Russo v. APL Marine Services, Ltd.

135 F. Supp. 3d 1089, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 128787, 2015 WL 5626638
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedSeptember 24, 2015
DocketCase No. 2:14-cv-3184-ODW(JCGx)
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 135 F. Supp. 3d 1089 (Russo v. APL Marine Services, Ltd.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Russo v. APL Marine Services, Ltd., 135 F. Supp. 3d 1089, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 128787, 2015 WL 5626638 (C.D. Cal. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART DEFENDANT APL MARINE SERVICES, LTD.’S MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT [34]

OTIS D. WRIGHT, II, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Valerie Russo (“Russo”) alleges that Defendants APL Marine Services, Ltd. (“APL”) and Captain James Londagin (“Captain Londagin”) violated a myriad of California state and federal laws, including sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, negligence, and unseaworthiness while oh the high seas. Defendants move for partial summary judgment .on the basis that California state law does not apply extraterri-torially in this matter, and. on the basis that Plaintiffs remaining claims fail as a matter of law. For the reasons discussed below, the Court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES in part Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment.1 (ÉCF No. 34.)

II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

This case arises out of a failed romantic relationship between Plaintiff Valerie Russo,. a former employee of APL, and Captain Londagin which was rekindled during a voyage aboard APL’s commercial vessel, the APL Korea in December 2012. Plaintiff was employed by APL for approximately eight years, beginning in May 2004, as a Chief Cook for intermittent voyages aboard the APL Korea2. (SUF 4, 5.) Dur[1092]*1092ing her employment with APL, Plaintiff sailed with the vessel on eleven occasions, each of which was an international voyage generally lasting between thirty-three and forty-two days. (SUF 6.)

In' 2004, Plaintiff first met Captain Lon-dagin aboard the APL Korea, and on a subsequent voyage in 2011, Plaintiff and Captain Londagin began a consensual sexual relationship. (SUF 9, 10, 11.) In early 2012, Plaintiff continued to see Captain Londagin on shore and estimates that she invited him to stay the night at her apartment in San Pedro, California, on approximately three separate occasions. (SUF 12.) Plaintiff and Captain Londagin also went to Parker’s Lighthouse, a restaurant in Long Beach, California, for a date on Valentine’s Day in 20Í2. (SUF 13.) Plaintiff gave Captain Londagin a rose and a teddy bear on that occasion. (SUF 14.) Sometime after Valentine’s Day, Plaintiff visited Captain Londagin aboard the APL Korea, after which the two' went on a dinner date and then went back to Plaintiff’s apartment in San Pedro. (SUF 16,17.)

Plaintiff and Captain Londagin did not see each other from mid-2012 through December 2012, but they frequently communicated by phone and email. (SUF 18.) Plaintiff did not believe that she and Captain Londagin were exclusive at this point, but the two discussed rekindling their relationship. (SUF 19.) This motivated Plaintiff to seek employment aboard the APL Korea for its December 2012 voyage. (SUF 20.)

When the Plaintiff boarded the vessel on December 4, 2012, she was excited about being with Captain Londagin again. (SUF 21.) When she first saw Captain Londagin they embraced and kissed in the elevator and engaged in sexual activities later that evening. (SUF 22.) Plaintiff and Captain Londagin continued to see each other during the voyage in either Plaintiffs room or the Captain’s. (SUF 23.)

The vessel departed Oakland, California on December 5, 2012, at which time it sailed for San Pedro, where it arrived the next day. (SUF 24.) The vessel departed San Pedro for Yokohama, Japan, on December 10, 20Í2 (SUF 24) entering international waters approximately three hours after departing San Pedro. (SUF 25.)

About a week and a half into the voyage, when the vessel was well into international waters, Plaintiff ended her relationship ■with Captain Londagin, allegedly because of a dispute between the Captain and the ship’s Steward. (SUF 26.)

Plaintiff states that after she ended her relationship, he engaged in harassing behavior toward her. Plaintiff offers the following evidence: (1) Captain Londagin slapped Plaintiffs buttocks on one occasion (SUF'27); (2) Captain Londagin requested that they have “make-up sex” oh at least ten occasions (SUF 28); (3) He banged on her door at night (SUF 29); (4) He laid on the deck outside of Plaintiffs state room on four occasions (SUF 31); (5) He criticized her work performance (SUF 32); and (6) He denied her overtime pay (SUF 33).

Other than Captain Londagin's alleged slap of her buttocks on one occasion, Plaintiff admits she had no other physical contact with him after she ended their relationship. (SUF 35.) Plaintiff testified that after the buttock slapping incident, she told him that “he’s sick,” but did not tell anyone about- that incident or any other. (SUF 36-39.)

On December 21, 2012, Captain Londag-in terminated Plaintiffs employment aboard the APL Korea following a discussion the two had in his room. (SUF 42-44.) During this discussion, the Captain claims that as Plaintiff was leaving the room, she threw a Sharpie pen back into his quarters. (SUF 43.) Plaintiff disputes that this happened. (Plaintiffs Response to SUF 43.) Captain Londagin claims that this be[1093]*1093havior was improper and aggressive, and he terminated Plaintiff. (ECF No. 1, Ex. 1.) Later that day, APL issued a letter, to Plaintiff stating her employment had been terminated “for exhibiting aggressive, behavior toward a senior officer” on the APL Korea. (SUF 45.) Approximately one day after receiving this document, they reached the port of Yokohama, Japan and an agent escorted Plaintiff off the vessel. (SUF 46.)

On March 24, 2014, Plaintiff filed this action against Defendants APL Marine Services, Ltd. and Captain Londagin in the California Superior Court alleging Sexual Harassment, Cal. Gov. Code § 12940 et seq.; Sexual Discrimination, Cal. Const. Art. 1 § 8; Retaliation under Fair’ Employment and Housing Act (“FÉHA”), Cal. Gov. Code § 12940 et seq.; Wrongful Termination, Cal. Gov. Code § 1294 — et seq.; Battery; Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress (Jones Act); Unseaworthiness (Maritime Law); and Maintenance and Cure (Maritime Law). Defendant APL Marine Services'properly removed the case to federal court on April 25, 2014. (ECF No. 1.) On July 13, 2015, Defendants moved for partial summary judgment on the claims for Sexual Harassment, Sexual Discrimination, Retaliation, Wrongful Termination, Unseaworthiness, Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress, and punitive damages. (ECF No. 34.). A timely opposition and reply were filed. (ECF Nos. 37, 43.) That Motion is now before the Court for decision.

III. LEGAL STANDARD

“The court shall grant summary judgment if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. Proc. 56(a). A party seeking summary judgment bears the initial -burden of informing the court of the basis for its motion and identifying those portions of the pleadings and discovery responses that demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. See Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986).

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Bluebook (online)
135 F. Supp. 3d 1089, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 128787, 2015 WL 5626638, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/russo-v-apl-marine-services-ltd-cacd-2015.