Milliner v. Bock Evans Financial Counsel, Ltd.

114 F. Supp. 3d 871, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88256, 2015 WL 4089853
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedJuly 6, 2015
DocketCase No. 15-cv-01763-TEH
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 114 F. Supp. 3d 871 (Milliner v. Bock Evans Financial Counsel, Ltd.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Milliner v. Bock Evans Financial Counsel, Ltd., 114 F. Supp. 3d 871, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88256, 2015 WL 4089853 (N.D. Cal. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO DISMISS

THELTON E. HENDERSON, United States District Judge

This matter is before the Court pn Defendant Bock Evans Financial Counsel’s motion to dismiss the complaint of Plaintiffs Charlotte B. Milliner, and .Joanne Brem. The Court has carefully considered the arguments of the parties in the papers submitted, and finds this matter suitable for resolution without oral argument, pursuant to Civil Local Rule 7 — 1(b). - Defendant’s motion to dismiss is hereby DENIED, for the reasons set forth below.

BACKGROUND

Defendant is a Colorado-registered investment advisory firm with its primary place of business in Denver, Colorado. Plaintiffs Milliner and Brem were clients of Defendant, and each signed Investment Advisory Agreements, although at different times. Milliner appears to have signed her most recent of these agreements on December 3, 2008 (“Milliner Agreement”). Ex. A to Evans Decl. Brem appears to have signed her most recent of these agreements on August 23, 2Q11 (“Brem Agreement”). Ex..B to Evans Deck

Plaintiffs’ Agreements contain arbitration provisions that'provide for the resolution of -disputes arising out of the Parties’ investment advisory relationship before the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Specifically, both of Plaintiffs’ Agreements provide, in relevant part: -

(A) Client agrees--that if a dispute arises out of or relates to this contract, or the breach thereof, éonceming any transaction or the construction of the performance of the agreement, that the Client and Bock Evans agree to try to settle the dispute through direct negotiation-in good faith. ■ ■
(B) If the dispute cannot be settled through good faith negotiation, the parties agree first to try to settle the dispute by mediation administered by-the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Mediation Procedures before resorting to arbitration....
(C) If the dispute cannot be resolved through either negotiation or mediation, the Client may pursue the dispute through arbitration to the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules.

Ex. A to Evans Deck- at 4; Ex. B to Evans Deck at 4-5. The Brem Agreement also contained the following provision: “The aforementioned arbitration clause is voluntary and.shall not constitute a waiver of Client’s rights pursuant to and- under federal rules or similar state statutes and rules.” Ex. B to Evans Deck at 5.

Milliner filed an; arbitration claim with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against Defendant, as well as certain individuals affiliated with Defendant, on December 22,2014. That FINRA case alleges many of the same causes of action, arises from the same facts, -and requests much of the same relief, as this case. However, Defendant is not a party to the FINRA action. ' See Ex. 1 to Sturgeon Deck (FINRA letter noting that Defendant was “not required to arbitrate in the FINRA arbitration forum”- because Defendant is not a member of FINRA, [876]*876and that FINRA would “proceed with this action ■ without [Defendant’s] participation”); ■ Ex. 2 to Sturgeon Decl. (Defendant responding that it “is not subject to FINRA’s jurisdiction” and declining to submit to FINRA arbitration).

On March 5, 2015, before the filing of this aetion on April 20, Defendant filed a Petition to Compel Mediation and Arbitration against Plaintiff1 Milliner in Alameda County Superior Court; That case was removed on April 29, 2015, and related to the present , action by this Court on June 22, 2015.

Defendant filed the instant motion to dismiss Plaintiffs’ complaint on May 12, 2015. (Docket No.. 8). Plaintiffs responded, and Defendant timely replied. (Docket Nos. 12,19). Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 7 — 1(b), the Court vacated oral argument and now renders its decision on the motion.

DISCUSSION

I. Dismissal for Improper Venue — Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(h)(3)

■ Instead of requesting that this Court compel arbitration, Defendant took the unconventional approach of arguing that venue is improper under Rule 12(b)(3) because Plaintiffs agreed to arbitrate any disputes with Defendant. Mot. at 4. Complicating the matter, Defendant’s argument relies heavily on cases that analyzed motions to compel arbitration under the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”). Id. at 4-5. Plaintiffs respond by characterizing Defendant’s Rule 12(b)(3) argument as a motion to compel arbitration, and cite FAA cases in support of their claim that the arbitration provisions were neither mandatory nor. enforceable. Opp’n at 2-7. Defendant’s reply insisted that it is not moving to compel arbitration. Reply at 1-2.

As an initial matter, Defendant improperly seeks dismissal of Plaintiffs’ complaint .under Rule 12(b)(3) for improper venue on the basis of an arbitration provision. In Atlantic Marine Construction Company, Inc. v. United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, — U.S. -, 134 S.Ct. 568, 187 L.Ed.2d 487 (2013), the Supreme Court clarified that Rule 12(b)(3) allows for dismissal only when venue is “wrong” or “improper.” Id. at 577. A venue is only “wrong” or “improper” if the court in which the case was brought fails to satisfy the requirements of federal venue laws, and the existence of a forum selection clause, such, as the arbitration provision in this case, does.not render venue “wrong” or “improper” under those requirements. See id. at 578-79. Instead, forum selection clauses should be analyzed under the federal transfer statute, 28 U.S.C.A 1404(a), unless the moving party seeks a non-federal forum, in which case forum non conveniens is the appropriate doctrinal analysis. Id. at 579-80.

An arbitration provision can be construed as a forum selection clause. Polimaster Ltd. v. RAE Systems, Inc., 623 F.3d 832, 837 (9th Cir.2010) (“The requirement of arbitration at the defendant’s site is effectively a forum selection clause, in which the parties agreed to arbitrate at the location of a defendant’s principal place of business.”). “[A] valid forum-selection clause should be given controlling weight in all but the most exceptional cases.” Atl. Marine Const. Co., Inc., 134 S.Ct. at 581 (internal quotations and alterations removed). However, district courts must first “consider arguments that the clause is invalid.” Russel v. De Los Suenos, No. 13-2081-BEN, 2014 WL 1028882, at *6 (S.D.Cal. Mar. 17, 2014).

“A forum selection clause is presumptively valid; the party seeking to avoid a forum selection clause bears a ‘heavy burden’ to establish a ground upon which [the court] will conclude the clause [877]*877is unenforceable.” Doe 1 v. AOL LLC, 552 F.3d 1077, 1083 (9th Cir.2009) (quoting M/S Bremen v. Zapata Off-Shore Co., 407 U.S. 1, 17, 92 S.Ct. 1907, 32 L.Ed.2d 513 (1972)). “[A] forum selection clause is unenforceable ‘if 'enforcement would contravene a strong public policy of the forum in which suit is brought, whether declared by statute or by judicial decision’ ” Doe 1, 552 F.3d at 1083 (quoting

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114 F. Supp. 3d 871, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88256, 2015 WL 4089853, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/milliner-v-bock-evans-financial-counsel-ltd-cand-2015.