Seaberg v. Atlas Roofing Corp.
Seaberg v. Atlas Roofing Corp.
Opinion of the Court
OPINION AND ORDER
This is a multi-district class action arising out of the marketing and sale of allegedly defective roofing shingles. It is before the Court on the Plaintiff Penny Seaberg’s Motion for Class Certification [Doc. 39], For the reasons set forth below, the Plaintiffs Motion for Class Certification [Doc. 39] is DENIED.
I. Background
The Plaintiff and putative class members are purchasers of Atlas Chalet and Stratford Shingles (“Shingles”).
Atlas provided four different limited warranties throughout the eleven-year class period.
The named Plaintiff Penny Seaberg, who is a resident of Miami-Dade County, Florida, had the Shingles installed on her home in 2004.
After the Motion to Dismiss stage, the Plaintiffs remaining claims in this class ac
II. Class Certification Standard
To maintain a case as a class action, the party seeking class certification must satisfy each of the prerequisites of Rule 23(a) and at least one of the provisions of Rule 23(b),
One or more members of a class may sue or be sued as representative parties on behalf of all members only if: (1) the class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable; (2) there are questions of law or fact common to the class; (3) the claims or defenses of the representative parties are typical of the claims or defenses of the class; and (4) the representative parties will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.28
These prerequisites are commonly referred to as: (1) numerosity, (2) commonality, (3) typicality, and (4) adequacy of representation.
The decision to grant or deny class certification lies within the sound discretion of the district court.
III. Discussion
A. Rule 23(b)(3) class
1. Class Definition
Though not explicitly stated in Rule 23, it is well accepted that “[b]efore a district court may grant a motion for class certification, a plaintiff ... must establish that the proposed class is adequately defined and clearly ascertainable.”
Here, the Plaintiff seeks certification of the following Rule 23(b)(3) class:
All those who as of the date class notice is issued either (a) own a home or other structure in the State of Florida on which Atlas Chalet or Stratford Shingles are currently installed; and/or (b) incurred un-reimbursed costs to repair or replace Atlas Chalet or Stratford Shingles on a home or other structure in the State of Florida which they currently own or previously owned.41
The Defendant raises two objections to the proposed class definition. First, it argues that the class definition is overly broad. By including current and former owners who incurred costs in repairing or replacing their roofs, the Defendant contends that the class definition does not require the owners to have suffered any damage due to an alleged manufacturing defect. The Defendant also argues that the class is not ascertainable. It contends that determining who qualifies as a member under the second category would require “mini-trials.”
2. Rule 23(a)
a. Numerosity
To satisfy the numerosity requirement, the Plaintiff must show that joinder of all members of the putative class would be “impractical.”
b. Commonality
The commonality requirement is satisfied if the named plaintiff demonstrates the presence of questions of law or fact common to the entire class.
Here, the Court finds that the Plaintiff has sufficiently demonstrated commonality. The Plaintiff alleges that the Shingles suffer from a common defect due to a flaw in the manufacturing process. Thus, some common issues include: (1) whether the Shingles are defective; (2) whether the defect is caused by a flawed manufacturing process; (3) whether the defect causes the Shingles to suffer from blistering, cracking, and granule loss problems as well as premature failure; (4) whether the defect in the Shingles breached the Defendant’s expressed and implied warranties; and (5) whether the Defendant knew of the defect.
c. Typicality
The typicality requirement mandates that the claims and defenses of the representative plaintiffs are typical of the claims and defenses of the class.
Here, the Plaintiff’s claims arise from the same allegations of wrongful conduct as the claims of the putative class members. Specifically, all the claims are based on the sale of Shingles which allegedly suffer from the same defect. Moreover, the Plaintiffs claims arise from the same legal theories, including breach of express warranty. In response, the Defendant argues that, based on the experiences of the named Plaintiff, there is no typical plaintiff, and that individualized defenses render the Plaintiffs claims atypical. To be sure, the named Plaintiff experienced different weather conditions, installation, and maintenance of his roof than the putative class members. In addition, the named Plaintiffs warranties are not necessarily typical of the class as a whole. Nevertheless, “the showing required for typicality is not demanding.”
d. Adequacy of Representation
To prove adequacy of representation, a plaintiff must demonstrate that the class representatives “fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.”
3. Rule 23(b)(3)
a. Predominance
The Plaintiff seeks class certification under Rule 23(b)(3). To certify a Rule 23(b)(3) class, the Plaintiff must demonstrate two prerequisites: predominance and superiority.
In Brown v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc., the Eleventh Circuit provided a three-step approach for evaluating predominance: (1) identify the parties’ claims and defenses and their elements; (2) determine whether these issues are common questions or individual questions by analyzing how each party will prove them at trial; and (3) determine whether the common questions predominate.
(i) Breach of Express Warranty
In Count II of her Complaint, the Plaintiff alleges that the Defendant violated its express warranty. Under Florida law, to prevail on a breach of warranty claim, a plaintiff must demonstrate the following elements: “(1) a covered defect existed in the product at the time of sale; (2) notice of the defect was given within a reasonable time after the defect was discovered; and (3) Defendant was unable to repair the defect.”
Here, the Court finds that — even if the Plaintiff could prove a uniform defect — individual issues going to causation, notice, coverage, and statute of limitations predominate over any common questions in this case. To begin, there are numerous reasons a roof may fail, including commonplace events and ordinary wear and tear.
The Plaintiff cites two cases—Sanchez-Knutsen v. Ford Motor Co. and Brooks v. GAF Materials Corp.—which she contends support her argument. However, the Court finds that these cases do not help the Plaintiff. In Sanchez-Knutsen, the court dismissed the need for individual inquiries into causation, concluding that the evidence did not justify the defendant’s concerns.
Brooks is also distinguishable. There, homeowners sued GAF Materials Corp. (“GAF”), which manufactures roofing materials, over allegedly defective roof shingles.
Individual issues will also predominate with respect to two requirements in Atlas’s express warranty: transferability and notice. Transferability presents individual questions because the 2002 limited warranty specifically requires a second owner to notify Atlas in writing within thirty days of the real estate transfer for any coverage to be transferred.
In response, the Plaintiff first argues that evidence of numerous consumer complaints regarding the alleged defect may be used to satisfy the notice requirement. She cites several cases where courts have found that widespread consumer complaints are sufficient to establish constructive notice.
Atlas is also likely to employ affirmative defenses against many class members, with the most likely defense being the statute of limitations. Under Florida law, the statute of limitations for breach of warranty claims is five years.
(ii) Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act
To state a claim under the FDUTPA, a plaintiff must demonstrate: “(1) a deceptive act or unfair practice; (2) causation; and (3) actual damages.”
[T]he measure of actual damages is the difference in the market value of the product or service in the condition in which it was delivered and its market value in the condition in which it should have been delivered according to the contract of the parties.... A notable exception to the rule may exist when the product is rendered valueless as a result of the defect-then the purchase price is the appropriate measure of actual damages.113
b. Superiority
To meet the superiority requirement, the Court must conclude “that a class action is superior to other available methods for fairly and efficiently adjudicating the controversy.”
(A) the class members’ interests in individually controlling the prosecution or defense of separate actions;
(B) the extent and nature of any litigation concerning the controversy already begun by or against class members;
(C) the desirability or undesirability of concentrating the litigation of the claims in the particular forum; and
(D) the likely difficulties in managing a class action.119
Class certification “cannot be denied because the number of potential class members makes the proceeding complex or difficult.”
The Court finds that class treatment is not superior to other available methods of adjudication. Based on the number of individual issues discussed above, adjudicating these claims on a class-wide basis will likely present a manageability problem. There will be numerous fact-intensive individual inquiries, including physical inspection of class members’ Shingles and individual testimony regarding when class members discovered the defect and provided notice to Atlas. In addition, the Court does not agree with the Plaintiffs contention that the class members lack any significant interest in controlling the litigation. The damages claimed by the named Plaintiff are not insignificant. The Plaintiffs own expert opined that replacing a roof can be “several thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.”
B. Rule 23(c)(4) Class
As an alternative, the Plaintiff asks the Court to certify a Rule 23(c)(4) class consisting of four common questions: “(1) whether the shingles suffer from a common manufacturing defect; (2) whether the defect breaches any express or implied warranties; (3) whether the defect necessitates replacement of all roofs containing the shingles; and (4) whether Atlas fraudulently concealed the defect.”
Under Rule 23(c)(4), “an action may be brought or maintained as a class action with respect to particular issues.”
C. Rule 23(b)(2) Class
The Plaintiff seeks to certify the following Rule 23(b)(2) class: “All those who as of the date class notice is issued own a home or other structure in the State of Florida on which Atlas Chalet or Stratford roofing shingles are currently installed.”
The Court concludes that a Rule 23(b)(2) class is inappropriate. “A declaratory or injunctive relief class pursuant to Rule 23(b)(2) is appropriate only if ‘the predominant relief sought is injunctive or declaratory.’ ”
IV. Conclusion
For these reasons, the Court DENIES the Plaintiff Penny Seaberg’s Motion for Class Certification [Doc. 39].
SO ORDERED, this 8 day of June, 2017.
.It should be noted that — for purposes of this lawsuit — Chalet/Stratford Shingles are indistinguishable. See Primary Mot. for Class Cert. [Doc. 57], Ex. Tab 14, Thomas Dep., at 35 under No. 13-cv-02195-TWT. The differences between the two Shingles relate to aesthetics, not design. Id.
. Compl. ¶ 2.
. Id.
. Id. ¶ 3. In support of his argument regarding the alleged defects in the Shingles, the Plaintiff relies on the expert testimony of both Dean Ruti-la and Anthony Mattina. In Dishman v. Atlas Roofing Corp., the Defendant filed a Daubert motion challenging the admissibility of both Ru-tila’s and Mattina's testimony, See Def.’s Primary Resp, Br. [Doc, 59] under No, 1:13 — cv—02195— TWT, The Defendant incorporates by reference the Defendant’s Response Brief in Dishman v. Atlas Roofing Corp. See Def.’s Resp, Br., at 2-3.
. Compl. ¶ 11.
. Id. ¶3.
. See Primary Mot. for Class Cert., Exs. Tab 23-26. The Plaintiff incorporates by reference the background section of Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification in Dishman v. Atlas Roofing Corp. See Mot. for Class Cert., at 2.
. See Primary Mot. for Class Cert., Ex. Tab 23.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id., Exs. Tab 24-26.
,Id.
. Compl. ¶ 25.
. Id ¶ 26.
. Id,
. Id, ¶ 27.
. Id. II28.
. Id, ¶ 29.
. ”[I]n multidistrict litigation under 28 U.S.C. § 1407, the transferee court applies the state law that the transferor court would have applied." In re Conagra Peanut Butter Prods. Liab. Litig., 251 F.R.D, 689, 693 (N.D. Ga. 2008); see also In re Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Implants Prods. Liab. Litig., 97 F.3d 1050, 1055 (8th Cir. 1996) ("When considering questions of state law, however, the transferee court must apply the state law that would have applied to the individual cases had they not been transferred for consolidation.”). Here, both parties agree that Florida law governs the Plaintiff's state law claims.
. See [Doc, 1 ] under 1; 14-cv-03179-TWT,
. See Transfer Order [Doc, 1] under No. 1:13— md-02495-TWT,
. See Order granting in part and denying in part the Defendant's Motion to Dismiss [Doc. 35] under No. l:14-cv-03179-TWT.
. The Plaintiff's request for declaratory relief was labeled Count VIII.
. See Primary Mot, for Class Cert,, Ex. Tab 21, at 7 (stating that "[slhingle replacement for most homes will cost $2.85 to $3,35 per square feet of roof area, with this square foot cost modified up or down based on a standard location adjustment factors that account for variations in local labor and material costs.”).
. Mot, for Class Cert., at 21,
. Id. at 22.
. Klay v. Humana, Inc.. 382 F.3d 1241, 1250 (11th Cir. 2004), abrogated in part on other grounds by Bridge v. Phoenix Bond & Indem. Co., 553 U.S. 639, 128 S.Ct. 2131, 170 L.Ed.2d 1012 (2008).
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a).
. Cooper v. Southern Co., 390 F.3d 695, 711 n.6 (11th Cir. 2004), overruled in part on other grounds by Ash v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 546 U.S. 454, 457-58, 126 S.Ct. 1195, 163 L.Ed.2d 1053 (2006).
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(b).
. General Tel. Co. of Sw. v. Falcon, 457 U.S. 147, 161, 102 S.Ct. 2364, 72 L.Ed.2d 740 (1982); Valley Drug Co. v. Geneva Pharms., Inc., 350 F.3d 1181, 1187 (11th Cir. 2003).
. Klay, 382 F.3d at 1251; Armstrong v. Martin Marietta Corp., 138 F.3d 1374, 1386 (11th Cir. 1998) (en banc).
. Eisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin, 417 U.S. 156, 177-78, 94 S.Ct. 2140, 40 L.Ed.2d 732 (1974).
. Falcon, 457 U.S. at 161, 102 S.Ct. 2364; Gilchrist v. Bolger, 733 F.2d 1551, 1555 (11th Cir. 1984).
. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, 564 U.S. 338, 351-52, 131 S.Ct. 2541, 180 L.Ed.2d 374 (2011).
. Little v. T-Mobile USA, Inc., 691 F.3d 1302, 1304 (11th Cir. 2012) (quoting DeBremaecker v. Short, 433 F.2d 733, 734 (5th Cir. 1970)); see also Sanchez-Knutson v. Ford Motor Co., 310 F.R.D. 529, 534 (S.D. Fla. 2015) ("The court may address the adequacy of the class definition before analyzing whether the proposed class meets the Rule 23 requirements.”).
. Bussey v. Macon Cnty. Greyhound Park, Inc., 562 Fed.Appx. 782, 787 (11th Cir. 2014) (quoting Fogarazzo v. Lehman Bros., Inc., 263 F.R.D. 90, 97 (S.D.N.Y. 2009)).
. Id. (quoting Newberg on Class Actions § 3.3 (5th ed.)).
. In re Delta/AirTran Baggage Fee Antitrust Litigation, 317 F.R.D. 675, 681 (N.D. Ga. 2016) (citation omitted) (citing Bussey, 562 Fed.Appx. at 787).
. Id. (quoting Karhu v. Vital Pharm., Inc., 621 Fed.Appx. 945, 947 (11th Cir. 2015)).
. Mot. for Class Cert., at 5.
. See Def.'s Primary Resp. Brief, at 42.
. Mot. for Class Cert., at 6.
. See In re Delta/AirTran Baggage Fee Antitrust Litigation, 317 F.R.D. at 692 (noting that the plaintiffs provided receipts or credit card statements documenting their purchases in addition to the defendants’ business records).
. See Gonzalez v. Corning, 317 F.R.D. 443, 506 (W.D. Pa. 2016) ("Class members whose structures have Oakridge-brand shingles installed on them cannot be determined by release tape. At most, the release tape will indicate that the shingle was manufactured at a plant that produces Oakridge-brand shingles." (citation omitted)), appeal docketed, No. 16-2653 (3d Cir. June 2, 2016).
. See Carrera v. Bayer Corp., 727 F.3d 300, 306-07 (3d Cir. 2013) ("A plaintiff may not merely propose a method of ascertaining a class without any evidentiary support that the method will be successful."); Brooks v. GAF Materials Corp., 284 F.R.D. 352, 363 (D.S.C. 2012) (finding a putative class was not ascertainable because the plaintiffs only put forth the defendant’s warranty documents as a possible database to identify putative class members).
. See Marcus v. BMW of North America, LLC, 687 F.3d 583, 593 (3d Cir. 2012) ("If class members are impossible to identify without extensive and individualized fact-finding or ’mini-trials,’ then a class action is inappropriate.”).
. See Perez v. Metabolife Intern., Inc., 218 F.R.D. 262, 266 (S.D. Fla. 2003) ("An identifiable class is essential so that the Court can determine whether a particular claimant is a class member.” (quoting McGuire v. International Paper Co., No. 1:92-CV593BRR, 1994 WL 261360, at *3 (S.D. Miss. Feb. 18, 1994))).
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(f).
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23 (a)(1).
. Kilgo v. Bowman Transp., Inc., 789 F.2d 859, 878 (11th Cir. 1986).
. Cox v. American Cast Iron Pipe Co., 784 F.2d 1546, 1553 (11th Cir. 1986).
. Mot. for Class Cert., Ex. Tab 6.
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23 (a)(2).
. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, 564 U.S. 338, 359, 131 S.Ct. 2541, 180 L.Ed.2d 374 (2011).
. Id. (alteration in original),
. Cooper v. Southern Co., 390 F.3d 695, 713 (11th Cir. 2004).
. Wal-Mart, 564 U.S. at 349-50, 131 S.Ct. 2541 (quoting General Tel. Co. of Sw. v. Falcon, 457 U.S. 147, 157, 102 S.Ct. 2364, 72 L.Ed.2d 740 (1982)).
. Id. at 350, 131 S.Ct. 2541.
. Id.
. See Mot. for Class Cert., at 10.
. See Wal-Mart, 564 U.S. at 350, 131 S.Ct. 2541.
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a)(3).
. Andrews v. American Tel. &Tel. Co., 95 F.3d 1014, 1022 (11th Cir. 1996), abrogated on other grounds by Bridge v. Phoenix Bond & Indem. Co., 553 U.S. 639, 641, 128 S.Ct. 2131, 170 L.Ed.2d 1012 (2008).
. Ault v. Walt Disney World Co., 692 F.3d 1212, 1216 (11th Cir. 2012).
. Cooper v. Southern Co., 390 F.3d 695, 713 (11th Cir. 2004) (quoting Prado-Steiman v. Bush, 221 F.3d 1266, 1279 (11th Cir. 2000)).
. Kornberg v. Carnival Cruise Lines, Inc., 741 F.2d 1332 (11th Cir. 1984).
. City of St. Petersburg v. Total Containment, Inc., 265 F.R.D. 630, 651 (S.D. Fla. 2010).
. See Ault, 692 F.3d at 1216 (“While each class member may have a stronger or weaker claim depending upon his or her degree of reliance, we conclude that this alone does not make class representatives' claims atypical of the class as a whole,”).
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a)(4).
. Amchem Prods., Inc. v. Windsor, 521 U.S. 591, 625, 117 S.Ct. 2231, 138 L.Ed.2d 689 (1997).
. Valley Drug Co. v. Geneva Pharm., Inc., 350 F.3d 1181, 1189 (11th Cir. 2003).
. See Mot. for Class Cert.. Ex. Tab 10.
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(b)(3).
. Cooper v. Southern Co., 390 F.3d 695, 722 (11th Cir. 2004) (quoting Kerr v. City of W. Palm Beach, 875 F.2d 1546, 1558 (11th Cir. 1989)).
. Babineau v. Federal Express Corp., 576 F.3d 1183, 1191 (11th Cir. 2009) (alteration in original) (quoting Klay v. Humana, Inc., 382 F.3d 1241, 1255 (11th Cir. 2004)).
. Klay, 382 F.3d at 1255 (quoting Rutstein v. Avis Rent-A-Car Sys., 211 F.3d 1228, 1234 (11th Cir. 2000)).
. Id.
. 817 F.3d 1225, 1234 (11th Cir. 2016).
. Id. at 1235 (quoting Amchem Prods., Inc. v. Windsor, 521 U.S. 591, 615, 117 S.Ct. 2231, 138 L.Ed.2d 689 (1997)).
. McLaughlin v. Monaco RV LLC, No. 8:14-cv-703-T-36TGW, 2015 WL 5355465, at *3 (M.D. Fla. Sept. 14, 2015) (quoting Burns v. Winnebago Indus., Inc., No. 8:11-cv-354-T-24TBM, 2012 WL 171088, at *3 (M.D. Fla. Jan. 20, 2012)).
. See City of St. Petersburg v. Total Containment, Inc., 265 F.R.D. 630, 640 (S.D. Fla. 2010) (citing McCraney v. Ford Motor Co., 282 So.2d 878, 878 (Fla. 1st Dist. Ct. App. 1973)).
. See Primary Mot. for Class Cert., Ex. Tab 20, at 137-38.
. Id., Ex. Tab 20, at 198.
. See City of St. Petersburg v. Total Containment, Inc., 265 F.R.D. 630, 641 (S.D. Fla. 2010) (holding that "even if Plaintiffs were able to demonstrate that FlexPipe had a general defect, it would not assist Plaintiffs in meeting their burden of showing that that particular defect was the legal cause of each class member's harm”).
. See Marcus v. BMW of North Am. LLC, 687 F.3d 583, 605 (3d Cir. 2012) ("[I]t is undisputed that even if Marcus could prove that Bridgestone
. See Farrar & Farrar Dairy, Inc. v. Miller-St. Nazianz, Inc., 254 F.R.D. 68, 73 (E.D.N.C. 2008) ("[N]amed plaintiffs seek to recover damages for the results of the failure of the allegedly defective silage bags — the gravamen of their complaint is not diminution in the silage bags' intrinsic value.”); Naparala v. Pella Corp., Nos. 2:14-mn-00001-DCN, 2:14-cv-03465-DCN, 2016 WL 3125473, at *11 (D.S.C. June 3, 2016) (holding that complex causation issues existed because the "plaintiff's claim focuses on Pella’s failure to repair and replace the Windows, not the initial purchase of the Windows”).
. See Daffin v. Ford Motor Co., No. C-1-00-458, 2004 WL 5705647, at *7 (S.D. Ohio July 15, 2004) ("The alleged injury, however, is not accelerator sticking but economic loss resulting directly from the allegedly defective piece of equipment. The causation question is therefore vasdy simplified and does not suffer the infirmities argued by Ford.").
. Sanchez-Knutson v. Ford Motor Co., 310 F.R.D. 529, 538 (S.D. Fla. 2015).
. Id. at 533.
. Brooks v. GAF Materials Corp., No. 8:11-cv-00983-JMC, 2012 WL 5195982, at *1 (D.S.C. Oct. 19, 2012).
. Id.
. Id. at *6.
. Id. at *4.
. See Def.'s Primary Resp. Brief, Ex. G.
. Id.
. Id., Exs. G-H.
. See, e.g., Muehlbauer v. General Motors Corp., 431 F.Supp.2d 847, 859-60 (N.D. Ill. 2006).
. 293 Ga.App. 838, 668 S.E.2d 828 (2008).
. Id. at 841.
. Fla. Stat. § 95.11(2)(b).
. See Mot. for Class Cert, Hearing [Doc. 366], at 102 under No. l:13-md-02495-TWT.
. The Court notes that the issue of equitable estoppel will also involve individualized evidence. For equitable estoppel, each class member will need to prove that he or she was induced to delay the filing of his or her claim by the Defendant's alleged misrepresentations. See Licul v. Volkswagen Grp. of Am., Inc., No. 13-61686-CIV, 2013 WL 6328734, at *6 (S.D. Fla. Dec. 5, 2013) ("Equitable estoppel ... only applies when a plaintiff is aware that he has a cause of action during the limitations period, but forbears from bringing suit because of the defendant’s misrepresentations.”).
. In re Checking Account Overdraft Litigation, 286 F.R.D. 645, 656 (S.D. Fla. 2012) ("Unique affirmative defenses rarely predominate where a common course of conduct is established.”).
. Brown v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc., 817 F.3d 1225, 1240 (11th Cir. 2016) (quoting William B. Rubenstbin, Nbwberg on Class Actions § 4:55 (5th ed.)),
. Id. at 1241.
. Id.
. Kia Motors Am. Corp. v. Butler, 985 So.2d 1133, 1140 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2008).
. See In re Ford Motor Co. E-350 Van Products Liab. Litig. (No. II), No. 03-4558, 2012 WL 379944, at *30 (D.N.J. Feb. 6, 2012) (denying certification of FDUTPA claims because of individualized causation questions).
. See Pop's Pancakes, Inc. v. NuCO2, Inc., 251 F.R.D. 677, 685 (S.D. Fla. 2008) (declining to certify a FDUTPA claim because certain class members had prior knowledge of the alleged deception).
. Rollins, Inc. v. Butland, 951 So.2d 860, 869 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2006) (quoting Rollins, Inc. v. Heller, 454 So.2d 580, 585 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984)).
. Id.
. Id. at 869-70.
. Kia Motors Am. Corp. v. Butler, 985 So,2d 1133, 1140 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2008).
. The Plaintiff's FDUTPA claim is also subject to a four-year statute of limitations. See Licul v. Volkswagen Grp. of Am., Inc., No. 13-61686-CIV, 2013 WL 6328734, at *6 (S.D. Fla. Dec. 5, 2013) ("The statute of limitations on a FDUTPA claim expires four years from the date of sale of the product at issue.”).
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(b)(3).
. Carriuolo v. General Motors Co., 823 F.3d 977, 989 (11th Cir. 2016) (quoting Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(b)(3)).
. In re Theragenics Corp. Sec. Litig., 205 F.R.D. 687, 697 (N.D. Ga. 2002).
. Id. at 697-98 (quoting In re Domestic Air Transp. Antitrust Litigation, 137 F.R.D. 677, 693 (N.D. Ga. 1991)).
. Klay v. Humana, Inc., 382 F.3d 1241, 1269 (11th Cir. 2004).
. See Primary Mot. for Class Cert., Ex. Tab 21, at 47.
. Cf. In re Delta/AirTran Baggage Fee Antitrust Litigation, 317 F.R.D. 675, 700 (N.D. Ga. July 12, 2016) ("Where, as here, the class members’ claims are 'so small that the cost of individual litigation would be far greater than the value of those claims,’ the class-action vehicle is superior to other forms of litigation available to Plaintiffs, and class certification is appropriate.”).
. See Gonzalez v. Owens Corning, 317 F.R.D. 443, 524 (W.D. Pa. 2016).
. See Pl.’s Primary Reply Br. [Doc. 61], at 25 under No. l:13-cv-02195-TWT. The Plaintiff incorporates by reference Section V of Plaintiffs' Reply Brief in Dishman v. Atlas Roofing Corp. See Pl.’s Reply Br., at 19.
. Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(c)(4).
. Compare In re Nassau Cty. Strip Search Cases, 461 F.3d 219, 225 (2d Cir. 2006) ("[A] court may employ Rule 23(c)(4)(A) to certify a class on a particular issue even if the action as a whole does not satisfy Rule 23(b)(3)’s predominance requirement.”), with Castano v. American Tobacco Co., 84 F.3d 734, 745 n.21 (5th Cir. 1996) (“A district court cannot manufacture predominance through the nimble use of subdivision (c)(4).”).
. See Valentino v. Carter-Wallace, Inc., 97 F.3d 1227, 1234 (9th Cir. 1996) (”[E]ven if the common questions do not predominate over the individual questions so that class certification of the entire action is warranted, Rule 23 authorizes the district court in appropriate cases to isolate the common issues under Rule 23(c)(4)(A) and proceed with class treatment of these particular issues.").
. Randolph v. J.M. Smucker Co., 303 F.R.D. 679, 700 (S.D. Fla. 2014) (quoting City of St. Petersburg v. Total Containment, Inc., 265 F.R.D. 630, 646 (S.D. Fla. 2010)); see also Fisher v. Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corp., 238 F.R.D. 273, 316 (S.D. Ala. 2006).
. Castano, 84 F.3d at 745 n.21.
. The Eleventh Circuit has not provided clear guidance as to whether predominance must be found for the cause of action as a whole when certifying a Rule 23(c)(4) class.
. In re Conagra Peanut Butter Products Liability Litigation, 251 F.R.D. 689, 701 (N.D. Ga. 2008).
. Mot. for Class Cert., at 5.
. Compl. ¶ 145.
. DWFII Corp. v. State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co., 469 Fed.Appx. 762, 765 (11th Cir. 2012) (quoting Murray v. Auslander, 244 F.3d 807, 812 (11th Cir. 2001) (citation omitted)).
. See Murray, 244 F.3d at 812 ("Monetary relief predominates in (b)(2) class actions unless it is incidental to requested injunctive or declaratory relief.” (emphasis in original) (quoting Allison v. Citgo Petroleum Corp., 151 F.3d 402, 411 (5th Cir. 1998))).
. DWFII Corp., 469 Fed.Appx. at 765 (quoting Murray 244 F.3d at 812).
.The Defendant argues that the Plaintiff does not have standing to assert her declaratory relief claim. However, the Court finds that Seaberg does have standing. As the Court noted in its Order granting in part and denying in part the Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss, "[t]he Plaintiff may establish redressabilily if she shows that the 'practical consequence' of the declaratory relief 'would amount to a significant increase in the likelihood that the [Plaintiff] would obtain relief that directly redresses the injury suffered,’" In re Atlas Roofing Corp. Chalet Shingle Products Liability Litigation, No. 1:13-md-2495-TWT, 2015 WL 3796456, at *2 (N.D. Ga. June 18. 2015) (quoting Utah v. Evans, 536 U.S. 452, 464, 122 S.Ct. 2191, 153 L.Ed.2d 453 (2002)),
Reference
- Full Case Name
- IN RE ATLAS ROOFING CORPORATION CHALET SHINGLE PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION. Penny Seaberg on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated v. Atlas Roofing Corporation
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- Status
- Published