Victory Processing, LLC v. Michael

333 F. Supp. 3d 1263
CourtDistrict Court, D. Wyoming
DecidedAugust 6, 2018
DocketCase No: 17-CV-109-ABJ
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 333 F. Supp. 3d 1263 (Victory Processing, LLC v. Michael) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Wyoming primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Victory Processing, LLC v. Michael, 333 F. Supp. 3d 1263 (D. Wyo. 2018).

Opinion

Alan B. Johnson, United States District Judge

The parties brought this matter before the Court on cross motions for summary judgment. Plaintiffs Victory Processing, LLC and Dave Dishaw (collectively referred *1266to as Victory Processing) filed Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment Pursuant to F.R.C.P. 56(a) (Victory Processing's Motion). ECF No. 22. Defendant Peter K. Michael in his official capacity as Attorney General for the State of Wyoming (Attorney General), filed a response in opposition (Attorney General's Response), ECF No. 26, to which Victory Processing replied (Victory Processing's Reply). ECF No. 28. The Attorney General filed Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment. (Attorney General's Motion) ECF No. 24. Victory Processing filed a response in opposition (Victory Processing's Response), ECF No. 27, to which the Attorney General replied (Attorney General's Reply). ECF No. 29. Having considered both motions, the applicable law, and being otherwise fully advised, the Court FINDS and ORDERS as follows:

Background

Victory Processing is a company engaged in data gathering, political consulting and message dissemination projects. Doc. 23, p. 2. Victory Processing primarily achieves its work through reaching out to residents in various states using automated telephone systems or "robocalls" and conducting surveys. Doc. 1, ¶¶ 6, 8. They allege that potential clients have reached out to them, requesting their services and have inquired about conducting robocalls in the State of Wyoming. Id. at ¶ 7. However, Victory Processing has had to decline work with those clients because Wyo. Stat. § 6-6-104 prohibits commercial and political robocalls. Doc. 1, ¶¶ 11-12.The company has also had to refrain from conducting robocalls to improve their own database and consulting capabilities because Wyo. Stat. § 6-6-104 prohibits commercial and political robocalls. Id.

Although they are currently prohibited from robocalling, Victory Processing has expressed the desire to engage in future political speech and information gathering operations for themselves and on behalf of third parties through the use of robocalls. Doc. 23-1, ¶¶ 9 -10, 13-14; Doc. 1, ¶¶ 7, 10. As a result of the current ban on robocalls, Victory Processing claims to have suffered lost individual and business opportunities. Doc. 1, ¶ 11. Consequently, Victory Processing has requested summary judgment in their favor, as well as, prospective injunctive relief from enforcement under Wyo. Stat. § 6-6-104.

Standard of Review

Summary judgment is appropriate where "there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). A dispute of fact is genuine if a reasonable juror could resolve the disputed fact in favor of either side. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. , 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A dispute of fact is material if under the substantive law it is essential to the proper disposition of the claim. Adler v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , 144 F.3d 664, 670 (10th Cir. 1998). When the Court considers the evidence presented by the parties, "[t]he evidence of the non-movant is to be believed, and all justifiable inferences are to be drawn in the non-movant's favor." Anderson , 477 U.S. at 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505.

The party moving for summary judgment has the burden of establishing the nonexistence of a genuine dispute of material fact. Lynch v. Barrett , 703 F.3d 1153, 1158 (10th Cir. 2013). The moving party can satisfy this burden by either (1) offering affirmative evidence that negates an essential element of the nonmoving party's claim, or (2) demonstrating that the nonmoving party's evidence is insufficient to establish an essential element of the nonmoving party's claim. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c)(1)(A)-(B).

Once the moving party satisfies this initial burden, the nonmoving party must *1267support its contention that a genuine dispute of material fact exists either by (1) citing to particular materials in the record, or (2) showing that the materials cited by the moving party do not establish the absence of a genuine dispute. See id. The nonmoving party must "do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to material facts." Matsushita Elec. Indus. v. Zenith Radio Corp. , 475 U.S. 574, 586, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). Rather, to survive a summary judgment motion, the nonmoving party must "make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of [every] element essential to that party's case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial." Celotex Corp. v. Catrett , 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). Further, when opposing summary judgment, the nonmoving party cannot rest on allegations or denials in the pleadings but must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine dispute of material fact for trial. See Travis v. Park City Mun. Corp. , 565 F.3d 1252

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Bluebook (online)
333 F. Supp. 3d 1263, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/victory-processing-llc-v-michael-wyd-2018.