Ogden v. Bumble Bee Foods, LLC
Ogden v. Bumble Bee Foods, LLC
Opinion of the Court
ORDER GRANTING-IN-PART PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO COMPEL (Re: Docket No. 33)
Plaintiff Tricia Ogden (“Ogden”) moves to compel Defendant Bumble Bee Foods, LLC (“Bumble Bee”) to provide more complete responses to her interrogatories, requests for admissions, and requests for production. Having considered the parties’ papers and arguments, the court GRANTS-IN-PART Ogden’s motion.
The parties are familiar with the facts of the ease and of this particular dispute, and so the court provides only a brief summary of the background before setting forth its reasoning. Ogden is pm-suing a putative class action against Bumble Bee and seeks to represent a nationwide class of purchasers of Bumble Bee products falling within one of four categories:
(1) labeled or advertised as “Rich in Natural Omega-3” or “Excellent Source Omega-3”;
(2) labeled or advertised with a nutrient content claim for a nutrient lacking a Daily Value or lacking the minimum Daily Value (“DV”) specified for the type of claim made;
(3) labeled or advertised with a nutrient or health claim despite containing a disqualifying nutrient level precluding the claim; or
*622 (4) labeled or advertised with an unauthorized health or drug claim.1
Ogden limits the class to members who purchased the various products within the last four years.
Ogden served Bumble Bee with numerous requests for production, requests for admission, and interrogatories. Bumble Bee objected to the requests on several grounds, but the parties agree that this dispute centers around three issues: (1) whether Bumble Bee must produce discovery on all of its products; (2) whether it must produce discovery from eight years prior to the initiation of this lawsuit; and (3) whether it must respond to discovery regarding King Oscar.
I. LEGAL STANDARDS
“Prior to class certification under Rule 23, discovery lies entirely within the discretion of the [cjourt.”
To make a prima facie showing for class certification, plaintiffs first must show that they have met the four factors of Fed. R.Civ.P. 23(a): (1) that “the class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable”; (2) that “there ai’e questions of law or fact common to the class”; (3) that “the claims or defenses of the representative parties are typical of the claims or defenses of the class”; and (4) that “the representative parties will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.”
Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(b) provides that parties “may obtain discovery regarding any non-privileged matter that is relevant to any party’s claim or defense.” The relevant information “need not be admissible at trial if the discovery appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence.” Relevance under Rule 26(b) is broadly defined, “although it is not without ultimate and necessary boundaries.”
A. Discovery of All of Bumble Bee’s Products
The parties frame their dispute around whether Ogden has standing to pursue claims for Bumble Bee products that she did not purchase. Bumble Bee argues that because Ogden purchased only the Sardines and the Tuna Salad, she has no standing for claims regarding its other products, and so information about those other products is irrelevant to her claims. In response, Ogden points to the “sufficient similarity” test that several courts in this district recently have employed to determine whether named plaintiffs have standing to pursue claims for items they did not purchase.
Courts grapple with whether this type of dispute is really one of standing or more properly one of typicality and adequacy of representation in the class certification phase with some court precedents lending support to both views.
Having reviewed the ease law on standing generally in the class action context and in this particular type of labeling-based claim setting,
This court undertakes this brief foray into class action procedure not because it must decide whether Ogden has standing or if she is a typical or adequate representative. Its role is only to determine the limits of Ogden’s entitlement to discovery and Bumble Bee’s corresponding obligation. But class action discovery can be an expensive and burdensome process and so consideration of the boundaries of Ogden’s claim is necessary to evaluate the appropriateness of her requests.
In sum, at this stage of the case and in order to secure the discovery she requests, Ogden must show not only that she has standing to bring her own claims as a threshold matter, but then she must show numerosity, commonality, typicality, and that she is an adequate representative of the full class to justify the requested discovery.
1. Prima Facie Showing
At the outset, the court finds that Ogden’s purchase of the Tuna Salad and the Sardines and her allegation that she paid more than she would have for the products satisfies her obligation at this point to show standing.
a. Rule 23(a)
Ogden satisfies the numerosity element because she alleges that purchasers of Bumble Bee’s products number in the thousands.
Ogden alleges that questions regarding Bumble Bee’s labeling practices and whether those practices amount to misbranding are common to the class.
As noted, where Ogden runs into problems is with respect to typicality. For the typicality prong, Ogden claims that she is a typical representative because she “bought [Bumble Bee’s] Misbranded Food Products during the Class Period.”
In her complaint, Ogden defines “Mis-branded Food Products” as “products manufactured or distributed by Bumble Bee labeled or advertised as ‘Rich in Natural Omega-3’ or ‘Excellent Source Omega-3’; 2) labeled or advertised with a nutrient content claim for a nutrient lacking a Daily Value or lacking the minimum Daily Value ... specified for the type of claim made; 3) labeled or advertised with a nutrient or health claim despite containing a disqualifying nutrient level precluding the claim; or 4) labeled or advertised with an unauthorized health or drug claim ... within the last four years.”
Ogden does not allege that she purchased all of Bumble Bee’s products or even that she purchased all of the mislabeled products.
But as several courts have noted and as this court described above, she may be able to bring claims for class members who purchased food products “sufficiently similar” to the products she in fact bought.
In context of motions to dismiss or to certify classes, courts have used the “sufficiently similar” standard to determine whether named plaintiffs have standing to assert claims for products they did not purchase,
Claims based on Ogden’s actual purchases obviously may be the subject of discovery because she has made a prima facie showing of typicality for those products, and Bumble Bee in fact already has agreed to produce information for those products.
Employing this approach, the court evaluates Ogden’s claims regarding Bumble Bee’s entire product line. Ogden offers examples of the labels from some of the other products to support her contention that these other products fall within the “sufficiently similar” standard.
Ogden asserts that her purchases are “sufficiently similar” to the entire line of Bumble Bee’s products because her claims involve only improper labeling, which as noted above other courts have determined falls within the “sufficient similarity” standard. But Ogden’s claims are not limited to a particular advertisement on the products she bought that also were included on other products as was the situation in the eases she cites. She alleges, for example, that Bumble Bee included “unauthorized health or drug claims” or banners about nutrient or health claims belied by the actual ingredients of the product.
The court finds that Ogden has made a prima facie showing of typicality only as to products with similar or identical claims about Omega-3 content, as those labels may have misled class members in the same way that they allegedly misled Ogden even if the products are not the same. She also has established a prima facie showing of typicality for products with essentially the same ingredients as the products she purchased, as those also fall within sufficient similarity test.
But the court finds that Ogden has not made a prima facie showing of typicality for products with allegedly false nutrient information that are not similar to the products she purchased. She essentially asserts that she can represent purchasers who relied on any allegedly false nutritional claim on any Bumble Bee product. Her counsel suggested as much at the oral argument when he asserted that the benefit of the class action is to avoid having to bring 70 different cases. Typicality does not extend that far, and nothing in the standard Ogden herself propounds suggests such latitude.
Even if Ogden did not make a prima facie showing, she could still obtain discovery for these other products if she satisfied her burden “to demonstrate that discovery measures are likely to produce persuasive information substantiating class action allegations.”
b. Rule 23(b)
Ogden has made a prima facie showing of the Rule 23(a) factors for the products she bought, the products with a similar “Omegas’’ claim on their labels, and products with nearly identical ingredients as the products she purchased. The court now considers whether she has satisfied the required showing for one of the Rule 23(b) categories. Ogden appears to be pursuing either a Rule 23(b)(2) class or a Rule 23(b)(3) class. Because the court finds that Ogden made a prima facie showing for her Rule 23(b)(3) class, the court does not consider whether she has made a showing for Rule 23(b)(2).
Rule 23(b)(3) permits certification of a class when “the court finds that the questions of law or fact common to class members predominate over any questions affecting only individual members, and that a class action is superior to other available methods for fairly and efficiently adjudicating the controversy.” To support her Rule 23(b)(3) allegations, Ogden states that the questions regarding whether Bumble Bee mislabeled its products or included misleading representations on its labels are common to the class and predominate over any individualized questions.
The court finds that Ogden has sufficiently pleaded a pi’ima facie Rule 23(b)(3) action for the pui'poses of allowing diseoveiy. The court also notes that diseoveiy would aid Ogden to substantiate her Rule 23(b)(3) claims. Because the Ninth Circuit has advised that courts ought to allow diseoveiy when it is necessary to aid a class certification motion,
Bumble Bee’s discovery obligation therefore is to produce information for products that advertise the same Omega-3 claims as the Sardines and Tuna Salad that Ogden purchased or that have similar ingredients, presumably tuna and sardines. Other than references to the “sufficient similarity” test, Ogden has not offered any other showing that further discovery would aid in substantiating her typicality arguments for the claims outside of the identical labels or identical ingredients products.
B. Time Frame
Ogden also seeks discovery from Bumble Bee dating back to 2004, four years befoi’e the applicable statute of limitations or the class definition Ogden is pui’suing. According to Ogden, the eai’ly time fi’ame is neces-saxy to uncover “state of mind” evidence regarding Bumble Bee’s marketing practices.
Bumble Bee’s reliance on the statute of limitations is misplaced. The applicable limitations period restricts the time period for consumers to bring claims for their purchases—it does not limit the time to bring claims for Bumble Bee’s marketing decisions.
In its opposition, Bumble Bee agreed to produce information dating back to 2004 for the labeling and marketing practices for the products Ogden identified in her complaint.
Ogden has shown that information about marketing and labeling decisions pre-dating 2008 falls within the broad definition of rele-vanee under Rule 26(b). Those decisions extend to the products for which the court determined Ogden may be able to pursue claims as described above. This request therefore is GRANTED-IN-PART.
C. King Oscar Material
The court is unclear exactly what dispute the parties have regarding the King Oscar products. Ogden seeks information that is within the control, custody, or possession of Bumble Bee.
Ogden has not provided evidence or even significant argument that somehow the requests she makes for documents actually are in Bumble Bee’s control, custody, or possession as required by Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(a), and she does not argue that the two corporations are one legal entity. The basis for her request for admissions is that a link from Bumble Bee’s website leads to King Oscar’s website, and so Bumble should make admissions regarding the representations on King Oscar’s page.
Absent evidence that Bumble Bee is withholding documents in its possession,
IV. CONCLUSION
Bumble Bee shall produce to Ogden documents responsive to her requests for products with Omega-3 labels or with nearly identical ingredients—specifically tuna or sardines as a main ingredient. Bumble Bee shall also produce documents dating back to 2004 regarding the marketing and labeling strategies for the products Ogden purchased and for products with the same Omega-3 label or with nearly identical ingredients. Bumble Bee shall complete its production within twenty-one days of this order. All other relief requested is DENIED.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
. See Docket No. 14.
. See id.
. See id. & 122.
. See Docket No. 39.
. See Docket Nos. 33, 39.
. Willner v. Manpower, Inc., Case No. C 11-2846 JSW (MEJ), 2012 WL 4902994, at *2 (N.D.Cal. Oct. 16, 2012) (citing Vinole v. Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., 571 F.3d 935, 942 (9th Cir. 2009)).
. Id. (quoting Mantolete v. Bolger, 767 F.2d 1416, 1424 (9th Cir. 1985)).
. Id. (citing Kamm v. Cal. City Dev. Co., 509 F.2d 205, 210 (9th Cir. 1975)).
. Doninger v. Pac. Nw. Bell, Inc. 564 F.2d 1304, 1313 (9th Cir. 1977).
. Id.
. See Willner, 2012 WL 4902994, at *2.
. See Lewis v. First American Title Ins. Co., Case No. 06-478-S-EJL-LMB, 2008 WL 2266351, at *2 (D.Idaho June 2, 2008). Some courts have applied the prima facie standard only to the Rule 23(a) factors. See, e.g., Soto v. Castlerock Farming & Transport, Inc., 282 F.R.D. 492, 499 (E.D.Cal. 2012); Willner, 2012 WL 4902994, at *2. But nothing in Doninger, in which the Ninth Circuit first articulated the standard, indicates that the analysis ends at the first step. In Doninger, the Ninth Circuit stopped after consideration of the Rule 23(a) factors because the court found the plaintiff had not made a prima facie case even at that threshold step. See 564 F.2d at 1313.
. See Gonzales v. Google Inc., 234 F.R.D. 674, 680 (N.D.Cal. 2006) (internal citations and quotations omitted).
. See, e.g., Gratz v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 244, 263 n. 15, 123 S.Ct. 2411, 156 L.Ed.2d 257 (2003) (noting "tension” in case law about whether the inquiry about plaintiff’s injury in relation to putative class members’ injuries is an issue of standing or adequacy); 1 Newberg on Class Actions § 2:1 (5th ed.) ("The rules for standing in class suits are thus easily described and understandably distinguishable from the requirements for class certification. Nonetheless, courts occasionally confuse and conflate these district concerns, particularly in situations in which the class representatives seek relief for class members whose claims or desired remedied are somewhat distinct from their own.”).
. See, e.g., Blum v. Yaretsky, 457 U.S. 991, 1001, 102 S.Ct. 2777, 73 L.Ed.2d 534 (1982) ("It is not enough that the conduct of which the plaintiff complains will injure someone. The complaining party must also show that he is within the class of persons who will be concretely affected. Nor does a plaintiff who has been subject to injurious conduct of one kind possess by virtue of that injury the necessary stake in litigating conduct of another kind, although similar, to which he has not been subject.”); Ellis v. Costco Wholesale Corp., 657 F.3d 970, 978 (9th Cir. 2011) ("Plaintiffs must show standing with respect to each form of relief sought.”).
. See, e.g., Gen. Tel. Co. of Southwest v. Falcon, 457 U.S. 147, 149, 102 S.Ct. 2364, 72 L.Ed.2d 740 (1982) (noting plaintiff who was hired but not promoted was not an adequate representative for class of people who had not been hired for discriminatory reasons); Sosna v. Iowa, 419 U.S. 393, 403, 95 S.Ct. 553, 42 L.Ed.2d 532 (1975) (noting that even if plaintiff established standing, that "conclusion does not automatically establish that [she] is entitled to litigate the interests of the class she seeks to represent, but it does shift the focus of examination from the elements of justiciability to the ability of the named representative to fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.”).
. See Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 485, 120 S.Ct. 1595, 146 L.Ed.2d 542 (2000) (noting that courts should not “pass upon a constitutional question although properly presented by the record, if there is also present some other ground upon which the case may be disposed of”) (quoting Ashwander v. TVA, 297 U.S. 288, 347, 56 S.Ct. 466, 80 L.Ed. 688 (1936)); see also 1 Newberg on Class Actions § 2:6 (endorsing this approach).
. See, e.g., Colucci v. ZonePerfect Nutrition Co., Case No. 12-2907-SC, 2012 WL 6737800, at *4 (N.D.Cal. Dec. 28, 2012); Astiana v. Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Inc., Case No. C—11—2910 EMC, 2012 WL 2990766, at *11 (N.D.Cal. July 20, 2012); Larsen v. Trader Joe’s Co., Case No. C 11-05188 SI, 2012 WL 5458396, at *4-*5 (N.D.Cal. June 14, 2012); Koh v. S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Case No. 09-00927 RMW, 2010 WL 94265, at *3 (N.D.Cal. Jan. 6, 2010).
. See Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 560-61, 112 S.Ct. 2130, 119 L.Ed.2d 351 (1992).
. See Lewis v. Casey, 518 U.S. 343, 357, 116 S.Ct. 2174, 135 L.Ed.2d 606 (1996) ("That a suit may be a class action ... adds nothing to the question of standing, for even named plaintiffs who represent a class must allege and show that they personally have been injured, not that injury has been suffered by other, unidentified members of the class to which they belong and which they purport to represent.”).
. See Manual for Complex Litigation § 11.41 ("Fundamental to controlling discovery is directing it at the material issues in controversy.”).
. See Mantolete, 767 F.2d at 1424.
. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a); Willner, 2012 WL 4902994, at *2.
. Bumble Bee has not challenged Ogden’s standing for those products.
. See Docket No. 14 ¶ 136.
. Vasquez v. Coast Valley Roofing, Inc., 670 F.Supp.2d 1114, 1121 (E.D.Cal. 2009).
. See id. & 137.
. See Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, — U.S. —, 131 S.Ct. 2541, 2551, 180 L.Ed.2d 374 (2011).
. See Docket No. 14 ¶ 139.
. See, e.g., Valentino v. Carter-Wallace, Inc., 97 F.3d 1227, 1234 (9th Cir. 1996) (noting that when plaintiffs’ claims are atypical, they may not be adequate representatives)
. See Docket No. 14 & 138.
. See Hanlon v. Chrysler Corp., 150 F.3d 1011, 1020 (9th Cir. 1998).
. Hanon v. Dataproducts Corp., 976 F.2d 497, 508 (9th Cir. 1992).
. See Docket No. 14 at 1-2.
. See id. ¶ 122 (listing Sardines and Tuna Salad as purchased products).
. See id.
. See Docket No. 40 Ex. 1.
. See Brown v. Hain Celestial Group, Inc., Case No. C 11-03082 LB, 913 F.Supp.2d 881, (N.D.Cal. 2012) (listing cases and explaining sufficient similarity reasoning).
. See, e.g., Colucci, 2012 WL 6737800, at *4; Astiana, 2012 WL 2990766, at *11.
. See Astiana, 2012 WL 2990766, at *11 (noting that "there is authority going both ways” and listing cases).
. See Koh, 2010 WL 94265, at *3.
. See Colucci, 2012 WL 6737800, at *4; Astia-na, 2012 WL 2990766, at *11.
. See Brown, 913 F.Supp.2d 881.
. See Docket No. 33.
. See Docket No. 40 Ex. 1.
. See id.
. See Docket No. 14 & 133.
. See Docket No. 14 ¶ 133.
. 2012 WL 2990766, at* 11.
. 2010 WL 94265, at *3.
. Doninger, 564 F.2d at 1313.
. See Docket No. 40 Ex. 1.
. See Docket No. 14 ¶ 137.
. See id. ¶ 140.
. See Vínole, 571 F.3d at 942.
. See Docket No. 33.
. See id.
. See id. Ex. F at 34:8-22.
. See id. Ex. D.
. See Cal. Civ. P.Code §§ 337, 338; Cal. Civ. Code §§ 17200, 17500; see also Ries v. Ariz. Beverages USA LLC, 287 F.R.D. 523, 534 (N.D.Cal. 2012) (noting that statute of limitations began to run after plaintiff had notice after purchase of beverage that advertisement may have been false).
. See Docket No. 39.
. See Docket No. 33.
. See Docket No. 39.
. See Docket No. 33.
. See "Bumble Bee Presents: King Oscar,” Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, http://www.bumblebee. com/products/king-oscar (last visited Mar. 26, 2013); "KO in the USA,” King Oscar, http:// www.kingoscar.com/products-by-market/usa (last visited Mar. 26, 2013).
. See MGA Ent’mt, Inc. v. Nat. Products Ltd., Case No. CV 10-07083 JAK (SSx), 2011 WL 4550287, at *2 (C.D.Cal. Oct. 3, 2011) (noting that a party’s "mere suspicion that additional documents exist does not justify a motion to compel”).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Tricia OGDEN, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. BUMBLE BEE FOODS, LLC
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Published