Thomas v. Publishers Clearing House, Inc.

29 F. App'x 319
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
DecidedFebruary 5, 2002
DocketNo. 00-3948
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 29 F. App'x 319 (Thomas v. Publishers Clearing House, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thomas v. Publishers Clearing House, Inc., 29 F. App'x 319 (6th Cir. 2002).

Opinion

[321]*321OPINION

COLE, Circuit Judge.

Plaintiff-Appellant Dan Thomas alleges that Defendants-Appellees Publishers Clearing House, Inc. (“PCH”) and Daniel P. Doyle, PCH’s treasurer, informed Thomas that he had won a grand prize in the amount of $3.5 million and then refused to pay him. Thomas alleges that in refusing to pay him the grand prize, Defendants breached their contract with him and that such breach was fraudulent. Finding that Thomas’s breach of contract claim failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), and his Ohio law fraud claim was not pleaded with particularity under Fed.R.Civ.P. 9(b), the district court granted Defendants’ motion to dismiss. Before this court is Thomas’s appeal from that judgment. For the reasons set forth below, we AFFIRM the judgment of the district court in its entirety.

I. BACKGROUND

Thomas claims that he first received mailings from PCH in the fall of 1997 encouraging him to purchase magazines in exchange for which he could qualify to receive a grand prize of $3.5 million. Over the course of the next year, Thomas claims to have purchased over $700 in magazine subscriptions through PCH.

According to his complaint, Thomas received telephone calls beginning in January 1998 from PCH stating that he had won the $3.5 million prize. Some of these calls allegedly included encouragement to invite his friends to a party at which PCH would provide the food and entertainment when they delivered the $3.5 million check to Thomas. Thomas later received a letter confirming that he was the winner of the grand prize.

Thomas demanded payment of the $3.5 million prize but PCH refused. Thomas’s complaint states that he relied on the prize letter, and suffered “emotional distress, embarrassment, and humiliation” as a result of PCH’s refusal to pay him the prize money. Thomas timely opted out of a class action suit, Vollmer v. Publishers Clearing House, No. CV-99-434-GPM (S.D.Ill. May 29, 2001), in order to pursue this action.

Thomas filed his complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, alleging breach of contract and fraudulent breach of contract claims under Ohio law. Attached to the complaint was a copy of the letter allegedly offering Thomas the grand prize. PCH filed a motion to dismiss the complaint under Rule 12(b)(1), (2), (5), and (6), and Rule 9(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Pursuant to Rule 10(c), PCH attached an explanatory note and a copy of the Official Rules — both of which generally accompany the PCH mailing — to its motion to dismiss. The explanatory note states, “Here’s a draft of the letter I’ll write should you win our Superprize.... ” The Official Rules add more conditional language — noting that Plaintiffs entry “will be eligible for all Giveaways” and that winners of $10,000 or more will only be contacted in person. Paragraph five of the Official Rules also describes the method for entering without subscribing to any magazines.

Thomas did not object to PCH’s inclusion or the district court’s consideration of these documents in his response memorandum. The district court granted the motion to dismiss under Rules 12(b)(6) and 9(b). This timely appeal followed.

II. DISCUSSION

A. BREACH OF CONTRACT UNDER OHIO LAW

1. Standard of Review

We review de novo a district court’s dismissal of a complaint under Rule [322]*32212(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Begala v. PNC Bank, 214 F.3d 776, 779 (6th Cir.2000). Dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6) is appropriate where it is clear that no relief could be granted under any set of facts that could be proved consistent with the allegations. Bloch v. Ribar, 156 F.3d 673, 677 (6th Cir.1998). All of the well-pleaded allegations of the complaint must be treated as true, though we need not accept Plaintiffs legal conclusions or draw unwarranted factual inferences. Lewis v. ACB Bus. Servs., Inc., 135 F.3d 389, 405-06 (6th Cir.1998); Weiner v. Klais & Co., 108 F.3d 86, 88 (6th Cir.1997). We also review de novo a district court’s legal conclusion regarding formation of a contract. Potti v. Duramed Pharm., Inc., 938 F.2d 641, 647 (6th Cir.1991).

2. Analysis

Thomas submits that PCH created a binding contract with its telephone calls and letter, and later breached that contract by refusing to pay him the award prize. He argues that his breach of contract complaint has stated claims upon which relief can be granted. There are four main elements of a breach of contract claim: (a) the existence of a contract; (b) performance by the plaintiff; (c) breach by the defendant; and (d) damage or loss to the plaintiff. Doner v. Snapp, 98 Ohio App.3d 597, 649 N.E.2d 42, 44 (1994). Ohio law provides that “interpretation of written contract terms is a matter of law for initial determination by the court.” Constr. Interior Sys., Inc. v. Marriott Family Rests., Inc., 984 F.2d 749, 754 (6th Cir.1993) (quoting Potti 938 F.2d at 647). A motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim is likely to be granted where “a plaintiff includes allegations that show on the face of the complaint that there is some insuperable bar to relief.” 5A Charles Alan Wright & Arthur R. Miller, Federal Practice s Procedure § 1357 (2d ed.1990).

Reading all well-pleaded allegations of Thomas’s complaint as true, the complaint does not present evidence of a contract sufficient to survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion. The prize letter itself does purport to award Thomas the grand prize. Although it has the word “draft” stamped over the text in large block letters, the limitations of word “draft” are not defined within the text of the letter. Taken alone, the letter may provide evidence of a contract sufficient for the complaint to survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion. However, Rule 10(c) allows the incorporation of exhibits or writings attached to a pleading, Fed.R.Civ.P. 10(c), and “makes them an integral part of the pleadings for all purposes.” 5 Charles Alan Wright & Arthur R. Miller, Federal Practice & Procedure § 1327 (2d ed.1990).

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
29 F. App'x 319, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thomas-v-publishers-clearing-house-inc-ca6-2002.