Tasion Communications, Inc. v. Ubiquiti Networks, Inc.

308 F.R.D. 630, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104717, 2015 WL 4734935
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedAugust 10, 2015
DocketNo. C-13-1803 EMC
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 308 F.R.D. 630 (Tasion Communications, Inc. v. Ubiquiti Networks, Inc.) 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
Tasion Communications, Inc. v. Ubiquiti Networks, Inc., 308 F.R.D. 630, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104717, 2015 WL 4734935 (N.D. Cal. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION

EDWARD M. CHEN, United States District Judge

Currently pending before the Court is Plaintiffs’ motion for class certification.1 Plaintiffs ask the Court to certify classes and subclasses against Defendant Ubiquiti Networks, Inc.2 for their claims for breach of express warranty and fraudulent inducement. Having considered the papers submitted, as well as the oral argument of counsel, the Court hereby DENIES the motion for certification in its entirety.

I. FACTUAL & PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

As alleged in the operative fifth amended complaint (“5AC”), Ubiquiti is a communications technology company that designs, manufactures, and sells broadband wireless products. See 5AC ¶ 1. At issue in this litigation is a Ubiquiti product known as TOUGHCable (“TC”). TC is a cable product. During the relevant period, Ubiquiti manufactured two kinds of TC, Level 1 and Level 2. However, according to Plaintiffs, there are no material [632]*632differences between the two for purposes of this lawsuit.

Plaintiffs allege that, in Ubiquiti’s advertising as well as on the TC box itself, Ubiquiti claimed that TC was a Category 5e outdoor carrier-class shielded cable that was built to withstand harsh outdoor environments. See 5AC ¶4. Plaintiffs purchased TC based on that representation. According to Plaintiffs, that representation was false and Ubiquiti knew the representation to be false at the time Plaintiffs purchased the TC product. Plaintiffs maintain that Ubiquiti knew that TC was not suitable for outdoor use based on, e.g., UV testing that was conducted on the product. See, e.g., 5AC ¶¶ 255-61.

Based on, inter alia, the above allegations, Plaintiffs have sued Ubiquiti for, inter alia, breach of express warranty and fraudulent inducement.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Legal Standard

In their opening brief, Plaintiffs asked the Court to certify a nationwide Rule 23(b)(3) class (applying California law) for both its claim for breach of express warranty and its claim for fraudulent inducement. In the alternative, Plaintiffs asked the Court to certify, pursuant to Rule 23(b)(3), twelve state-based classes for its fraudulent inducement claim and its claims for violations of state consumer protection laws. Finally, Plaintiffs asked that, if the Court were to find that “any particular class claim fails to satisfy the requirements of Rule 23(b),” it certify “relevant issues classes under Rule 23(c)(4).” Mot. at 24.

In its reply brief, Plaintiffs now concede that a nationwide Rule 23(b)(3) class for its fraudulent inducement claim is improper; Plaintiffs now ask only for certification of issues classes and subclasses for the fraudulent inducement claim. For the express warranty claim, Plaintiffs still ask for certification of a nationwide Rule 23(b)(3) class; in the alternative, Plaintiffs ask that issues classes and subclasses be certified. Apparently, Plaintiffs have completely dropped their request for Rule 23(b)(3) certification with respect to its consumer protection claims.

1. Rule 23(b)(3)

For a Rule 23(b)(3) class, Plaintiffs must show the following:

(1) that all Rule 23(a) requirements are satisfied, i.e., numerosity, commonality, typicality, and adequacy, see Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(b); and

(2) that “questions of law or fact common to class members predominate over any questions affecting only individual members, and that a class action is superior to other available methods for fairly and efficiency adjudicating the controversy.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(b)(3).

2. Rule 23(c) (Ip)

As for an issues class, Rule 23(c)(4) provides that, “[w]hen appropriate, an action may be brought or maintained as a class action with respect to particular issues.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(c)(4). The Ninth Circuit has explained that, “[e]ven if the common questions do not predominate over the- individual questions so that class certification of the entire action is warranted, Rule 23[ (c)(4) ] authorizes the district court in appropriate cases to isolate the common issues ... and proceed with class treatment of these particular issues.” Valentino v. Carter-Wallace, Inc., 97 F.3d 1227, 1234 (9th Cir.1996) (emphasis added). The theory underlying the rule is that “the advantages and economies of adjudicating issues that are common to the entire class on a representative basis may be secured even though other issues in the case may need to be litigated separately by each class member.” Wright et al, Fed. Prac. & Proc. § 1790. Thus, for example, Rule 23(c)(4) may be used “to separate the issue of liability from damages.” In re Nassau County Strip Search Cases, 461 F.3d 219, 226 (2d Cir.2006); see also Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(c)(4), 1966 advisory committee notes (noting, as an example, “in a fraud or similar case the action may retain its ‘class’ character only through the adjudication of liability to the class; the members of the class may thereafter be required to come in individually and [633]*633prove the amounts of their respective claims”).

Contrary to what Plaintiffs argued at the hearing, a Rule 23(c)(4) issues class must still meet the requirements of Rule 23(a) and (b) (except for the predominance requirement of Rule 23(b)(3)). See, e.g., Avilez v. Pinkerton Gov’t Servs., 596 Fed.Appx. 579, 579 (9th Cir.2015) (noting that subclasses would meet the requirements of Rule 23(a); adding that “[w]e need not decide whether these subclasses ... would satisfy the predominance requirement of Rule 23(b)(3)” because the district court was being asked to certify a liability issues class under Rule 23(c)(4)); Central Wesleyan College v. W.R. Grace & Co., 6 F.3d 177, 189 (4th Cir.1993) (stating that, “district courts may separate and certify certain issues for class treatment, [but] the ‘subclass’ on each issue still ‘must independently meet all the requirements of [subsection 23(a)] and at least one of the categories specified in [subsection 23(b) ]’[;][t]hus, a limited class pursuing the eight issues still must possess both (a)(3) typicality and demonstrate (b)(3)(D) manageability”); Romero v. Allstate Ins. Co., 52 F.Supp.3d 715, 724 (E.D.Pa.2014) (stating that “[c]ertification of particular issues under Rule 23(e)(4) is only proper if the other requirements of Rule 23(a) and (b) are first met”); Houser v. Pritzker, 28 F.Supp.3d 222, 253-54 (S.D.N.Y.2014) (stating that “Rule 23(c)(4) continues to provide a viable solution if damages cannot be determined on a class-wide basis, so long as the proposed class satisfies the requirements of 23(a) and (b) with respect to liability”); see also Wright et al., Fed. Prac. & Proc.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
308 F.R.D. 630, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104717, 2015 WL 4734935, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tasion-communications-inc-v-ubiquiti-networks-inc-cand-2015.