Ramos v. Ph Homestead, LLC
Ramos v. Ph Homestead, LLC
Opinion of the Court
THIS CAUSE came before the Court upon Defendant PF Homestead, LLC's ("Defendant") Second Renewed Motion to Compel Arbitration or, in the Alternative, Dismiss and Memorandum of Law (hereafter, "Motion to Compel" and "Motion to Dismiss") [D.E. 36]. This matter was referred to the undersigned pursuant to
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
This class action is brought by Plaintiff Jonnathan Ramos ("Plaintiff"), individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, against Defendant, alleging violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA"). See Compl. [D.E. 1 at 1].
On December 1, 2015, Plaintiff entered into an agreement ("Agreement") with Defendant for membership in Defendant's fitness facility.
I understand I am not obligated to sign this agreement and should not do so if there are any unfilled blanks. I understand my right of cancellation and the billing and refund policies. I understand my release of liability, assumption of risk and agreement to indemnify, defend and hold harmless and I have been given the opportunity to review and ask questions related to my use of the facilities, exercise equipment, tanning, massage beds/chairs and other equipment, as well as my participation in exercise programs or other services and/or programs offered to members. I agree to comply with Planet Fitness' membership policies and club rules that may be communicated to me from time to time, whether in writing, electronically, through club signage or verbally. Planet Fitness may, in its sole discretion, modify any policy or club rule at any time and from time to time without advance notice. Planet Fitness reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to refund the pro-rated cost of unused services and terminate my membership immediately for violation of any membership policy or club rule. By signing below, I acknowledge and agree to all of the terms contained on the front and back of this agreement.
See Agreement [D.E. 36-2]. Immediately following the General Provision there is a line for signature that is signed by Plaintiff.
From time to time, Planet Fitness may contact its customers via telephone with prerecorded messages and/or text messages to deliver information regarding special offers and events, changes in fitness center hours, etc. On September 1, 2009, the FTC implemented a rule banning phone calls that deliver prerecorded commercial messages unless a company obtains prior written approval from its customers. Unless you opt out of such calls by checking the box provided below, you hereby authorize Planet Fitness to contact you by phone with prerecorded messages and/or text messages regarding special offers and events and other information regarding Planet Fitness. You may terminate this authorization upon receipt of any such phone call by following the prompts in the prerecorded message.
• I choose not to receive prerecorded messages and text messages from Planet Fitness.
The Agreement also contains the following provision related to arbitration (hereafter, the "Arbitration Provision"):
3. Membership
J. Dispute Resolution: In the unlikely event that Planet Fitness and/or PF Corporate is unable to resolve a complaint you may have to your satisfaction (or is unable to resolve a dispute with you after attempting to do so informally), we each agree to resolve such disputes through binding arbitration or small claims court rather than a court of general jurisdiction. For simplicity and fairness, arbitration will be conducted on an individual basis in accordance with the American Arbitration Association's rules for consumer arbitration. By signing this agreement, you acknowledge and agree that you, Planet Fitness, and PF Corporate are each waving the right to a trial by jury and the right to participate in a class action, either in court or in arbitration. This Dispute Resolution provision shall apply to this contract unless, within thirty (30) days of signing this contract, you notify Planet Fitness in writing that you reject this provision. Such notification must be made in writing delivered to the club address listed on the first page. Rejection of this provision shall have no effect on the remaining provisions of this contract.
Sometime in 2018, Plaintiff cancelled his membership with Defendant. See Compl. [D.E. 1 at 6]. Thereafter, on August 10, 2018, Plaintiff received the following text message to his personal cellular phone (hereafter, the "Text Message"):
Planet Fitness: JONNATHAN! We're making it easier than ever to come back to PF. For a limited time you can rejoin for $ 1 Down and get ONE MONTH FREE. Use promo code BACK2PF10 for our classic membership or BACK2PFBC for the PF Black Card! Text STOP to opt-out or HELP for help. Rejoin Now - https://sdvye.com/dSxy6y09A3.
On August 23, 2018, Plaintiff brought this class action against Defendant asserting a claim under the TCPA, alleging a violation of
On November 30, 2018, Defendant filed the instant Motion to Compel and Motion to Dismiss. See Motion to Compel and Motion to Dismiss [D.E. 36]. In its Motion to Compel, Defendant argues that the Arbitration Provision is binding and enforceable against Plaintiff, and that Plaintiff's claim falls within the scope of the Agreement and the Arbitration Provision, requiring that the instant case be dismissed and the claims be arbitrated.
MOTION TO COMPEL
Applicable Law
"The validity of an arbitration agreement is generally governed by the Federal Arbitration Act,
"Absent some ambiguity in the agreement ... it is the language of the contract that defines the scope of disputes subject to arbitration." E.E.O.C. v. Waffle House, Inc.,
Discussion
The Arbitration Provision states that it "shall apply to this contract," referring to the Agreement. See Agreement [D.E. 36-2]. Defendant argues that Plaintiff's TCPA claim is subject to arbitration *1361because Plaintiff expressly agreed in writing to the Arbitration Provision of the Agreement. See Motion to Compel [D.E. 36 at 6, 12-13]. However, although Plaintiff signed the Agreement, he did not sign the Text Consent Provision. See Agreement [D.E. 36-2]. The Eleventh Circuit has already rejected the argument that a similar text consent provision provides the basis for compelling arbitration of a post-contract TCPA claim. See Gamble v. New Eng. Auto Fin., Inc., 735 Fed. App'x 664, 667 (11th Cir. 2018). In Gamble, the plaintiff filed a TCPA claim against the defendant, an auto loan financing company, after receiving text messages from the defendant seeking new business.
Here, neither the Agreement nor the Arbitration Provision contemplates future TCPA claims; thus, as in Gamble, the Text Consent Provision constitutes a "separate stand-alone provision."
MOTION TO DISMISS
Applicable Law
Article III of the United States Constitution "restricts the jurisdiction of the federal courts to litigants who have standing to sue." Nicklaw v. Citimortgage, Inc.,
The TCPA provides:
(b) Restrictions on use of automated telephone equipment
(1) Prohibitions
It shall be unlawful for any person within the United States, or any person outside the United States if the recipient is within the United States-
(A) to make any call (other than a call made for emergency purposes or made with the prior express consent of the called party) using any automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice-...
(iii) to any telephone number assigned to a paging service, cellular telephone service, specialized mobile radio service, or other radio common carrier service, or any service for which the called party is charged for the call, unless such call is made solely to collect a debt owed to or guaranteed by the United States.
The TCPA defines an automatic telephone dialing system (hereafter, "ATDS") as "equipment which has the capacity-(A) to store or produce telephone numbers to be called, using a random or sequential number generator, and (B) to dial such numbers."
Discussion
Defendant argues that Plaintiff's claim fails because: (1) Plaintiff has not alleged any injury; (2) Plaintiff provided express, written consent to receive the text message at issue in the case; and (3) Plaintiff failed to allege facts sufficient to show that the text message at issue was made with an ATDS. See Motion to Compel [D.E. 36 at 6].
Regarding Defendant's first argument, Plaintiff must allege an injury-in-fact that is both particular and concrete. Spokeo,
Ultimately, the Court rejects those cases that, utilizing a de minimis approach to evaluating concreteness, have found that a TCPA claim lacks that component when a plaintiff is complaining about only one or two unsolicited communications via a telephone call, voicemail message, text message, or facsimile. The Court, instead, adopts the Third Circuit's reasoning in Susinno v. Work Out World Inc.,862 F.3d 346 (3d Cir. 2017), and finds that [the plaintiff's] allegations of at least one unauthorized phone call show a sufficiently concrete injury.
...
Further, the stated purpose of the call-whether driven by telemarketing or survey-related-is ultimately of no consequence to the Article III harm caused by the intrusion associated with such an unsolicited automated call. The Court *1363additionally agrees with Susinno's historical assessment that the intangible harm resulting from the alleged TCPA violation shares a "close relationship to[,]" Spokeo,136 S.Ct. at 1549 , and most closely mirrors an intrusion upon seclusion privacy claim."
Id. at *7, *10. Here, Plaintiff alleges invasion of privacy and annoyance, injuries that "are precisely the kinds of harm the TCPA aims to prevent." Tillman v. Ally Financial,
With regard to Defendant's consent argument, Plaintiff did not check the box next to the Text Consent Provision, nor did he sign, or physically mark in any way, acknowledgment of the Text Consent Provision. Thus, Plaintiff did not give "prior express consent" as required by
In its third argument, Defendant contends that there was sufficient human intervention to disqualify the device that sent the Text Message, the Gleantap, as an ATDS. However, the undersigned finds that, for purposes of the Motion to Dismiss, Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged that the Text Message was sent by autodialing, based on the presence of marketing promo codes and a website in the Text Message, and the "impersonal and generic nature" of the wording, all suggesting that the Text Message was sent to a mass audience by an autodial function. See Compl. [D.E. at 6]. Defendant may renew the argument of whether the equipment used in this case is an ATDS at the summary judgment stage, after the Parties have conducted discovery on this issue.
Based on the foregoing, it is
ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Defendant's Motion to Compel and Motion to Dismiss are DENIED.
DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at Miami, Florida this 25th day of January, 2019.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Jonnathan RAMOS, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated v. PH HOMESTEAD, LLC, d/b/a Planet Fitness - Homestead
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published