Vogel v. Rite Aid Corp.

992 F. Supp. 2d 998, 2014 WL 211789, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8217
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedJanuary 17, 2014
DocketCase No. CV 13-00288 MMM (Ex)
StatusPublished
Cited by156 cases

This text of 992 F. Supp. 2d 998 (Vogel v. Rite Aid Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vogel v. Rite Aid Corp., 992 F. Supp. 2d 998, 2014 WL 211789, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8217 (C.D. Cal. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR DEFAULT JUDGMENT

MARGARET M. MORROW, District Judge.

On January 15, 2013, Martin Vogel filed a complaint against Rite Aid Corporation, dba Rite Aid # 05585, Thrifty Payless, Inc., dba Rite Aid # 05585, and William J. Knight, trustee of the William J. Knight Living Trust dated May 11, 2000 (“Knight”), alleging violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.; the California Unruh Civil Rights Act (“the Unruh Act”), California Civil Code § 51; the California Disabled Persons Act (“the CDPA”), California Civil Code § 54; and California Health and Safety Code § 19953.1 On March 13, 2013, the clerk entered Knight’s default.2 On April 25, 2013, Vogel filed the present motion for the entry of default judgment against [1004]*1004Knight.3 On May 15, 2013, the court dismissed the other two defendants with prejudice, pursuant to the parties’ stipulation.4 Vogel seeks statutory damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, as well as injunctive relief requiring Knight to bring the store into compliance with the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (“ADAAG”) and California’s Building Code requirements.5

I. FACTS ALLEGED IN THE COMPLAINT

Vogel is a T-3 paraplegic due to a motorcycle accident in 1986.6 He is unable to walk or stand, and needs to use a wheelchair when traveling about in public.7 Defendants own, operate, and/or lease Rite Aid Store No. 05585 (“Rite Aid”), located in Covina, California.8 Rite Aid is a retail sales establishment open to the public, and is intended for nonresidential use.9 Its operation affects commerce.10

Vogel visited Rite Aid and encountered both physical and intangible barriers that interfered with or thwarted his ability to use and enjoy the goods, services, privileges, and accommodations offered at the facility.11 These barriers included: (a) access aisle slopes and cross slopes that exceed 2.0 %, making it difficult for Vogel to unload and/or transfer from his vehicle, as the slope caused his wheelchair to roll; (b) lack of parking spaces designated van accessible, making it difficult for Vogel to determine which space(s) would accommodate a van; (c) lack of van-accessible parking spaces, forcing Vogel to unload partially in a disabled parking space and risk being hit by an incoming vehicle; (d) lack of a sign on the men’s restroom door indicating that the facility was accessible to Vogel; (e) a restroom door lock that required twisting, pinching, and/or grasping to operate, making it difficult for Vogel to use; (f) a water closet that obstructed the floor space required to access the disposable seat cover dispenser, making it difficult for Vogel to reach and use the dispenser; (g) a disposable seat cover dispenser that was mounted too high, making it difficult for Vogel to reach and use the dispenser; (h) a toilet tissue dispenser that was mounted too high, too far from the back wall, and too far from the front of the water closet, making it difficult for Vogel to reach and use the dispenser; and (i) pipes beneath the lavatory that were incompletely wrapped, causing Vogel to risk burning his legs when washing his hands.12

Vogel alleges that he was deterred from visiting Rite Aid on other occasions because he knew Rite Aid’s goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations were unavailable to physically disabled patrons like him.13 Vogel asserts that he continues to be deterred from visiting Rite Aid due to future threats of injury created by the barriers.14 He contends that defendants knew these elements and areas of Rite Aid were inaccessible, violated state and federal law, and [1005]*1005interfered with or denied access to the physically disabled.15 Despite having the financial resources to remove the barriers without difficulty or expense, defendants purportedly refuse to remove the barriers or seek an unreasonable hardship exemption to excuse their non-compliance.16 For these reasons, Vogel asserts that defendants discriminated against him and the physically disabled public by denying them full and equal enjoyment of the store.17

II. DISCUSSION

A. Standard Governing Motions for Entry of Default Judgment

A court may enter judgment against parties whose default has been taken pursuant to Rule 55(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. See PepsiCo, Inc. v. California Security Cans., 238 F.Supp.2d 1172, 1174 (C.D.Cal.2002); Kloepping v. Fireman’s Fund, No. C 94-2684 TEH, 1996 WL 75314, *2 (N.D.Cal. Feb. 13, 1996).

Granting or denying a motion for default judgment is a matter within the court’s discretion. Elektra Entertainment Group Inc. v. Bryant, No. CV 03-6381 GAF (JTLx), 2004 WL 783123, *1 (C.D.Cal. Feb. 13, 2004); see also Sony Music Entm’t Inc. v. Elias, No. CV 03-6387 DT (RCX), 2004 WL 141959, *3 (C.D.Cal. Jan. 20, 2004). The Ninth Circuit has directed that courts consider the following factors in deciding whether to enter default judgment: (1) the possibility of prejudice to plaintiff, (2) the merits of plaintiff’s substantive claims, (3) the sufficiency of the complaint, (4) the sum of money at stake in the action; (5) the possibility of a dispute concerning the material facts; (6) whether defendant’s default was the product of excusable neglect, and (7) the strong public policy favoring decisions on the merits. See Eitel v. McCool, 782 F.2d 1470, 1471-72 (9th Cir.1986); see also Bryant, 2004 WL 783123 at *1-2.

Once a party’s default has been entered, the factual allegations of the complaint, except those concerning damages, are deemed to have been admitted by the non-responding party. See Fed. R.Civ. Proc. 8(b)(6); see also, e.g., Geddes v. United Fin.Group, 559 F.2d 557, 560 (9th Cir.1977) (stating the general rule that “upon default[,] the factual allegations of the complaint, except those relating to the amount of damages, will be taken as true”). The court, however, must still “consider whether the unchallenged facts constitute a legitimate cause of action, since a party in default does not admit mere conclusions of law.” 10A Charles Alan Wright, Arthur R. Miller, & Mary Kay Kane, Federal Practice and Procedure: Civil 3d § 2688, at 63 (1998) (footnote omitted); see also Cripps v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 980 F.2d 1261, 1267 (9th Cir.1992) (“[Njecessary facts not contained in the pleadings, and claims which are legally insufficient, are not established by default”); Doe v. Qi, 349 F.Supp.2d 1258, 1272 (N.D.Cal.2004) (“[Although] the factual allegations of [the] complaint together with other competent evidence submitted by the moving party are normally taken as true ...

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992 F. Supp. 2d 998, 2014 WL 211789, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8217, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vogel-v-rite-aid-corp-cacd-2014.