TALBERT v. BEAL BANK USA

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedAugust 10, 2023
Docket2:23-cv-02147
StatusUnknown

This text of TALBERT v. BEAL BANK USA (TALBERT v. BEAL BANK USA) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
TALBERT v. BEAL BANK USA, (E.D. Pa. 2023).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

CHARLES TALBERT : CIVIL ACTION : v. : NO. 23-2147 : BEAL BANK USA, MR. DAVID : CORTEZ :

MEMORANDUM KEARNEY, J. August 10, 2023 Incarcerated serial litigant Charles Talbert’s now claims a bank and bank employee declined to open a savings account in his name after reviewing his expired driver’s license confirming he is a Black man. He sues the bank and its employee for racial discrimination under Title VI and section 1981 along with claims under Pennsylvania Law. Congress limits those liable for discrimination under Title VI to those entities (not individual bank employees) receiving federal financial assistance. Deposit insurance is not federal assistance. Deposit insurance protects the depositors and is not financial assistance to the bank. And Mr. Talbert offers no basis to find the federal government gives financial assistance to Beal Bank. We dismiss the Title VI claims without prejudice as to the bank but with prejudice as to the bank employee. Mr. Talbert also fails to allege a fact allowing us to plausibly infer the bank or its employee discriminated against him by denying his application based on his race. He wants us to infer a bank and its employee decided to not accept his money and open a savings account because he is Black and most of the bank’s customers are White. We have no basis to do so. We dismiss the inadequately plead race discrimination claim. We also dismiss the Pennsylvania claims as we lack a claim over which we enjoy jurisdiction. We grant Mr. Talbert leave to timely amend to plead claims in our limited jurisdiction if he can do so with facts plead in good faith. I. Alleged pro se facts. Beal Bank USA is a financial institution offering certificate of deposits, money market accounts, statement savings accounts, and individual retirement accounts.1 Beal Bank belongs to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation—a government corporation which provides deposit insurance for banks through the Deposit Insurance Fund.2 “The greater number of” Beal Bank’s

customers “are white citizens.”3 David Cortez is the assistant manager at Beal Bank’s King of Prussia office located in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.4 Mr. Talbert tries to open an account at Beal Bank. Mr. Talbert “in an attempt to save and invest his money” sent Beal Bank a letter requesting the appropriate forms to open an account in his name at some unknown time.5 Beal Bank sent Mr. Talbert a reply letter explaining the different types of accounts it offers along with a new account application on February 28, 2023.6 Beal Bank directed Mr. Talbert to mail a check, the completed application, and a copy of his driver’s license to open an account.7 Beal Bank, through the reply letter, represented to Mr. Talbert: (1) once funds had arrived at its office, Beal Bank would prepare

new account documents and mail them to Mr. Talbert within three to five business days; and (2) Mr. Talbert would begin to earn interest on the date Beal Bank received his check.8 Mr. Talbert selected the “statement savings account” option on the application which required a minimum deposit of $500 to yield an annual interest rate of 0.21 percent.9 Mr. Talbert mailed Beal Bank the completed application, a check for $500, and a copy of his expired driver’s license on April 4, 2023.10 Beal Bank denies Mr. Talbert’s application. Beal Bank denied Mr. Talbert’s application and returned his materials less than a week later on April 10, 2023.11 II. Analysis Mr. Talbert’s latest claim reaches beyond state actors to sue a bank and its assistant manager. 12 He now pro se sues Beal Bank and Assistant Manager Cortez claiming they denied his application to open a savings account “upon receiving [his] materials . . . and noticing [] he was a person of color[.]”13 Mr. Talbert claims Beal Bank and Assistant Manager Cortez violated

his civil rights under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 42 U.S.C. § 1981 by denying his application based on his race.14 Mr. Talbert also brings state law claims against Beal Bank and Assistant Manager Cortez for: violating the Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law; fraudulently misrepresenting to Mr. Talbert he could open a bank account; breaching an implied contract; and vicarious liability.15 Mr. Talbert claims Beal Bank and Assistant Manager Cortez “refused to enforce its preliminary agreement with [him] after noticing [] he was a person of color.”16 Mr. Talbert alleges Beal Bank deceived him into parting with personal information; denied him an annual interest rate of 0.21 percent; discriminated against him because of his color and race; and he now suffers from emotional and mental distress.17 He never

mentions seeking a loan. Mr. Talbert seeks monetary damages, punitive damages, costs, fees, and injunctive relief. Beal Bank and Assistant Manager Cortez move to dismiss Mr. Talbert’s amended Complaint.18 They argue: (1) Mr. Talbert fails to state a claim under Title VI because Beal Bank does not receive “federal financial assistance” and (2) his conclusory allegations do not suffice to state a claim under section 1981.19 Beal Bank asks we decline to exercise our supplemental jurisdiction over Mr. Talbert’s state law claims.20 Mr. Talbert responds: (1) “the loan product” he applied for could “possibly” be federally funded; and (2) he stated a plausible claim under section 1981 by pleading Beal Bank and Assistant Manager Cortez discriminated against him.21 A. We dismiss Mr. Talbert’s Title VI claim. Mr. Talbert alleges Beal Bank and Assistant Manager Cortez violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because Beal Bank as a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation denied him a bank account because of his race.22 Beal Bank and Assistant Manager Cortez argue Beal Bank does not receive “federal financial assistance” so they cannot be sued under Title VI.23

Congress, through Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibits race, color, and national origin discrimination in federally funded programs or activities.24 To state a claim under Title VI, Mr. Talbert must allege: (1) racial or national origin discrimination; and (2) the entity engaging in discrimination is receiving federal financial assistance.25 Mr. Talbert may plead either direct or circumstantial evidence of discrimination.26 Mr. Talbert must show intentional discrimination under Title VI to obtain compensatory relief.27 Only entities, not individuals, can be sued under Title VI.28 Mr. Talbert cannot sue Mr. Cortez under Title VI. We dismiss the Title VI claim against Mr. Cortez with prejudice. And Mr. Talbert must plead Beal Bank receives federal financial assistance “by way of grant, loan, or contract other than a contract of insurance or guaranty[.]”29 Title VI does not apply

to claims against programs or activities not receiving federal financial assistance.30 We are guided by Judge Hall in Marshall v. Webster Bank, N.A. considering whether a bank customer pleaded a claim under Title VI where the customer alleged the bank received federal financial assistance in the form of deposit insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.31 Judge Hall acknowledged Congress established the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to provide “the benefits of insurance” for deposits in banks and savings associations.32 Judge Hall reasoned even assuming the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance is “federal financial assistance” it is federal assistance in the form of a guaranty or contract insurance which is exempt under Title VI.33 So Judge Hall found the bank customer failed to state a claim under Title VI and dismissed the customer’s claim with prejudice.34 Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
TALBERT v. BEAL BANK USA, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/talbert-v-beal-bank-usa-paed-2023.