Van Meter v. Harvey

272 F.R.D. 274, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8769, 2011 WL 310693
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maine
DecidedJanuary 31, 2011
DocketNo. 1:09-cv-00633-JAW
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 272 F.R.D. 274 (Van Meter v. Harvey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Van Meter v. Harvey, 272 F.R.D. 274, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8769, 2011 WL 310693 (D. Me. 2011).

Opinion

ORDER ON PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION

JOHN A. WOODCOCK, JR., Chief Judge.

Seeking declaratory and injunctive relief from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Plaintiffs move for class certification. Because Plaintiffs have established each of the requirements for class certification, the Court grants their motion.

I. STATEMENT OF FACTS

On December 18, 2009, Jacob Van Meter, Adam Fletcher — by and through his guardian, Gail Fletcher — and Eric Reeves (Named Plaintiffs) filed a complaint seeking relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for DHHS’s alleged violations of the Nursing Home Reform Amendments to the federal Medicaid Act (NHRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1396r(e); Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. § 12131 et seq.; and Section 504 of [276]*276the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), 29 U.S.C. § 794, for failing to ensure the Named Plaintiffs “receive appropriate treatment in the most integrated setting possible.” Compl. ¶¶ 1-6 (Docket # 1) (Initial Compl). That same day, the Named Plaintiffs moved individually for leave to proceed in forma pauperis. Application to Proceed in District Court Without Prepaying Fees or Costs (Docket #s 3, 4, 5). The Magistrate Judge granted those motions on December 21, 2009. Order Granting Mots, to Proceed in Forma Pauperis (Docket # 7). On February 22, 2010, DHHS answered the complaint. Answer to Compl. (Docket # 12) CAnswer).

On August 10, 2010, the Plaintiffs moved for leave to file an amended complaint and for class certification. Pis. ’ Assented to Mot. for Leave to File First Am. Compl. (Docket #22); Pis.’ Mot for Class Certification (Docket # 23) (Pis. ’ Mot.). The next day, the Court granted without objection the motion for leave to file an amended complaint. Order (Docket #29). That same day, the Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint, which defined the class as:

[T]he Named Plaintiffs ... and all other Maine residents who currently are or in the future will be: (1) eligible for and enrolled in MaineCare, (2) age 21 or older, (3) have a related condition as defined at 42 C.F.R. § 435.1010, other than autism, and who do not have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia,1 and (4) who are or should be screened for admission to nursing facilities pursuant 42 U.S.C. § 1396r(e)(7) and 42 C.F.R. § 483.112 et seq.2

First Am. Class Action Compl. (Docket # 24) (Class Action Compl). On August 31, 2010, DHHS responded in opposition to the motion for class certification. Def.’s Opp’n to Mot. for Class Certification (Docket #33) (Def.’s Opp’n). On September 14, 2010, Plaintiffs replied to DHHS’s response. Pis. ’ Reply to Def.’s Opp’n to Mot. for Class Certification (Docket # 40) (Pis.’Reply).

II. DISCUSSION

A. The Parties’ Positions

1. Plaintiffs’ Motion

Plaintiffs argue that class certification is appropriate because all of the elements of a Rule 23(a) and one of the elements of Rule 23(b) are met. Pis. ’ Mot. at 3-4 (citing Fed. R.Civ.P. 23). They assert that the elements of numerosity, commonality, typicality, and adequacy of representation are met under 23(a). Id. at 3. In regards to 23(b), they assert that class action is appropriate under 23(b)(2) because DHHS “has acted or refused to act on grounds generally applicable to the class thereby making appropriate final injunctive relief or corresponding declaratory relief with respect to the class as a whole.” Id. at 4. They address each element individually.

Plaintiffs observe that the first pre-requi-site for class certification is that “the class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable.” Id. (citing Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a)(1)). They argue that in the First Circuit, “[n]o minimum number of plaintiffs is required to maintain a suit as a class action, [277]*277but generally if the named plaintiff demonstrates that the potential number of plaintiffs exceeds 40, the first prong of Rule 23(a) has been met.” Id. (quoting Garcia-Rubiera v. Calderon, 570 F.3d 443, 460 (1st Cir.2009)). They contend that their putative class consists of at least forty-one current members with cerebral palsy, an unidentified number of individuals with epilepsy and other related conditions, and “new individuals entering nursing facilities each day who are at risk of the same rights violations and are members of the proposed class.” See id. at 3. Plaintiffs also argue that where, as here, only declaratory and injunctive relief is sought, they “need not establish the precise number or identity of class members.” Id. at 5 (quoting Rolland v. Cellucci, No CIV A 98-30208-KPN, 1999 WL 34815562, at *3 (D.Mass. Feb. 2,1999)).

Having asserted that they meet the First Circuit’s general numerical threshold, Plaintiffs argue that practicability is the more important consideration in weighing 23(a)(1). Id. at 4 (citing McLaughlin v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 224 F.R.D. 304, 307 (D.Mass.2004)). They argue that “[i]n order to determine whether joinder would be impracticable, ‘courts give significant weight to such factors as the ability of class members to bring their own separate actions, their geographical diversity and the type of relief sought.’ ” Id. (quoting Rolland, 1999 WL 34815562, at *3). They argue that “it would be extremely difficult, and thus impracticable, for the members of the proposed class to maintain individual suits against [DHHS], particularly given the nature of their disabilities, their limited economic resources, their geographical diversity, and their segregation in nursing facilities.” Id. at 6. Furthermore, they contend that the inability to precisely identify each individual class member and the likelihood that the class includes unnamed future members are factors making joinder less practicable. Id. at 5.

The Plaintiffs argue that second prerequisite for class certification is met because there are questions of law and fact common to the class. Id. at 6 (citing Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a)(2)).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
272 F.R.D. 274, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8769, 2011 WL 310693, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/van-meter-v-harvey-med-2011.