Garcia v. Microsoft Corporation

Filing 1

NOTICE OF REMOVAL with COMPLAINT, filed by Microsoft Corporation. Consent form to proceed before U.S. Magistrate and pretrial instructions provided. (Filing fee $ 350.00 receipt number 569668) (Attachments: # 1 Exhbit A# 2 Exhibit B# 3 Civil Cover Sheet)(epm) Please visit our website at http://www.gand.uscourts.gov to obtain Pretrial Instructions.

Case 1:07-cv-02363-CC

Document 1

Filed 09/27/2007

Page 1 of 9

iC1 R I G I NA 1.
1:J 1' 1I 'TF i I) S TA T 'EIS ID IS T]RIC ;' C C C)1:JR' I I`IIZIR T 'H ERN T?'[ ;i'TF UCT OF (iEiOP-J31A ~

1!! E'1} IN CLERKS 0117,~E J
t . :t ~ C
11-1,311a

JA A4 ES

200]'
W)f Call ";

0000 ( .0-0

HA rr+;. I S ()CI Ci.A R C:1A individually,
o,a tx:11.3lf o f his m inc.r child S f1;.V ,4R[ ID, G«A F:CI A and all others
similarly sitiml .cd

C-cise No . 1. () 67

1' lCkinti iI(S),
1 t'S,

(

J

Dc fen clamt .

1VF[ C ' R0 , 50F"]r COR : ]'ORAT 1ON '' S r+IC)'f' I( : F; OF ] R EM OVA L UNDER_ : B 1U.;5x-'. tL l± E [ i a' ~A5 V I}` HE~C'1;ALS S ACTION FAIRNESS AC"T 2 T

TO 11111" (X,EIRK OF 111E, A13CAM-Err TI 'IT ,]3 D C,41--J jJF.' f AND 7' 0 ALL
A"[iT ][ E S ,4I'SD 7']H 'E '[R C' C)LR15 ;E'L OF F U GC'. O IZE I :

PLE A..i'E u,K.I,,- N{)'T' I C'lE that Defendant Microsoft (,'o-p) ral ion ("Microsoft"') hereby removes the above-c-apticfriE ;d o ctic»i from th e SupcriDr ( .-aurt of P~altar~ C:o+.~~h~,, C~E.~~r~;i~,, Falel~a. t!i)i?7 ~~~~ ] :s ;3B98, to ~hE: Ui ;~itecl StatE~,~ L)istrict Courl for the Northern District o f (i e~ r;; i a, .4tl a n rt~ D i ~ ~ i s i orl . ]~ri support tt~,e: re a f;

Microsoft s tat es 4s loll lows:
1.
On August

23 , :3

f 2007, Pl a intil~ ' c,oi Yimer u~ c: ci this

action in ttIC Superior

Case 1:07-cv-02363-CC

Document 1

Filed 09/27/2007

Page 2 of 9

Cc>urt ofF'ulton Coun1),, Georgia by filing ; a Compl,j:;nt ca])-tic-ried E1·c :1zcisco 1Girrcic, in GFivhbaL} ;
O i l 1)l. 11 + 2~"qjrhi.r '

minor child 'rlvarro ( iarcicr and crll others

.r ;~mi~'Grrlf~ s,it~x~~t~~c i v 11~(icrosofc C'c» 17., (~E~~ii1 ~~ction Flue ]Vc~ . :!D~?7 ~~`l ] :~~3 8 48 . A A

copy of t he CornF,Iaiilt i s atr.<<c:tiE,ci hereto mr; part af' ]3xr,ibir. A . :Z . ]'l a i n ti i LTSIN -rTd
21

copy O f the Complaint on h'Iic , cciso 1l on August 1 9 .,

2 0 07.
.3 . I'll his Co m plaint, Plaintiff clai m,, s fli<il h'Iic:icis,ciil fraudulently i n duc c ck,

conv e rt ed i'un d : > froRZ ,. . and puqaosefi J' lly 4J ece i1101 Plaintiif ' tizl +.i the proposed CICUSS rn ciT ibers , engaged ii ri deceptive trad e practices, an d %v< < s , u nj u s : Iy {: :a riic hf: ci by: (1) "ente;rl ing] into u nenforceabje contracts fir :{E I (] X Live [sic ;] ;> > absc riF) ti o n cartrz cts . of vqv Iengt 'h, ar,.cl accompanying ,awo :ma tic : KES+;
lX L

iv [si
e

c"I

s ubscripl ion irE : n e·wit 1 contr6ac:ts o 1 ' any le:zg tti, i l ;~tder the · ' ~vE~ll-~ ; :~ta~~ li~~tic : d ` ~ nf,·ii 1cy Do z trine' founci in (.) .C : .CiA . §13.?.-2fM ;" and (2. )"irnF,raperI,y c,1zargl ing] initial

X'I'B{)}' :

Live [ :>ic] subscription fees and s,ub ;;equem t automatic X13 ON Live J.s,ic]

su b scrip r ion ·ren e-wal :fe : E :s t o adult Class Members Nvi th o t:t securing written c o rit r.a .-L, with adult "Class Members in ·v i O'I<<ti o- n o f l1iz : iI atute of Fr a u ds, found in

4 . PlaintiffIx- i ngs, his cl a irn o n b ,: 'aafi'of hi rnse [ i"and tive. pro posed

classes alleged <<s fi~'llo~·v., -.
-2-

Case 1:07-cv-02363-CC

Document 1

Filed 09/27/2007

Page 3 of 9

]le~~resent,a'tive Plaintiff's . [sic] bring this e<<is,si acnian individually acid on bc:ll,zli'of all others similarly situated (E :arli suc :h plairitifl' i :, re-ferred lo herein as .z "Class Men1'~er" and ca114.x.1ivel.y, the {:Iwss, Members dare re ff.'1TC d 'C O herein ci :s t11,~ "C lass.") who . have b e rri charged fees, fo r :KF3~u~ :~ Live Isi-.l subscriplioris,of zql length, with 3, :, :ortipa11 y 1ng
wxtomatie, XC1,OX [sic-] subscription rorif :,vals cffail,y length, where : ch co·a trtic:ts hswc- been ntered into by ur ;inor a:lli Id ren ire ;>j

ccrmrf l . 1 1 3 . ]Representative P1 aintif[ 'this class a, :rion individually and oil behalf of all, offic-rs similarly shuaiecl %vlio have been charged f .-es for X13 OX Live I s-ic ] st;ibs,rri ;atiari< , of any leng,fh, with al :+ :Iamp,xnymg . ,~atc»rMtiC 1{EtOX Live- [sir,]j .s!abscr;ip4an rer1t :I,va1 .S of Xay lfftJ ;tl-1, where such 71U It 1J) le-ye<<rs contracts Nviiti adult Class ]V1+ .nribc;rs are riot . in wit ing ms, :rs,q·uired under the apF>li~~ .aSlt, r,,:tatixt( ; of Firs:z:d;., found -in C :o triFr l . jj 14 . 5. 'Fhis Court's re-iY1aa ;1'l,jt :risdi,-i1.ion is invoked under :Z81.J . &C . F~ 1441 .

anc''aie Class Action Fairness Act 4) f2(IO : i , PG :b . L. 1 (fS) -2 , l 19 , 3 tat . 4. ( '200 f. )
(''`,C: t~f A'" ), ~:.o diCec l iii s ca ttE : i e cl sections of Title '4!8 af' 1 h E: Un ited S tates Code .

C ;A F'A became efr, :,- fiVe ' on 'February '1 .3, 2005, a i d app lies la any 611i ! action . commenced on or after its dare: of enac,trnent . 13ecause this aetion -4va ;, commenced

.A a re August 2 3 , 2007, (; P YA applies o it .
6 . Cong,rt::>:: enacted CK F A to expand rede1'al Jun sdicl ion o n over pi opose-d . class actioil-3 . (, p.1 '.A. Frovides i hat I : class action agains t ti nari-g;uvenTimerital enti1}' may b .- removed to iec l e- ral court if':
(1)

the riumbf , r -of I ? rcIp OSC- d r. lass members is
-3-

Case 1:07-cv-02363-CC

Document 1

Filed 09/27/2007

Page 4 of 9

not kc s s than 1 D0 ; ( 2 . ) :Ill, y rrlc~:nt,c·r i) f the prapos+.+i plaint i ff class is a cil izen of a s12te different fi-orrt any defendant ; arcs (3) the i ; r . ;ate amount in c-on"rre'r} exceeds a :i million, exclusive ()i"i»1e :rest and cc-st .3, S'E,e 28 U .S .C . -5 ] I ;ci;l(5) 4K. § 1453(b.); see also I,cnvery v. ,gl~xbar7,a a''owea-C .iO., 4:33 1 1854 .. I2fl21-

0 3 1; l ll l4-t Cir. 2007) . In a,3di i ion, 28

§ 1 -4 46 sel s ' fcoft h

requ ir ement :s .. As +1 isc: ti :,s,e cl be low, all o -f the reG u iremt :j l r-,q, fi x.- removal are s3ti sfi ed

here.
iV L A SS CS1 Z F; 7. C'A FA's first regciiri.-iTiE:nl, that the proposed c!14is,s + :ont :3:irl at least 1 CIO

rtiCrr6ers, 28 tJ .:3 , C1 . § 13342(d)(5), iss satisfied here . 'Ibis proposed lass ac :ti+xn is
bro u g ht ai behalf of: ( 1)- ;III
pu-i -: ,on S Who

have 1H.-C-11 charged fees l O r : XboX L I'JF:

subscriptions o - f Any lc;nth., with ac:c:oMpanY in~ ; autamat i; c: XbO x su bscrip ti o n renewals f" any Ie:ngi-1h, 1,N hcr e such contracts ti a lle a l l c,ge-1 31 y been

entered int O bar rni nDr children n ·viol a.tim coi' 0 . {: . ( JA . §1 3-3-120, Co irpl . 1' 13 ;
. and, (2) all Persons I,vt[a ha.ve: been charged fees Cmr . !box GIVI: s ub ;; cr i pticros of
any' I C n 1,l}a,
'X iifz

sic:c;OirIpan;~ i ng aute-mai i c : Xb o x LI ' V'Ej subscription renewals

-of

any lesz;;lti, where such i~ri~ilti~~'Ic :-year c;A11 L I ~. C'tS `Vl 1 }' I adult Class are allegedly not in. viriting, Cornr-11 . Tj 'E4 . Microsoft's records show t hat 1fiere ,arc, at

automatic l 1 ::L31 100 ;subscr'ibers pro Xbox 'LIVE ir, OC-01gia M'itll ru:c:orr1p1'1n;V in, :
-4-

Case 1:07-cv-02363-CC

Document 1

Filed 09/27/2007

Page 5 of 9

X h O +c LIVE subscription renewals -where the subs c:iib er, ; have b eer i charged subscriptionn i7ces, and th c, su bs c ripr ior, , to ge:ther vv i -l h a n auto- matic re ri e : wal , would

ex ceed o n e year.
1) E VT RS rTY .3 ,

oF

CrTi ZIFr1,5 1 I I P

C AFA "s, second requirement, that any one ' Triembt:r 0 f the p roposed

class be a ci t ize n Of 11 state d i fferen t from any defend a nt, 2 '8 LJ .S . C . § 113 32(d)(2), is also satisfied h F;i·c . Plaintiff ab le:;es t hart he is . a r esident of'Gir E: C1I·; i a. C'ompl. 1, :L . h'ii c ; l a :,aft is irtwipol-ated in and has it s principal place of-busi»-M> in the State of Wa shingto~~ . Cc,rnpl. S 4 . Diversi t y o f cit izen shi p *-,us exisis between at lea-31 . one
proposed c1ass member an dd the c lc: fendarz t .

9.

The co m ;p S e- 1e diversity between the nam e d

rkOt only satisfics

t fi+e minimal (ii N, e,- rsi i .), ·c p i=citizenship req ; uire mc :rr, u ncl er CA F A , but also ;pmel ud e :;
the a ppli c abi l' i ty oP the "l .D cal controversy" or "home ;sate" E ::c+-x-j :) tiar kS iii 28 U . . ~~ .( ; .

§ 1332(d) (:3 ) ar, . cl § 1332 . {d}(4 ).
Y010MI" W CONTROVERSY
10 . +:A F A ' S third requirement, that the a ~;=,rE: ~,,~ ~te; amount in ~c ~ ~ntrc rr {~r: >;~

exceeds ,SS IrI i1 !l ion , exclusive o f iilte: iest and c os . ts , 28. Lf .S . C: . § ] :3 :3Z(d ) (2), is satisfied here as v4re ll . .A. ltho u g;h Microsoft d isputes ]l i ab i lit;~ Find c l am s ;F:s,, it is

ev ide nt that the damages Plaintiff claims for h imsf.l f and the proposed class exceed
-:5 ..

Case 1:07-cv-02363-CC

Document 1

Filed 09/27/2007

Page 6 of 9

$5 Mill ion .
I 1 . 131-aintiffsc:c.lcs various 110rrns of re-fief, including "punitive damages, treble c3annages, I.I'Luid] cornpe·rLs,adory (Jamage :; ." +;'arnpl. 14 5 . I'rlicrosofi's records
,,hDvi that Georgia sutiiscril)er:; to Xbox LIVEsubsc6ptions with accompanying

,aut orn <<ti c :{bay : LIVE subscript ion re -n ev,v als,, where the subscription, lcFg E ;tr, u 'x itll . a n fsui oma tic, renewal, Mould exce e d One ;~e,ar, o f esk)i length have- paid over $5 million t o 1V[ icr.Ds D f t fir such subscriptions, exrlusi aex a l'i szterest ten d costs.

PEA int iW tlz {:re' i lo ie SC-+.1c5 fart amount ih.-A exceed-3 the ;65 million CA FA thres 'ho lld ,
C xcl 1 a.3i-v( . af' i nter e, sl and C-D st S .

PROCEDURAL RE'DILLIREMENTS 12 . The- procedural requimIrif:nts se I forth in 1 :8 t1.'S .C; . g '1 4-4 6 ;ire : also

satisfied here . Section 1 44 1 5(a) requires, th + - rem o vi n g p.a·rty to file' a ni c>> ;ee or removal "ij1 the district court of IN, United Stales -For the- clistrict and division Within ~rhich such action is pe-nding," 'w'hic,h Microsoft s .3t isfif: , , by t his fi l i rigr .
13 . S eci ;, Clfl 144 I] 0 i; l also reg u ire-s a rf : mav i ng p a rry to provide to I he .

di si:ri, .-!', court a COPY O f till rl r a c C-s s , r1 leadi n gs , and orders served O n any cj efE:ml.an t s,

in the -slate ac;tion, which Microsoft satisfies as well (all such (locurne ;il":s are
attached as 'Exttibit A) . 14 . As required b}' 2 S CI .'S . C ; . § 144 '5 ( 1) ? , M ic:rctscp 11 is ti ,rriely fi li ng th i s
-6-

Case 1:07-cv-02363-CC

Document 1

Filed 09/27/2007

Page 7 of 9

7-Notice

of Removal ml it; li jl thhly il ays o ;f Pku ~ust 25~, :? {~~7, the the or . which

] Pl,z ;- riti fl' , s in-it ed 15 .
a copy

Microsoft with a copy ci 1' t hE: t',o-mp ;l a int ,
as

Finial ly, M icrosofi 4ld ll contemporaneously fit le an appropriate Izotir C',

c>1' wh k :t 1 is attached he reto

Exhibit 13, w ith the S t :p+.rior Ccu rt o i ' Cultaz

' C ;ou l z'Ily , Ge nz g ia, and tivil l serve on ]'I ll iniilY' S V .tte»7 ie"IS a ll tl ic and con-ed copy of this Notice oi' R.emav;il, thvis s,3t i sfviirig the IF:r Cl a 1 111 ng 144 6(cl) . 16 . ;[ n conclusion, Ul icro s oft respect flu l III submits th a" : (1) CA.T& App Ii c-:s'
I e Ci L11C e [Ill ;n·L&

of 28 US) .( ; . §

to this action because. Plaintiff filed hip (:,D nip la int ft 11er t;.A.FA's e ileeti`ri, elate; {2} tli-- piopcr,e:d class contains at least l O D members ; (3) at least one member ol"llie prop ose d class is
a

citizen

(}1 ' a

sa t+e different fi ci rn ] VUC C : I o SCi ft 's state of

in ;.og)-o r,a't i on an al principal place of business ; (4) IN: aggregate amouiv. in
CC· Clt ro G'e C S y

; costs exceeds $5 million, exclusive a f'ir i ter e; il and . and (5) the

procedural r eq t : i rem e-nus fa r re mov al wider 28 U .S . C . § ];44 6 are m ci . . F'0 r these
reasons, this action i s p r0pe,r ly rf: I17C F` ' Cci t o t his c;o1 .11 . D , A .'FE D this 27 Ih day -of ~~e>>ternber,1;(f07

x
-

Geo-rg~:a Bar No, 1579825

E . s~ '~~F'H E.rssorr, . i 11 .

1 :: : : :: :

Ci c.orl; ;z Ear N o . .4 8 0 189

Case 1:07-cv-02363-CC

Document 1

Filed 09/27/2007

Page 8 of 9

D F:1tI N £altC}' tiSIDN DICK ' ER5{) N G earg, ia liar 1 10 . 22 01520
1 '1I, :i ' TO N S6, l3 I'Ri? j, L l ' 11201 Vte,>>: P e a c htree 'Sl rcet A t '1tmi 1a, is/L 3 . q:i 09 -3424 'Cel ( ;J)h one : (4D4 ) 8 ,31=1 0 00 Facsimile : ( 4 04) . 381-77?i'

Pficrosa f f Gi»rpo ri arlon
OF ("'OUT15F:L :
C 1 IARI.E5; B .CA'SPER 'G7, r0 hay . WC-16 cu , 74sriO)z pcnc~in~> ~ d PI:Tr. :R l3F:E- SI..4tJF;R (pro hcc vice a-diniss- iorr,oer din s')

i^at,~ ~z~ E~1~c~r ~)c1er'Gfli11,~

hZC)N`]fG()MEiR~', l2.?· South Bruad tr t P'hisail elphi<<, Pennsylvania ]l') 109 Teler-hoiie :: (2:15:1772-1500 F'4,rs .imile : (2 15)77 .2-7520.
'S eC

I .T F'

.g..

Case 1:07-cv-02363-CC

Document 1

Filed 09/27/2007

Page 9 of 9

1

-1

1

1

][ hereby cerlif~ that on this the :?'7-ttz d .-ty af' .SeptI:iYibc:r, 2007, a co py o f DE F'EN]D)Orf ]V I[ iC'RC},5 t) F"][' coRPOIRATIONIS NOTICE OF ]REMOVAL M D ER 28 1 J.3 .C . § 1 4-4Gll(fi) AND THE CLASS .A.M][Or1 l i A.]R rl]E,151S ACT ]has been served upon the following by United Stales rnCiil, ;postai ;, pzeFiaid : C h rislophl.-;.- t; . 'T'aylor ]E1'err .4-xi Taylor & I,c:e, LLC 'a90 :f1rolcord . Bridge ]Zozicl, ;3uile 3 ]Rowe11, Georgia '30076
_y~._

I) ;, ri ri Di c:kc:csan

_ ~ ... . ... . ... . .... . ... . ... . . ._..

=? -