Ticknor v. Rouse's Enterprises, LLC

2 F. Supp. 3d 882, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21129, 2014 WL 668930
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedFebruary 20, 2014
DocketCivil Action Nos. 12-1151, 12-2964
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 2 F. Supp. 3d 882 (Ticknor v. Rouse's Enterprises, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ticknor v. Rouse's Enterprises, LLC, 2 F. Supp. 3d 882, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21129, 2014 WL 668930 (E.D. La. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER AND REASONS

SUSIE MORGAN, District Judge.

Before the Court are motions for summary judgment filed by Evanston Insurance Company1 (“Evanston”) and Starr Indemnity & Liability Company2 (“Starr”). Rouse’s Enterprises, LLC (“Rouse’s”) opposes Evanston’s and Starr’s motions.3 Robert Ticknor, Matthew Russell, and Daniel Cutler, on behalf of themselves and others similarly situated (collectively, “plaintiffs”), also filed oppositions to Evanston’s and Starr’s motions.4 Evans-ton filed a reply to the plaintiffs’ opposition, and Starr filed replies to the plaintiffs’ opposition and Rouse’s opposition.5

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiffs filed suit against Rouse’s on May 7, 2012, alleging that in April and May 2012, they each purchased groceries from Rouse’s, the operator of a chain of local grocery stores.6 Plaintiffs allege they used their personal credit cards for these transactions and that Rouse’s failed to truncate the expiration dates when it issued receipts for those transactions.7 Plaintiffs claim other individuals have had this same experience at Rouse’s stores across Louisiana and Mississippi, and thus seek to have this case certified as a class action.8

Plaintiffs seek relief under the “Receipt Provision” of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (“FACTA”), 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(g)(3).9 Among other things, FAC-TA prohibits merchants from printing certain credit and debit card information on receipts. In particular, the Receipt Provision provides:

(g) Truncation of credit card and debit card numbers
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, no person that accepts credit cards or debit cards for the transaction of business shall print more than the last 5 digits of the card number or the expiration date upon any receipt provided to the cardholder at the point of the sale or transaction.

15 U.S.C. § 1681c(g)(l).

FACTA imposes civil liability for violations of the law’s provisions, including the Receipt Provision. A negligent violation of the Receipt Provision entitles a plaintiff to recover actual damages suffered as a result of the violation. Id. at § 1681o(a)(l). Statutory damages are not available for negligent violations. Id. A willful violation of the Receipt Provision also entitles a plaintiff to recover actual [887]*887damages. Id. at § 1681n(a)(l)(A). Unlike a negligent violation, however, a willful violation allows a plaintiff to opt for statutory damages, in lieu of actual damages, between $100 and $1,000 per consumer. Id. Statutory damages are available even if the plaintiff does not claim to have suffered actual damage as a result of the alleged willful violation. See, e.g., Ramirez v. Midwest Airlines, Inc., 537 F.Supp.2d 1161, 1167-69 (D.Kan.2008). A willful violation also makes punitive damages, costs, and attorneys’ fees available to the plaintiff in addition to actual or statutory damages. 15 U.S.C. § 1681n(a)(2)-(3).10

Plaintiffs do not claim to have suffered any actual damage as a result of the alleged violations. Instead, plaintiffs claim the fact that Rouse’s “knowingly, willfully, intentionally, and reckless violated and continues to violate” the Receipt Provision entitles them to statutory damages under 15 U.S.C. § 1681n, as well as punitive damages, costs, and attorneys’ fees.11 Finally, plaintiffs seek an order enjoining Rouse’s from violating the Receipt Provision and directing Rouse’s to comply with the provision going forward.12

On December 14, 2012, Evanston filed a separate suit against Rouse’s, seeking a declaration that Evanston has no duty to defend Rouse’s for the plaintiffs’ lawsuit and owes no coverage to Rouse’s under the insurance policy between Evanston and Rouse’s.13 Upon determining the Evans-ton’s suit for a declaratory judgment and the plaintiffs’ claims against Rouse’s were related, the Court consolidated the cases for purposes of discovery on April 5, 2013.14 After the cases were consolidated, Starr requested and was granted leave to file a complaint in intervention against Rouse’s.15 Starr, as Rouse’s excess liability insurer, also seeks a declaration that it owes no duty defend Rouse’s and owes no coverage to Rouse’s for the claims asserted by the plaintiffs.16

Evanston and Starr both filed both motions for summary judgment that the insurance policy Evanston issued to Rouse’s provides no coverage for the claims made by the plaintiffs and that neither insurance company owes a duty to defend those claims. The policy Starr issued to Rouse’s is an excess liability insurance policy that follows the policy issued by Evanston to Rouse’s. Thus, Starr’s obligations hinge upon whether Evanston’s policy provides coverage.17

[888]*888LEGAL STANDARD

Summary judgment is appropriate when “the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c)(2); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Little v. Liquid Air Corp., 37 F.3d 1069, 1075 (5th Cir.1994). When assessing whether a dispute as to any material fact exists, the Court considers “all of the evidence in the record but refrains from making credibility determinations or weighing the evidence.” Delta & Pine Land Co. v. Nationwide Agribusiness Ins. Co. 530 F.3d 395, 398 (5th Cir.2008). All reasonable inferences are drawn in favor of the nonmoving party, but “unsupported allegations or affidavits setting forth ultimate or conclusory facts and conclusions of law are insufficient to either support or defeat a motion for summary judgment.” Galindo v. Precision Am. Corp., 754 F.2d 1212, 1216 (5th Cir.1985) (internal quotations and citations omitted).

If the dispositive issue is one on which the moving party will bear the burden of proof at trial, the moving party “must come forward with evidence which would ‘entitle it to a directed verdict if the evidence went uncontroverted at trial.’ ” Int’l Shortstop, Inc. v. Rally’s Inc.,

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2 F. Supp. 3d 882, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21129, 2014 WL 668930, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ticknor-v-rouses-enterprises-llc-laed-2014.