Leonard H. Matz, Jr. v. Tiffin Motor Homes, Inc., (N.D. Ala. 2026).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA SOUTHERN DIVISION

LEONARD H. MATZ, JR., ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) Case No. 2:24-cv-00637-NAD ) TIFFIN MOTOR HOMES, INC., ) ) Defendant. )

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT For the reasons stated below and on the record in the January 29, 2026 motion hearing, the court GRANTS Defendant Tiffin Motor Homes, Inc.’s motion for summary judgment (Doc. 59). The court separately will enter final judgment. BACKGROUND A. Procedural background On August 29, 2023, Plaintiff Leonard H. Matz, Jr. filed an amended complaint against Defendant Tiffin for breach of contract and/or warranty,1 violation of the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and violation of the Nebraska Consumer Protection Act and/or the Nebraska Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices

1 For purposes of this summary judgment motion, the parties have agreed that Nebraska state law applies to Matz’s breach of warranty claim. See Doc. 64 at 2 n.1. Act.2 Doc. 21. On May 21, 2024, this case was transferred to this district from the United

States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Doc. 39; see Doc. 38. The parties consented to magistrate judge jurisdiction. Doc. 49; 28 U.S.C. § 636(c); Fed. R. Civ. P. 73.

On September 12, 2025, Tiffin filed this summary judgment motion with a supporting brief and evidentiary material. Doc. 59. The parties fully briefed the motion. See Doc. 63 (Matz response with evidentiary material); Doc. 64 (Tiffin reply with evidentiary material); see also Docs. 60, 61, 62 (briefing schedule and

extension). On January 29, 2026, the court held a hearing on this summary judgment motion. See minute entry, entered: 01/29/2026; Doc. 68 (order setting hearing).

On February 2, 2026 (after the motion hearing), Matz filed a supplemental brief in opposition (Doc. 70), along with an exhibit from the hearing (Doc. 71). On February 3, 2026, Tiffin filed a reply to Matz’s supplemental brief (Doc. 72). B. Factual background

For purposes of this summary judgment motion, the material facts are

2 In response to this summary judgment motion, Matz has agreed to dismiss his claim for violation of the Nebraska Consumer Protection Act and/or the Nebraska Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act. See Doc. 63 at 25–26. undisputed, including the following: On June 24, 2020, Matz bought a 2020 Vilano 360RL recreational vehicle

(RV) manufactured by Vanleigh RV, Inc.3 from Bish RV One. Doc. 59 at 1–2; Doc. 63 at 2. With the RV, Vanleigh issued a one-year limited base warranty and a three- year limited structural warranty (collectively, the “limited warranty”). Doc. 59 at 2;

Doc. 63 at 2. The one-year limited warranty stated that the warranty “only covers material components and parts of the recreational vehicle actually manufactured and made by [Vanleigh].” Doc. 59-1 at 3. Similarly, the three-year limited warranty stated that the warranty “only covers material components and parts of the Structural

Components actually manufactured by and made by [Vanleigh].” Doc. 59-1 at 11. In this regard, the three-year limited warranty also stated that “‘Structural Components’ consists of: materials and/or workmanship directly attributable to

[Vanleigh],” and then “name[d] certain components.” Doc. 59-1 at 11. Matz sought and received many repairs to the RV under the limited warranty. Doc. 59 at 3; Doc. 63 at 4. On November 13, 2020, Matz took the RV to the Tiffin service center in Tishomingo, Mississippi, where 29 reported warranty defects were

repaired. Doc. 21 at 6–7; Doc. 63 at 4–5. The repairs were completed on February 3, 2021. Doc. 21 at 6. From March 23, 2021, to March 25, 2021, the RV returned

3 Vanleigh RV, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Defendant Tiffin. Any reference to “Vanleigh” is also a reference to “Tiffin.” See Doc. 59 at 1 n.1. to the Tishomingo service center for repairs to 18 reported warranty defects. Doc. 21 at 7–8; Doc. 63 at 5–6.

From October 21, 2021, to October 28, 2021, the RV went to Boondocks Mobile RV in Tampa, Florida, for repairs to the air conditioner. Doc. 21 at 8; Doc. 63 at 6. The RV returned to Boondocks on December 14, 2021, for a repair to the

hydraulic pump, which was completed the same day. Doc. 21 at 8; Doc. 63 at 6. The RV again returned to Boondocks on January 20, 2022, for one day for reported defects with the rear side skirt and the rear of the living area/box of the trailer. Doc. 21 at 8; Doc. 63 at 6–7. On May 17, 2022, the RV went back to Tishomingo for two

days for problems with the rear side skirting, a door, and the rear of the living area/box of the trailer. Doc. 21 at 8; Doc. 63 at 7. On September 22, 2022, Matz attempted to repair an issue with the RV’s slide.

Doc. 21 at 9; Doc. 63 at 7. While on the phone with the Tiffin service center, Tiffin “represented to [Matz] that it believed the frame was bent and recommended that [Matz] contact a mobile technician to confirm that the frame was bent and send the formal data to Lippert Components, Inc.” Doc. 21 at 9; Doc. 63 at 7.

All of the problems with the RV that Matz reported were repaired under the limited warranty, with the exception of the RV’s chassis, slides, and window valances. Doc. 59 at 3; Doc. 63 at 4. LEGAL STANDARD Summary judgment is appropriate when the movant establishes that “there is

no genuine dispute as to any material fact,” and that the movant “is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a); see Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323 (1986). A material fact is one that might affect the outcome of

the case. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248 (1986).4 And a dispute about a material fact is “genuine,” if “the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Id. To avoid summary judgment, the nonmovant must go beyond mere

allegations to offer specific facts creating a genuine dispute for trial. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 324–25. The court’s responsibility is not to “weigh the evidence and determine the truth of the matter but to determine whether there is a genuine issue

for trial.” Anderson, 477 U.S. at 249. The court must construe all evidence and draw all reasonable inferences in the nonmovant’s favor. Centurion Air Cargo, Inc. v. UPS Co., 420 F.3d 1146, 1149 (11th Cir. 2005).

4 Accord, e.g., Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322–23 (“[T]he plain language of Rule 56(c) mandates the entry of summary judgment, after adequate time for discovery and upon motion, against a party who fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial. In such a situation, there can be ‘no genuine issue as to any material fact,’ since a complete failure of proof concerning an essential element of the nonmoving party’s case necessarily renders all other facts immaterial.”). Where there is no genuine dispute of material fact for trial, the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a), (c).

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