Nicopior v. Moshi Moshi Palm Grove, LLC

375 F. Supp. 3d 1278
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedApril 5, 2019
DocketCase No. 18-24909-CIV-WILLIAMS
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 375 F. Supp. 3d 1278 (Nicopior v. Moshi Moshi Palm Grove, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nicopior v. Moshi Moshi Palm Grove, LLC, 375 F. Supp. 3d 1278 (S.D. Fla. 2019).

Opinion

KATHLEEN M. WILLIAMS, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

THIS MATTER is before the Court on Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres's Report and Recommendation (DE 48) (the "Report") regarding Plaintiffs' motion to dismiss Moshi Moshi Palm Grove LLC's, Sushi Yama Japanese Restaurant, Inc.'s, Moshi Coral Way, LLC's, and Toshio Furithata's ("Defendants") counterclaims and to strike two affirmative defenses. (DE 33). Defendants filed objections to the Report. (DE 52). Upon an independent review of the Report, the objections, the record, and applicable case law, it is ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that:

1. The Report is AFFIRMED and the analysis contained in the Report (DE 48) is ADOPTED and incorporated herein by reference.
2. Plaintiffs' motion to dismiss and motion to strike (DE 33) are GRANTED.

DONE AND ORDERED in chambers in Miami, Florida, this 5th day of April, 2019.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION ON PLAINTIFFS' MOTION TO DISMISS DEFENDANTS' COUNTERCLAIMS AND TO STRIKE AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES

EDWIN G. TORRES, United States Magistrate Judge

This matter is before the Court on Arme Joy P. Nicopior's ("Ms. Nicopior") and Leonardo Gamboa's ("Mr. Gamboa") ("Plaintiffs") motion to dismiss Moshi Moshi Palm Grove LLC's, Sushi Yama Japanese Restaurant, Inc.'s, Moshi Coral Way, LLC's, and Toshio Furithata's ("Defendants") counterclaims and to strike two affirmative defenses. [D.E. 33]. Defendants responded to Plaintiffs' motion on February 14, 2019 [D.E. 39] to which Plaintiffs replied on February 22, 2019. [D.E. 42]. Therefore, Plaintiffs' motion is now ripe for disposition. After careful consideration of the motion, response, reply, relevant authority, and for the reasons discussed below, Plaintiffs' motion to dismiss should be GRANTED .1

I. BACKGROUND

Plaintiffs filed this action on November 21, 2018 [D.E. 1] against Defendants for unpaid minimum wages in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA"), the Florida Constitution, Art. X § 24, and Fla. Stat. § 448.110. Ms. Nicopior alleges that Defendants failed to pay her any wages as a server and failed to pay her the required overtime rate for hours worked more than forty hours per week. Mr. Gamboa also alleges that Defendants failed to pay him *1282wages for his work as a server, including overtime pay for his work as a manager.

On January 10, 2019, Defendants - except Mutsuhiko Yuhara ("Mr. Yuhara2 ") - filed their answer, affirmative defenses, and counterclaims. [D.E. 18, 20]. Count one of Defendants' counterclaim alleges that Ms. Nicopior voided receipts for food and beverages served to customers and wrongfully converted Defendants' property in excess of $ 50,000. [D.E. 20]. Count two alleges that Plaintiffs were unjustly enriched because they retained food, beverages, and other materials of value. Both counterclaims seek the "fair value of the converted property, plus prejudgment interest, and all other relief which this Court deems appropriate." [D.E. 20].

II. APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES AND LAW

In ruling on Plaintiffs' motion to dismiss, the Court takes the allegations in the counterclaim as true and construes the allegations "in the light most favorable to the [Defendants]." Rivell v. Private Health Care Systems, Inc. , 520 F.3d 1308, 1309 (11th Cir. 2008) (citing Hoffman-Pugh v. Ramsey , 312 F.3d 1222, 1225 (11th Cir. 2002) ). "When considering a motion to dismiss, all facts set forth in [Defendants' counterclaim] 'are to be accepted as true and the court limits its consideration to the pleadings and exhibits attached thereto.' " Grossman v. Nationsbank, N.A. , 225 F.3d 1228, 1231 (11th Cir. 2000) (quoting GSW, Inc. v. Long Cnty. , 999 F.2d 1508, 1510 (11th Cir. 1993) ). A motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6) "is granted only when the movant demonstrates that the complaint has failed to include 'enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.' " Dusek v. JPMorgan Chase & Co. , 832 F.3d 1243, 1246 (11th Cir. 2016) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly , 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) ).

"While a complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiff's obligation to provide the grounds of his entitle[ment] to relief requires more than labels and conclusions ...." Twombly , 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955 (internal citations and quotations omitted) (alteration in original). "To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter ...." Ashcroft v. Iqbal , 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). A complaint does not suffice "if it tenders 'naked assertion[s]' devoid of 'further factual enhancement.' " Id. (quoting Twombly

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375 F. Supp. 3d 1278, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nicopior-v-moshi-moshi-palm-grove-llc-flsd-2019.