Ninth Circ. Rejects Caliber Defenses in TCPA Robocall Suit

A lot of the instances a two web page order is an effective factor for Defendants. However when its not, it’s usually a very unhealthy factor—maybe a sign the Court docket thought the Defendant’s arguments bordered on frivolous

In Schick v. Caliber House Loans, Case No. 20-cv-00617-VC, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 125639 (N.D. Cal. July 16, 2020) the Court docket rejected a powerful variety of Caliber’s defenses in a TCPA Robocall go well with in a mere two pages. Some fairly fundamental errors right here people. Let’s be taught from it collectively.

First, the Court docket denied a keep request pending the result of Barr v. AAPC. Since that case was determined almost two weeks in the past now, nevertheless, one wonders why Caliber didn’t withdraw the request as a substitute of creating the court docket rule on the difficulty. Regardless of.

Second, the Court docket rejected Caliber’s vicarious legal responsibility protection concluding that the grievance sufficiently alleged it was liable for calls made by “telemarketer” Driving Power Media. Notably, the Ninth Circuit is a “method and means” management jurisdiction for company functions—that means that Defendant should truly management the injury-causing conduct (right here, cellphone calls) and never simply train normal management over the standard or nature of companies offered by a vendor. In that respect, however in few others, the Ninth Circuit’s case legislation truly favors TCPA defendants. However the Court docket flatly rejected Caliber’s problem to the grievance. Worse but, by elevating the difficulty on the pleadings stage, somewhat than ready for an evidentiary movement, Caliber might have ceded this essential problem to the Plaintiff on the deserves (and definitely risked highlighting a typical problem pre-certification.) The place have we seen that earlier than?

However we’re solely midway via right here. Third, the Court docket rejected Defendant’s movement to dismiss the ATDS allegations discovering—as so so many courts within the Ninth Circuit have—that allegations of encountering a “click on and pause” initially of a name is loads to allege ATDS utilization. As we’ve beforehand written, there are only a few circumstances when an ATDS pleadings problem must be made within the Ninth Circuit given the low pleadings commonplace and the affect of Marks. However, , be happy to strive it anyway.

Fourth, the Court docket rejected Defendant’s problem to the DNC declare discovering that the Plaintiff completely pleaded the usage of a residential quantity that was registered on the nationwide DNC listing and the receipt of multiple unsolicited advertising name from Defendant inside a 12 month interval. I imply, that’s about all that must be pleaded people. Certainly, the Court docket made such brief work of Caliber’s problem to the DNC declare that it isn’t even clear what its arguments have been.

Rulings like this remind me of why I began TCPAWorld.com to start with—to function a useful resource for the TCPA protection bar in order that it’s higher geared up to make good arguments and never create unhealthy caselaw that my purchasers should reside with. Oh properly. At the least its Friday.

Simply two extra work days till Monday.

Completely satisfied weekend TCPAWorld.