Thompson-Harbach v. USAA Federal Sav. Bank
Thompson-Harbach v. USAA Federal Sav. Bank
Opinion of the Court
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. PROCEDURAL HISTORY...610
II. FACTUAL HISTORY...611
A. The Credit Card Agreement...611
B. Defendant's Telephone Calling Equipment...612
C. Defendant's Telephone Calls to Plaintiff...612
D. Defendant's Internal Policy...613
III. STANDARD FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT...613
IV. DISCUSSION...615
A. The TCPA...615
B. Whether Defendant Called Plaintiff's Cellular Telephone...617
C. Whether Defendant Used an ATDS Device to Call Plaintiff...618
1. FCC Rulings and ACA International...618
2. Whether the Predictive Dialer in this Case Was an ATDS...622
D. Whether Defendant Called Plaintiff Without Plaintiff's Prior Consent...627
1. Oral Withdraw of Consent...627
2. Legally Sufficient Oral Withdrawal of Consent...627
a. Limitations on Means of Withdrawing Consent...628
b. Restrictions on Means of Withdrawing Consent...629
c. Defendant's Internal Policy...632
V. CONCLUSION...632
This matter is before the Court on plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 49), defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 50), defendant's Motion to Strike Plaintiff's Summary Judgment Evidence (Doc. 52), and defendant's Motion to Exclude Plaintiff's Expert Report and Testimony. (Doc. 53). For the reasons that follow, the Court denies plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 49), grants defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 50), and denies as moot defendant's motions to Strike Plaintiff's Summary Judgment Evidence (Doc. 52) and to Exclude Expert Report and Testimony. (Doc. 53).
I. PROCEDURAL HISTORY
On November 19, 2015, plaintiff filed a one-count complaint against defendant alleging a violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Title 47 United States Code, Section 227, claiming defendant placed "at least seventy-one (71) collection calls to Plaintiff" after plaintiff had requested defendant cease placing such calls. (Doc. 2, at 2-3). Defendant filed an answer on January 28, 2016 (Doc. 11), and subsequently filed a motion to stay proceedings pending the outcome of cases before the United States Supreme Court and the District of Columbia Circuit Court *611of Appeals. (Doc. 12). On March 23, 2016, the Court granted the motion to stay. (Doc. 13). Approximately two years later, on March 26, 2018, the parties notified the Court that the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals had issued its opinion, and the parties jointly requested that the Court lift the stay. (Doc. 28). On March 29, 2018, the Court entered an Order lifting the stay. (Doc. 29). After the stay was lifted, the Court entered a Scheduling Order and a Trial Management Order, which set certain deadlines, including an October 26, 2018 deadline for filing dispositive motions. (Docs. 35, 36).
On October 26, 2018, the parties filed cross motions for summary judgment. (Docs. 49, 50). Defendant also filed a motion to strike the Interactive Intelligence Interaction Dialer Administration Guide exhibit contained in plaintiff's brief (Doc. 52), and a motion to exclude plaintiff's expert's testimony and report pursuant to Federal Rules of Evidence 702 and 703. (Doc. 53). The parties filed their final reply briefs on December 7, 2018, and the Court considers the motions now fully submitted. Neither party requested a hearing on the pending motions and the Court finds a hearing unnecessary.
II. FACTUAL HISTORY
A. The Credit Card Agreement
On December 14, 2007, plaintiff acquired an American Express credit card with defendant. On August 12, 2014, plaintiff entered into an Online Agreement with defendant regarding that credit card account.
TELEPHONE CONTACTS We may contact you at the phone numbers in your profile. You authorize USAA to contact you at the telephone numbers in your profile. For example, we may contact you by telephone when we detect suspidous activity on your accounts, or when we have other important information to convey to you. To revoke this authorization, you may edit your profile by removing telephone numbers on which you do not want to receive such calls.
Plaintiff provided a telephone number with the last four digits 9507 in her online *612profile as her contact number ("plaintiff's telephone number").
B. Defendant's Telephone Calling Equipment
Defendant used an Aspect Unified IP, Model No. 7.3 and/or Aspect Initiated Contact Systems ("Aspect Dialer") to make calls to its clients regarding their credit card accounts. To call a client using the Aspect Dialer, defendant had to upload the client's telephone number into the Aspect Dialer for dialing. Defendant could use the Aspect Dialer to create different "Campaigns"
To dial any specific number on a Campaign, the Aspect Dialer allows a user to manually dial the telephone number, or the Aspect Dialer may be configured to automatically dial the stored telephone numbers without the need for a human being to physically dial or push a button to make the call. The Aspect Dialer can only call the specific stored telephone numbers on a Campaign, and cannot independently generate any other telephone numbers to be called. The Aspect Dialer is incapable of using a random number generator to generate random telephone numbers for dialing. Plaintiff's expert, Randall Snyder, agreed in a deposition that the Aspect Dialer is not capable of generating random telephone numbers or sequential blocks of telephone numbers for dialing. Although a collection company defendant engaged used another type of dialing system called an Interaction Dialer, defendant itself did not use that type of system. Even if defendant is liable for that company's use of an Interaction Dialer, however, plaintiff's own expert admits that like the Aspect Dialer, an Interaction Dialer is incapable of generating random or sequential number lists for dialing, and can only dial specific telephone numbers it is provided.
C. Defendant's Telephone Calls to Plaintiff
On August 1, 2015, defendant began using the Aspect Dialer to call plaintiff's telephone number regarding plaintiff's credit card account. Plaintiff admitted the calls were not random and that defendant was specifically trying to get in contact with plaintiff-using a telephone number plaintiff provided-regarding plaintiff's existing debt.
During the August 1, 2015 telephone call, plaintiff informed defendant that plaintiff was working with a consumer credit counseling service, and plaintiff complained about defendant's call, but was advised that the calls would continue. Defendant called plaintiff again on August 5, 2015. During this call, plaintiff informed defendant that plaintiff had previously tried to make payment arrangements and was working with debt consultants. Plaintiff alleges that during this call, she asked *613defendant to stop calling her; defendant denies this allegation.
Between August 8, 2015, and September 17, 2015, defendant used the Aspect Dialer to place thirty-four telephone calls to plaintiff using the Aspect Dialer. During a telephone call on August 13, 2015, plaintiff asked defendant not to call her, which request was noted in defendant's account notes. During a telephone call on August 25, 2015, plaintiff again stated that she was working with a credit counseling service and wondered why defendant was still calling her. Plaintiff asserts that during this call she requested that defendant stop calling her; defendant denies that plaintiff requested that defendant stop calling plaintiff during the August 25, 2015 telephone call.
On September 18, 2015, defendant assigned collection of plaintiff's account to United Recovery Systems (a/k/a Alltran Financial) ("URS"). URS then placed fifty-three calls to plaintiff's telephone number between September 22, 2015, and January 11, 2016. Twelve of these calls were made using equipment from Interactive Intelligence Group, Inc., using an Interaction Dialer; the remaining calls "were made with manual-only dialing equipment, which is separate and distinct from the Interaction dialer, and for which a human being is required to manually initiate any and all calls made using that equipment (including all calls to the x9507 Number)." (Doc. 5, at 9).
D. Defendant's Internal Policy
Defendant maintains an internal policy manual regarding making calls to clients. The manual sets out procedures for its employees to follow. One such procedure states: "Revocation of Consent-Members may revoke their prior express consent to receive autodialed and prerecorded calls at any time through reasonable means." (Doc. 49-3, at 125). Another procedure provides: "Note: Revocation of Consent may be revoked orally or in writing by members." (Id. ). Defendant's clients do not have access to and are not provided with copies of defendant's internal policies.
III. STANDARD FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT
Summary judgment is appropriate when the movant shows that "there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." FED. R. CIV. P. 56(a). A movant must cite to "particular parts of materials in the record, including depositions, documents, electronically stored information, affidavits or declarations, stipulations, ... admissions, interrogatory answers, or other materials." FED. R. CIV. P. 56(c)(1)(A) ; see Celotex Corp. v. Catrett ,
A fact is "material" if it "might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law ...." Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. ,
The party moving for summary judgment bears "the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for its motion and identifying those portions of the record which show a lack of a genuine issue." Hartnagel ,
In determining whether a genuine issue of material fact exists, courts must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, giving that party the benefit of all reasonable inferences that can be drawn from the facts. Matsushita ,
The mere existence of cross motions for summary judgment does not mean the parties are taking inconsistent positions. There may be genuine issues of material facts with regard to one motion, but not the other. Where a court confronts cross motions for summary judgment, the court views the record in the light most favorable to plaintiff when considering defendant's motion, and the court views the record in the light most favorable to defendant when considering plaintiff's motion. Weber v. Travelers Home & Marine Ins. Co. ,
Moreover, the presentation of cross motions for summary judgment does not mandate that a court grant summary judgment in favor of one side or the other. Hot Stuff Foods, LLC v. Houston Cas. Co. ,
IV. DISCUSSION
Plaintiff's complaint brings a single count alleging that defendant negligently and willfully violated the TCPA by repeatedly calling plaintiff after plaintiff withdrew her consent to be called. (Doc. 2). In order for plaintiff to prevail on her TCPA claim, she must prove that defendant (1) called her cellular telephone, (2) "using an automatic telephone dialing system" ("ATDS") or "an artificial or prerecorded voice," (3) without her "prior express consent." Smith v. Securus Techs., Inc. ,
To determine whether summary judgment is appropriate for either party, the Court must first grapple with the scope and application of the TCPA. The Court will then assess whether a genuine issue of material fact exists as to each element of plaintiff's TCPA claim and whether summary judgment is appropriate for either party.
A. The TCPA
"Congress enacted the TCPA to protect consumers from the 'proliferation of intrusive [telemarketing] calls to their homes.' " Golan v. Veritas Entm't, LLC ,
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 *616which the called party is charged for the call ....
In 2003, the FCC promulgated regulations revising the interpretation of the term ATDS to also include a "predictive dialer," meaning "equipment that dials numbers and, when certain computer software is attached, also assists telemarketers in predicting when a sales agent will be available to take calls." In re Rules & Regulations Implementing the Tel. Consumer Prot. Act of 1991 ("2003 Order"),
The 2003 Order observed that, "[i]n the past, telemarketers may have used dialing equipment to create and dial 10-digit telephone numbers arbitrarily." Id. at 14092. The FCC reasoned, however, that "to exclude ... equipment that use[s] predictive dialing software from the definition of [ATDS] simply because it relies on a given set of numbers"-rather than generating the numbers itself-"would lead to an unintended result." Id. at 14092. The FCC concluded that Congress could not have intended for it to be "permissible" to make calls to "wireless numbers ... when the dialing equipment is paired with predictive dialing software and a database of numbers, but prohibited when the equipment operates independently of such lists and software packages." Id. In reaching this conclusion, the FCC stated that the TCPA's definition of ATDS "contemplates autodialing equipment that either stores or produces numbers," and also that the definition encompasses all "equipment" with the " 'capacity to store or produce telephone numbers.' " Id. at 14091-2 (emphasis omitted) (quoting
The FCC further found that by enacting this broad definition of ATDS, "Congress anticipated that the FCC, under its TCPA rulemaking authority, might need to consider changes in technologies."
In 2008, the FCC affirmed its 2003 Order. See In re Rules & Regulations Implementing the Tel. Consumer Prot. Act of 1991 ("2008 Declaratory Ruling"),
In 2015, the FCC again reaffirmed its 2003 Order. See In re Rules & Regulations Implementing the Tel. Consumer Prot. Act of 1991 ("2015 Declaratory Ruling"),
B. Whether Defendant Called Plaintiff's Cellular Telephone
The first element of a TCPA claim is that a defendant called the plaintiff's cellular telephone. Plaintiff asserts as a fact that defendant called her cellular telephone that ended with the last four digits 9507. (Doc. 49-2, at ¶ 3). Defendant admits that it called the telephone number with the last four digits 9507, but "denies that the evidence cited by Plaintiff evidences that Plaintiff's telephone number at issue is assigned to a cellular telephone service." (Doc. 51-1, at ¶ 3). Defendant does not, however, cite any evidence to establish that the telephone number was not assigned to a cellular telephone.
The Court finds there is no genuine issue of material fact regarding this element of the claim and finds that the telephone number with the last four digits 9507 was plaintiff's cellular telephone. In her credit card application, plaintiff provided a different telephone number for her "[h]ome phone." (Doc. 49-3, at 124). Further, *618in her response to Interrogatory Number Six, plaintiff identified the 9507 telephone number as her cellular telephone number. (Doc. 49-3, at 127). As noted, defendant offers no evidence to contest these facts. The party opposing a motion for summary judgment "must do more than rely on allegations or denials" in the pleadings; rather, the party opposing summary judgment must bring evidence of specific facts sufficient to raise a genuine issue of fact for trial. Anderson , 477 U.S. at 249,
C. Whether Defendant Used an ATDS Device to Call Plaintiff
The second element of a TCPA claim is that the call at issue was made using an ATDS device or using a prerecorded message or artificial voice. Plaintiff alleges defendant used an ATDS device to call her. Plaintiff does not allege that defendant used a prerecorded message or artificial voice. The parties are in agreement as to which devices defendant used, but disagree as to whether they legally constitute ATDS devices.
1. FCC Rulings and ACA International
In ACA International , the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals invalidated the 2015 Declaratory Ruling's interpretation of the statutory term ATDS.
*619Defendant contends that, in so doing, ACA International necessarily invalidated the FCC's materially identical interpretation of the term ATDS in the 2003 Order and in the 2008 Declaratory Ruling, and that this Court must, therefore, interpret the term as an original matter without regard to the FCC's findings that predictive dialers categorically qualify as ATDSs. Defendant argues that only predictive dialers with the capacity to generate and then dial random or sequential telephone numbers qualify as ATDS devices. Defendant argues that the type of predictive dialer it used-that had the more limited capacity to dial numbers from a customer telephone list-does not qualify as an ATDS. Plaintiff, on the other hand, argues that ACA International left the 2003 Order and 2008 Declaratory Ruling undisturbed and that all predictive dialers therefore qualify as ATDSs as a matter of law.
In ACA International , the court observed that the TCPA's definition of ATDS-"equipment which has the capacity ... to store or produce telephone numbers to be called, using a random or sequential number generator ... and ... to dial such numbers,"
Regarding the second question, the D.C. Circuit rejected the FCC's interpretation of the functions that equipment must have to qualify as an ATDS. Specifically, ACA International overturned the FCC's 2015 Declaratory Ruling "reaffirming ... the notion that a device can be considered an autodialer even if it has no capacity itself to generate random or sequential numbers (and instead can only dial from an externally supplied set of numbers)." Id. at 702 ; see 2015 Declaratory Ruling ,
As the court explained, the 2015 Declaratory Ruling at certain points appeared to require that, to qualify as an ATDS, a device must be able to "generate and then dial 'random or sequential numbers.' " ACA Int'l ,
The D.C. Circuit noted that at other points, the FCC's 2015 Declaratory Ruling "suggests a competing view: that equipment can meet the statutory definition even if it lacks [the] capacity" to generate and then dial random or sequential numbers.
Given the 2015 Declaratory Ruling's dissonant understandings of ATDS-one providing that "a device qualif[ies] as an ATDS only if it can generate random or sequential numbers to be dialed," and the other that "it [can] so qualify even if it lacks that capacity"- ACA International held that the FCC's "lack of clarity about which functions qualify a device as an autodialer" rendered unreasonable the FCC's ruling that predictive dialers categorically qualify as ATDSs. Id. at 702-03. Although "[i]t might be permissible for the Commission to adopt either interpretation" of the term ATDS, the D.C. Circuit observed, "the Commission [could not], consistent with reasoned decisionmaking, espouse both competing interpretations in the same order." Id. at 703.
The question here is whether ACA International invalidated only the 2015 Declaratory Ruling's understanding of ATDS, as plaintiff contends, or also the understanding set forth in the 2003 Order and 2008 Declaratory Ruling, as defendant contends. On its face, ACA International addresses only the 2015 Declaratory Ruling, as the deadline for challenging the 2003 Order and 2008 Declaratory Ruling had long since passed by the time the petition *621for review in ACA International was filed. See id. at 702-03 (referencing only the "2015 ruling" in holding that the FCC had given "no clear answer" to the question whether "a device [can] qualify as an ATDS only if it can generate random or sequential numbers to be dialed"). Several courts have therefore concluded that ACA International vacated only the 2015 Declaratory Ruling and that courts remain bound by the FCC's rulings in the 2003 Order and 2008 Declaratory Ruling that a predictive dialer can qualify as an ATDS even if it lacks the capacity to "generate random or sequential numbers to be dialed," ACA Int'l ,
This Court sides with other courts, however, in finding that the ACA International holding necessarily invalidated the FCC's 2003 Order and 2008 Declaratory Ruling insofar as the 2003 Order and 2008 Declaratory Ruling also define a predictive dialer as an ATDS, even when the predictive dialer lacks the capacity to generate phone numbers randomly or sequentially and to then dial them. See Roark v. Credit One Bank, N.A. , Civ. No. 16-173 (PAM/ECW),
*622this Court will not defer to any of the FCC's 'pertinent pronouncements' regarding the first required function of an ATDS, i.e., whether a device that has the capacity to store or produce telephone numbers 'using a random or sequential number generator.' " (citation omitted) ).
As the court in ACA International noted, the FCC's 2003 Order "observed that, '[i]n the past, telemarketers may have used dialing equipment to create and dial 10-digit telephone numbers arbitrarily,' " but that "the industry had 'progressed to the point where' it had become 'far more cost effective' instead to 'us[e] lists of numbers.' "
ACA International 's concern that the FCC in the 2015 Declaratory Ruling "fail[ed] to satisfy the requirement of reasoned decisionmaking" due to the agency's "lack of clarity about which functions qualify a device as an autodialer" thus applies with equal force to the 2003 Order. Id. at 703. That same concern applies to the 2008 Declaratory Ruling as well, which simply "affirm[ed]" the understanding of ATDS articulated in the 2003 Order. 2008 Declaratory Ruling,
2. Whether the Predictive Dialer in this Case Was an ATDS
Having found that the FCC's prior rulings on this issue are no longer controlling, *623the Court must determine for itself whether the predictive dialer in this case constituted an ATDS under the TCPA without deference to the FCC's conclusion that all predictive dialers constitute ATDS devices. The Court must interpret the TCPA as it would any other statute on this issue. See Peck v. Cingular Wireless, LLC ,
Although it invalidated the FCC's rulings, ACA International did not itself articulate a definitive view of which functions characterize an ATDS. See
In construing the meaning of a statute, the Court begins with the language of the statute. The first step "is to determine whether the language at issue has a plain and unambiguous meaning with regard to the particular dispute in the case." Robinson v. Shell Oil Co. ,
*624To determine the congressional intent of statutory text, the Court starts again by looking at the text of the existing statute itself. Lamie v. United States Tr. ,
As noted, the TCPA defines an 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."
The Court finds that the adverbial phrase "using a random or sequential number generator" modifies both "produce" and "store." In other words, the Court finds that a device meets the definition of an ATDS only when it is capable of randomly or sequentially producing, or randomly or sequentially storing telephone numbers. Plaintiff's interpretation would only be correct if subsection (a)(1)(A) read: "to store or, using a random or sequential number generator, to produce telephone numbers to be called." Rearranging the text in that manner would make it clear that "using a random or sequential number generator" modifies only "produce" and not "store." In the statute, however, the adverbial phrase is preceded by a comma and follows both verbs. The words "using a random or sequential number generator" is set off from both verbs ("store" and "produce") with a comma. For example, if the statute read "The term ATDS means equipment which has the capacity-(A) to dial, and to store or produce telephone numbers to be called, using a random or sequential number generator; and ...," the words "to dial" would still be tied to "telephone numbers to be called," but "to dial" would not be modified by "using a random or sequential number generator" because the phrase has been isolated from "to dial," and is set off from "store" and "produce." The TCPA thus defines as an ATDS a device that has the capacity "[1] to store or produce [2] telephone numbers to be called" and then "to dial such numbers."
*625
This Court disagrees with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' interpretation that a device, to be considered an ATDS, must be capable of "dial[ing] [numbers generated using a random or sequential number generator] automatically." Marks v. Crunch San Diego, LLC ,
This interpretation finds support in the FCC's pre-2003 understanding of the statutory term "ATDS." The 1992 Order expressed the view that "[t]he prohibitions of § 227(b)(1)"-which, as noted, make it unlawful to use an ATDS under certain conditions-"clearly do not apply to functions like 'speed dialing,' 'call forwarding,' or public telephone delayed message services ... because the numbers called are not generated in a random or sequential fashion."
The Court is not persuaded by plaintiff's reliance on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision in Marks. In Marks , the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that dialing equipment did not have to have the capacity to generate random or sequential numbers to meet the definition of an *626ATDS.
Similarly, the Court finds plaintiff's reliance on Hunt v. 21st Mortg. Corp. , No. 2:12-CV-2697-WMA,
The Court is also not convinced by plaintiff's argument that because the TCPA excludes liability for calls made with a person's consent, an ATDS need not have the capacity to randomly or sequentially generate and then call numbers. (Doc. 55, at 9). Plaintiff reasons that it makes no sense for the TCPA to apply only to devices that can generate random or sequential numbers and then call them because a caller could not, under those circumstances, give prior consent. (Id. ). Plaintiff's logic fails, however, because a device can both (1) have the capacity to generate numbers randomly or sequentially, and (2) can be programmed to avoid dialing certain numbers, including numbers that belong to customers who have not consented to receive calls from a particular company. A violation of the TCPA, therefore, would not be a matter of coincidence, but, rather, would result from a company's failure to program an ATDS device correctly.
Plaintiff also argues that the TCPA's exemption for calls made to collect government debt, see
In summary, the Court finds that there is no genuine issue of material fact regarding the nature of the equipment defendant used to call plaintiff, and applying the law to the facts, the Court finds that the equipment used does not qualify as an ATDS. The Court therefore finds that defendant did not violate the TCPA by calling plaintiff simply by using equipment to store and call the number that plaintiff gave defendant. The critical missing feature that would have brought the device within the scope of the TCPA is the capacity to randomly or sequentially produce or store a number and then call that number. Because the Court has found that plaintiff will be unable to satisfy the second element of her claim, the Court finds that summary judgment in favor of defendant is appropriate. Nevertheless, the Court will continue to analyze the evidence regarding *627the third element of plaintiff's TCPA claim.
D. Whether Defendant Called Plaintiff Without Plaintiff's Prior Consent
The third element of a TCPA violation is that defendant called plaintiff without prior consent. The parties agree that when plaintiff signed the Online Agreement, she granted consent for defendant to contact her on her cellular telephone. The parties disagree, however, on whether and when plaintiff withdrew that consent. More importantly, the parties disagree on whether plaintiff's purported oral withdrawal of consent was legally sufficient under the TCPA. The Court will address these disputed issued in turn.
1. Oral Withdraw of Consent
Plaintiff argues that the evidence shows she orally withdrew consent on August 5, 2015, when she told defendant to stop calling her. (Doc. 49-1, at 1). Plaintiff argues she again told defendant to stop calling her on August 13, 2015, and August 25, 2015. (Id. ; Doc. 49-2, at ¶¶ 28-34). Defendant denies that plaintiff asked defendant to stop calling her during a telephone conversation on August 5, 2015. (Doc. 51-1, at ¶ 28). Defendant admits, however, that plaintiff asked defendant to stop calling her during a telephone conversation on August 13, 2015. (Id. , at ¶ 30). Finally, although defendant offers a qualified denial to the assertion that on August 25, 2015, "Plaintiff questioned why Defendant continued to call her and asked Defendant a third time to stop calling her," it is not clear whether defendant denies that plaintiff requested that defendant stop calling plaintiff, or whether defendant merely denies that the alleged request was the third such request. (See
The Court finds that there is a genuine issue of material fact as to whether plaintiff asked defendant to stop calling her on August 5, 2015. Plaintiff says she did, defendant denies plaintiff made such a request, and the caller's notes do not reflect such a request. Nevertheless, there is no genuine issue that plaintiff orally asked defendant to stop calling her on August 13, 2015. There is also no genuine issue that defendant continued to call plaintiff after August 5, 2015. Given these findings, it is immaterial for purposes of ruling on the parties' motions for summary judgment whether plaintiff again orally asked defendant to stop calling her on August 25, 2015. Finally, there is no genuine issue that plaintiff never removed her telephone number from her online profile. As such, the question now becomes whether plaintiff's August 5, 2015 oral request that defendant stop calling her was legally sufficient to trigger a TCPA claim.
2. Legally Sufficient Oral Withdrawal of Consent
As noted, the TCPA prohibits companies from using certain devices to call consumers on their cellular telephones without prior consent. The statute is silent, however, as to whether a party that has consented to be called can subsequently revoke that consent. Moreover, the statute does not prescribe a process by which consumers are to withdraw consent. Although the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has not addressed this issue, other federal circuit courts have found that the TCPA contemplated that consumers could withdraw consent that was previously given. See, e.g. , Gager v. Dell Fin. Servs., LLC ,
Regarding the process by which consumers withdraw consent, in its 2015 Declaratory Ruling, the FCC concluded that "consumers may revoke consent [to be called] through any reasonable means."
Defendant argues that parties may mutually agree to a particular means by which consent is to be withdrawn and, if they do so, then the parties' contractual agreement controls. (Doc. 50-1, at 9-11). Defendant relies primarily on Reyes v. Lincoln Auto. Fin. Servs. ,
Thus, the Court must first determine if, as a matter of law, parties can contractually limit the means by which customers can withdraw consent. If so, the Court must then determine whether, in this case, the Online Agreement limited the means by which plaintiff could withdraw consent. Finally, the Court may need to determine whether defendant's internal policy expanded the means by which plaintiff could withdraw consent.
a. Limitations on Means of Withdrawing Consent
The Court finds that as a matter of law, parties may, by mutual agreement, limit the means by which a consumer can withdraw consent to be called on the telephone, so long as the means contracted to are reasonable. In ACA International , the D.C. Circuit explained that the 2015 Declaratory Ruling "did not address whether contracting parties can select a particular revocation procedure by mutual agreement" and that "[n]othing in the Commission's order thus should be understood to speak to parties' ability to agree upon revocation procedures." ACA Int'l ,
The Court agrees with plaintiff that the Second Circuit Court of Appeals went too far in Reyes when it concluded that a company could effectively defeat the TCPA by including a contractual provision barring a consumer from ever withdrawing consent. Reyes ,
The Court also finds plaintiff's reliance on Ginwright v. Exeter Fin. Corp. ,
Having found that parties may, by contract, agree to a reasonable means for a consumer to withdraw consent, the next question the Court must answer is whether the Online Agreement would permit plaintiff to withdraw consent by the exclusive means of removing her telephone number from her online profile.
b. Restrictions on Means of Withdrawing Consent
The provision of the Online Agreement addressing revocation of consent to be contacted via telephone states that "[t]o revoke this authorization, you may edit your profile by removing telephone numbers on which you do not want to receive such calls." (Doc. 50-3, at 23 (emphasis added) ). Plaintiff argues that the use of the word "may" means that a signatory may revoke his or her consent by means other than editing his or her profile to remove a telephone number. (Docs. 55, at 4-5; 58, at 3). In other words, plaintiff reads this provision as identifying only one way in which consent could be revoked, but reasons that plaintiff could use any reasonable means, including orally requesting that defendant stop calling her. (Docs. 55, at 4-5; 58, at 3). Plaintiff does not cite any legal authority in support of her interpretation of the contractual language. Plaintiff further argues that if the language of this provision is ambiguous as to its meaning, then "any *630ambiguities must be held against the drafter of the Agreement." (Doc. 58, at 3 (footnote omitted) ). Defendant disagrees with plaintiff's interpretation, and argues that the word "may" does not suggest that a consumer is free to withdraw consent by other means. (Doc. 57, at 2). Rather, defendant argues that the contract provides that removing a number from the online profile is the exclusive means by which a signatory can withdraw consent to be called. (Id. , at 2-3).
As a general rule of statutory or contract construction, "may" is permissive, whereas "shall" is mandatory. See, e.g. , Anderson v. Yungkau ,
On the other hand, the word "may" can be permissive in one instance and mandatory in another. See, e.g. , Gutierrez de Martinez v. Lamagno ,
Defendant argues that the use of the word "may" in the context of the sentence really means "must." (Doc. 57, at 2). Defendant argues that this is so because the word is used in a two-part sentence. (Id. ). The first part is an "introductory infinitive phrase followed by a comma ("To revoke this authorization,")," and is followed by the subsequent clause ("you may edit your profile ...."). (Doc. 57, at 2). Defendant argues that "[t]he use of an infinitive phrase conveys the purpose of the sentence, 'with the following clause or phrase serving to indicate the desired manner' of effecting that outcome." (Id. (quoting Tauese v. State ,
Defendant's reasoning does not lead to a conclusion that removing a telephone number from a consumer's online profile is the only manner by which a customer can revoke consent to be called. The Court accepts that the language reflects that removing a telephone number from a consumer's online profile may very well be the "desired manner" for a customer to revoke consent to be called. That it is the desired manner, however, does not necessarily mean that it is the only manner.
Further, defendant's reliance on Tauese is misplaced. In that case, the defendant argued that the government could not impose a fine because the defendant never received any benefits from his fraudulent *631conduct. The defendant pointed to the statutory language: that " 'any person who violates subsections (a) and (b) may be subject to the administrative penalties of restitution of benefits or payments fraudulently received ..., and one or more' of the administrative penalties enumerated in HRS § 386-98(e)(1)-(6)." Tauese ,
Defendant's reliance on American Heritage is equally misplaced. That case involved a dispute over two sections of a statute. One section provided two ways by which a taxpayer "may" bring an action to contest a tax assessment. See Am. Heritage Window Fashions, LLC ,
Contracts and statutes must be read as a whole to discern meaning. See King v. St. Vincent's Hosp. ,
It does not follow that the use of the word "may" implies "may not." See Saxton v. Fed. Hous. Fin. Agency ,
Even if the Court were to conclude that the use of the word "may" is ambiguous, in applying the doctrine of contra proferentem , the Court would construe ambiguous language against the drafter. See Shaw Hofstra & Assocs. v. Ladco Dev., Inc. ,
Accordingly, the Court finds that the Online Agreement does not establish an exclusive means by which a signatory may revoke consent to be called on the telephone. The Court therefore concludes that under the TCPA, plaintiff was free to withdraw her consent by any reasonable means, including by making an oral request.
c. Defendant's Internal Policy
Having concluded that the Online Agreement permitted plaintiff to revoke her consent orally, the Court need not reach the issue of whether defendant's internal policy-which instructs its employees that customers can revoke consent through any reasonable means, including orally-somehow altered the Agreement. Nevertheless, the Court concludes that the internal policy did not change the Agreement. The policy is an internal policy and is not made available to defendant's customers. A company may adopt an internal policy that provides more benefits to its customers than those benefits required under a contract. See Cross v. Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Inc. ,
V. CONCLUSION
In summary, the Court finds there is no genuine issue of material fact regarding *633the type of equipment defendant used to dial plaintiff's telephone number and concludes as a matter of law that the equipment does not fall within the definition of an ATDS. As such, the Court finds that defendant did not violate the TCPA by using the equipment to assist its employees and agents in calling the telephone number plaintiff provided. Plaintiff's inability to establish the second essential element of plaintiff's claim renders summary judgment in favor of defendant appropriate. Having found summary judgment in favor of defendant appropriate, the Court will not reach the question of whether plaintiff could have pursued treble damages on these facts. Likewise, it is not necessary for the Court to address defendant's Motion to Strike Plaintiff's Summary Judgment Evidence (Doc. 52) because the Court reached its conclusion in spite of plaintiff's proffered evidence. Finally, given the Court's ruling, defendant's Motion to Strike Expert Testimony and Report of Randall Snyder (Doc. 53) is moot.
IT IS ORDERED:
Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 49) is denied ;
Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 50) is granted ;
Defendant's Motion to Strike Plaintiff's Summary Judgment Evidence (Doc. 52) is denied as moot ; and
Defendant's Motion to Exclude the Expert Witness Testimony and Report of Randall Snyder (Doc. 53) is denied as moot .
IT IS SO ORDERED this 9th day of January, 2019.
Unless otherwise noted, the facts set forth herein have been derived from admitted portions of the parties' statements of material fact. (Docs. 49-2, 50-2, 51-2, 56, 59). To the extent one of the parties disputes a material fact, and the Court finds the fact to be material in its analysis, the Court notes herein its resolution of the factual dispute.
Defendant asserts that the Online Agreement is a separate agreement from the account between plaintiff and defendant and that plaintiff was not required to enter into the Online Agreement in order to apply for, or to maintain, her credit card account. (Doc. 50-2, at ¶ 4; Doc. 51-2, at ¶ 6). Plaintiff has provided conflicting responses to the assertions that the Online Agreement is a separate agreement from the Account between plaintiff and defendant and that plaintiff was not required to enter into the Online Agreement in order to apply for, or to maintain, her credit card Account. Plaintiff admitted these facts in her Response to Defendant's Statement of Undisputed Facts. (Doc. 56, at ¶ 4). In responding to defendant's Statement of Additional Material Facts, however, plaintiff objected, stating that these assertions "[c]all[ ] for a legal conclusion as to any requirement on behalf of Plaintiff regarding the Online Agreement." (Doc. 59, at ¶ 6). The Court finds that whether the Online Agreement is a "separate agreement," and what, if any, legal consequences would flow from its characterization as a "separate agreement," are legal conclusions. Whether plaintiff was required to enter into the Online Agreement to maintain her account, however, is a mixed conclusion of fact and law, but the Court finds that this issue is immaterial to resolution of the pending motions for summary judgment.
The parties dispute whether the evidence shows that this number is assigned to a cellular telephone. (See Docs. 49-2, ¶¶ 3, 7, and 51-1, at ¶ 3). The Court resolves this dispute infra by finding that the there is no genuine issue as to whether the telephone number was a cellular telephone number and that the number was, in fact, plaintiff's cellular telephone number.
Although neither party explained in their briefing what a "campaign" is, the Court understands it to be some type of program containing lists of stored telephone numbers that causes the dialing of those numbers based on various criteria. Regardless, the precise definition of a campaign does not appear to be material to resolution of the parties' motions for summary judgment.
The Court notes that plaintiff objects to paragraph fourteen of defendant's Statement of Additional Material Facts on the basis that the purported fact "calls for legal conclusions as to the incorporation of Defendant's internal policy." (See Docs. 51-2, at ¶ 14; 59, at ¶ 14). Defendant's paragraph fourteen states in its entirety: "[Defendant's] members do not have access to, and are not provided with, [defendant's] internal policies, and they are not incorporated into the Online Agreement (or any other agreement a member has with [defendant] )." (Doc. 51-a, at ¶ 14). The Court finds that plaintiff's objection is misplaced as to the first portion of defendant's paragraph fourteen because the assertion that "members do not have access to, and are not provided with, [defendant's] internal policies" states facts. The Court accepts that the second half of the objected-to sentence, dealing with incorporation of the policy into an agreement, does call for a legal conclusion.
Plaintiff alleges defendant is vicariously liable for URS using the Interaction Dialer to contact plaintiff. (Doc. 49-1, at 7 n.2). Defendant does not directly respond to this assertion in its briefing or seriously contest its vicarious liability. Accordingly, for the purposes of this Order, the Court will assume that defendant is vicariously liable for URS's use of the Interaction Dialer to call plaintiff.
The parties treat ACA International as binding authority, and the Court will treat ACA International as precedential for purposes of this case. (Docs. 50-1, at 11 n.4; 49-1, at 8-9 (differentiating between FCC orders that arguably remain good law following ACA International , and the 2015 Order, which defendant concedes is no longer good law following ACA International ; such concession carries the implication that ACA International is binding nationwide) ). The Court notes that numerous courts across the country have treated ACA International as binding authority, which is in line with this Court's decision to treat ACA International as precedential. See, e.g. , Herrick v. GoDaddy.com, LLC ,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Joan THOMPSON-HARBACH v. USAA FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
- Cited By
- 23 cases
- Status
- Published