47 F.R.D. 202 | D.D.C. | 1969
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
This is a suit by Isidore Shulman, allegedly a member of two joint ventures, Westwood Joint Venture Number 1 and Westwood Joint Venture Number 2, against Laszlo N. Tauber, the principal trustee of both joint ventures, and against Milton Ritzenberg, a former member of the ventures. It is alleged that Defendant Ritzenberg lent a large sum of money to Defendant Tauber, who entered into the loan agreement on behalf of the ventures. It is further alleged that the loan agreement exacted a usurious rate of interest in violation of the District of Columbia usury laws
I
Amended Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure attempts to create a logical, almost mechanical approach to determine whether a suit is properly maintainable as a class action.
Turning to the qualitative considerations, this Court is of the view that only two factors need be met in order for it to determine that the representative party will fairly and ade
In order for a party to fairly and adequately protect the interests of a class, he may not hold interests which conflict with those of the class whom he would represent.
Plaintiff argues that the affidavits are ineffective for either purpose because they were not solicited by the court controlled notice required by Rule
Considering the affidavits of forty-seven of the joint venture members along with the other pleadings and memoranda, the Court concludes that plaintiff’s interests are antagonistic at least to the interests of the forty-seven affiants and in conflict with this vast majority of his fellow joint venture members. Thus, we hold that plaintiff cannot fairly and adequately protect them as members of the class he would represent, the essential prerequisite of Rule 23(a) (4).
II
Rule 23.1 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides for derivative suits to be brought by shareholders of corporations and by members of unincorporated associations, treating such associations as legal entities for the purpose of such suits.
The Court is not persuaded by defendants’ arguments that a derivative suit is barred because plaintiff made insufficient effort to obtain redress from the trustees before instituting this lawsuit,
Because of our holding in Part I of this memorandum, the Court has greater difficulty with defendants’ argument that a derivative suit may not be maintained because plaintiff does not fairly and adequately represent the interests of the venture members similarly situated in enforcing the rights of the ventures.
The amended rule provides: “The derivative action may not be maintained if it appears that the plaintiff does not fairly and adequately represent the interests of the shareholder or members similarly situated in enforcing the right of the corporation or association.” Apparently recognizing that it was frequently minority interests which were being represented, the Advisory Committee adopted the above in lieu of the parallel provision in the preliminary draft: “The derivative action may be maintained only if the court is satisfied that the plaintiff will adequately represent the interest of the corporation or association.”48
It is the very essence of a derivative suit that the opposition of a majority cannot prevent or annul the maintenance of that suit, else very few such suits would ever be brought and minority members would have no effective remedy.
Accordingly, it is by the Court this 16th day of April, 1969,
Ordered that Defendants’ Motion for an Order Pursuant to Rule 23(c) (1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure be and is hereby granted, and the causes of
Further ordered that Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Derivative Actions (Counts I and III of the third amended complaint) be and is hereby denied, without prejudice.
. D.C.Code § 28-3301 et seq. (1967).
. D.C.Code § 26-601 et seq. (1967).
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23.1 (added Feb. 28, 1966, eff. July 1, 1966) [hereinafter cited Fed.R.Civ.P. 23.1].
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23 (as amended Feb. 28, 1966, eff. July 1, 1966) [hereinafter cited Fed.R.Civ.P. 23].
. Rule 23(c) (1) provides: “As soon as practicable after the commencement of an action brought as a class action, the court shall determine by order whether it is to be so maintained. An order under this subdivision may be conditional, and may be altered or amended before the decision on the merits.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(c) (1).
. For particularly good in-depth discussions of the amended class action rule, Rule 23, and a philosophy of approach to the new rule with which this Court is in general agreement, see Eisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin, 391 F.2d 555 (2d Cir. 1968) and Dolgow v. Anderson, 43 F.R.D. 472 (E.D.N.Y.1968).
. Rule 23(a), styled “Prerequisites to a Class Action,” provides: “One or more members of a class may sue or be sued as representative parties on behalf of all 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.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a).
. In the instant case, plaintiff alleges that he meets the requirements of either rule 23(b) (1) (B) or of Rule 23(b) (3). Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(b).
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(c) (1), supra note 5.
. Rule 23(c) (2) provides: “In any class action maintained under subdivision (b) (3), the court shall direot to the members of the class the best notice practicable under the circumstances, including individual notice to all members who can be identified through reasonable effort. The notice shall advise each
. Rule 23(a) (4) provides that a class action may be maintained only if “the representative parties will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a) (4).
. Hohmann v. Packard Instrument Co., 399 F.2d 711, 714 (7th Cir. 1968); Eisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin, 391 F.2d 555, 563 (2d Cir. 1968); Weisman v. M C A, Inc., 45 F.R.D. 258, 262 (D. Del.1968).
. Hohmann v. Packard Instrument Co., 399 F.2d 711, 714 (7th Cir. 1968). Cf. Dolgow v. Anderson, 43 F.R.D. 472, 495 (E.D.N.Y.1968).
. Dolgow v. Anderson, 43 F.R.D. 472, 494-95 (E.D.N.Y.1968). See also Weisman v. M C A, Inc., 45 F.R.D. 258, 262 (D.Del.1968).
. Hohmann v. Packard Instrument Co., 399 F.2d 711, 714 (7th Cir. 1968).
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(c) (1). See also Fed. R.Civ.P. 23(d) (2) (“discretionary” notice) and Eisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin, 391 F.2d 555, 564-565 (2d Cir. 1968). See discussion supra note 10.
. Mersay v. First Republican Corp. of America, 43 F.R.D. 465, 470-471 (S.D.N.Y.1968).
. Dolgow v. Anderson, 43 F.R.D. 472, 495 (E.D.N.Y.1968) (“There is, of course, ‘no magic in numbers * * *. The quality of representation is more important than numbers.’”). See also cases cited supra note 12.
. Eisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin, 391 F. 2d 555, 562 (2d Cir. 1968); Dolgow v. Anderson, 43 F.R.D. 472, 493-494 (E.D.N.Y.1968); Mersay v. First Republican Corp. of America, 43 F.R.D. 465, 468 (S.D.N.Y.1968). See also Weinstein, Revision of Procedure: Some Problems in Class Actions, 9 Buffalo L.Rev. 433, 460 (1960).
. See Technograph Printed Circuits, Ltd. v. Methode Electronics, Inc., 285 F.Supp. 714, 721 (N.D.Ill.1968).
. Dolgow v. Anderson, 43 F.R.D. 472, 496 (E.D.N.Y.1968).
. Hansberry v. Lee, 311 U.S. 32, 61 S. Ct. 115, 85 L.Ed. 22 (1940). See also 3A J. Moore, Federal Practice ¶ 23.07[3] (2d ed.1968); 2 W. Barron & A. Holtzoff, Federal Practice and Procedure § 567 at 308-309 (Wright ed. 1961).
. Weinstein, supra note 19 at 461.
. Eisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin, 391 F. 2d 555, 563 (2d Cir. 1968).
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a) (4), supra notes 7, 11.
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(c) (2), supra note 10. See also Advisory Committee’s Note, Fed.R.Civ.P. 23, 39 F.R.D. 98, 104-105 (1966).
. Rule 23(c) (2) provides that in any class action maintained under Rule 23(b) (3), “the court shall direct to the members of the class the best notice practicable under the circumstances, * * Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(c) (2) (Emphasis added.). For discussions of the court’s role in controlling notice, see Smith v. Hood, 130 U.S.App.D.C. 43, 44 n. 2, 396 F.2d 692, 693 n. 2 (1968); Eisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin, 391 F.2d 555, 568-570 (2d Cir. 1968); Minnesota v. United States Steel Corp., 44 F.R.D. 559, 577 (D. Minn. 1968). See also Kaplan, Continuing Work of the Civil Committee: 1966 Amendments of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (I), 81 Harv.L.Rev. 356, 391-394, 398-399 (1967); Case Comment, 44 Notre Dame Law. 151, 155-158 (1968).
. See Johnson v. American General Life Insurance Co., 296 F.Supp. 802, at 813 (D.D.C.1969) (“[W]hile these disclaimers are not necessarily substitutes for the notice provisions of Rule 23 since the Court is unaware of the circumstances surrounding their solicitation, they do raise substantial doubt as to the size of a class which may finally be able to proceed.”). Cf. Fischer v. Kletz, 41 F.R.D. 377, 386 (S.D.N.Y.1966).
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(c) (2), supra notes 10, 27.
. See generally 3 Am.Jur.2d Affidavits (1962).
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a) (4), supra notes 7, 11.
. Rule 23(c) (4) (B) provides that when appropriate, “a class may be divided into subclasses and each subclass treated as a class, and the provisions of this rule shall then be construed and applied according
. Rule 23(a) (1) provides that a class action may be maintained only if “the class is so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a) (1). See discussion of this requirement in DeMarco v. Edens, 390 F.2d 836, 845 (2d Cir. 1968). See also 3A J. Moore, supra note 22 ¶23.05.
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a) (1).
. “By definition, an essential prerequisite to a class action is the existence of a ‘class’.” 3A J. Moore, supra note 22 ¶23.04. See also Weisman v. M C A, Inc., 45 F.R.D. 258, 261 (D.Del.1968); Dolgow v. Anderson, 43 F.R.D. 472, 491 (E.D.N.Y.1968).
. As indicated in the text, this holding is based on subdivisions (1) and (4) of Buie 23(a). Since plaintiff has failed to meet two of the four prerequisites of Rule 23(a), all four of which must be satisfied for the maintenance of a class suit, there is no need for the Court to examine the other subsections of Buie 23(a). Nor, given the scheme of the rule, is there need to proceed to an examination of the elements of Rule 23(b). See supra notes 6-10 and accompanying text. Plaintiff has also argued, in effect, that the Court should ignore his failure to satisfy the prerequisites of Buie 23(a) in order to permit him to effectuate the purposes of the District of Columbia Loan Shark Law. D.C.Code § 26-601 et seq. (1967). There is no need to dwell on our reason for rejecting this argument. We are simply not persuaded that the policy and explicit criteria of Buie 23 of the Federal Buies of Civil Procedure were intended to' be so ignored. “One or more members of a class may sue or be sued as representative parties on behalf of all only if” the requisites of Rule 23 have been satisfied. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(a) (Emphasis added.).
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23.1. See also 2 W. Barron & A. Holtzoff, supra note 22 § 563.
. Rule 23.1 requires that “ [t] he complaint shall also allege with particularity the efforts, if any, made by the plaintiff to obtain the action he desires from the directors or comparable authority and, if necessary, from the shareholders or members, and the reasons for his failure to obtain the action or for not making the effort.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 23.1.
. See Cathedral Estates, Inc. v. Taft Realty Corp., 228 F.2d 85, 88 (2d Cir. 1955); de Haas v. Empire Petroleum Co., 286 F.Supp. 809, 813-815 (D.Colo. 1968); Kaminsky v. Abrams, 281 F. Supp. 501, 503 (S.D.N.Y.1968). See also 3A J. Moore, supra note 22 ¶23.19 at 3524-3526. Cf. Wickes v. Belgian American Educational Foundation, 266 F.Supp. 38, 42 (S.D.N.Y.1967) (“Where, as here, a demand would be futile, the requirement may be relaxed.”).
. See 3A J. Moore, supra note 22 ¶23.19 at 3528-3529.
. See Ash v. International Business Machines, Inc., 353 F.2d 491, 492-493 (3d Cir. 1965); Issner v. Aldrich, 254 F. Supp. 696, 699-700 (D.Del.1966).
. D.C.Code § 26-601 (1967).
. Rogers v. American Can Co., 305 F.2d 297, 316-317 (3d Cir. 1962).
. Gottesman v. General Motors Corp., 268 F.2d 194, 197 (2d Cir. 1959). See also 2 W. Fletcher, Cyclopedia of the Law of Private Corporations § 764 (1954 rev. vol.); 13 W. Fletcher, id. § 5795 (1961 rev. vol.).
. Rule 23.1 states: “The derivative action may not be maintained if it appears that the plaintiff does not fairly and adequately represent the interests of the
. As indicated supra notes 19-35 and accompanying text, this alleged antagonism and conflict of interest is the crucial consideration in a determination of fair and adequate representation.
. See 19 Am.Jur.2d Corporations § 528 (1965); H. Henn, Handbook of the Law of Corporations § 352 (1961).
. Cohn, The New Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 54 Geo.L.J. 1204, 1227 (1966).
. Gottesman v. General Motors Corp., 268 F.2d 194, 197 (2d Cir. 1959).