Brooks et al v. BC Custom Construction, Inc. et al
Filing
61
ORDER: The Court ADOPTS Magistrate Judge You's Findings and Recommendation (ECF 47 ) as its own Opinion and Order. Accordingly, the Court GRANTS in part and DENIES in part the Builder Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (ECF 26 ) and G RANTS in part and DENIES in part the Lender Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (ECF 28 ). The Court, therefore, DISMISSES Plaintiffs' Claim One in part without prejudice and with leave to amend as set out above. The Court also DISMISSES Plainti ffs' Claims Two and Four without prejudice and with leave to amend. The Court DISMISSES Plaintiffs' Claim Three with prejudice. The Court, however, declines to dismiss Plaintiffs' Claims Five through Seven, and resolves Plaintiffs' claims for declaratory and injunctive relief in the same manner as the underlying substantive claims. IT IS SO ORDERED. Signed on 8/1/2019 by Judge Marco A. Hernandez. (pvh)
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF OREGON
BRIAN JAMES BROOKS and JENNIFER
HATCHER BROOKS,
No. 3:18-cv-00717-YY
ORDER
Plaintiffs,
v.
BC CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION, INC.;
HOF II VERTICAL, LLC; THE HOLT
GROUP, INC.; GREG KUBICEK; and
WILLIAM C. WINKENBACH,
Defendants.
HERNÁNDEZ, District Judge:
Magistrate Judge You issued a Findings and Recommendation [ECF 47] on May 21,
2019, in which she recommends that this Court grant in part and deny in part the Motion to
Dismiss [ECF 26] filed by Defendants BC Custom Construction, Inc., and William C.
Winkenbach (collectively the “Builder Defendants”); and grant in part and deny in part the
Motion to Dismiss [ECF 28] filed by Defendants HOF II Vertical, LLC; The Holt Group, Inc.;
and Greg Kubicek (collectively the “Lender Defendants”). In particular, Magistrate Judge You
recommends the Court:
(1) Dismiss Plaintiffs’ Claim One in part without prejudice and with leave to amend on
the bases that (a) Defendants are not “creditors” within the meaning of the Truth in Lending Act
(“TILA”), 15 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq., and (b) Plaintiffs cannot obtain actual damages under TILA
1 - ORDER
because they have not adequately pleaded detrimental reliance. Judge You, however, also
recommends the Court decline to dismiss Claim One in part on the basis that Plaintiffs have
adequately alleged that Builder and Lender are “mortgage originators” within the meaning of
TILA;
(2) Dismiss Plaintiffs’ Claim Two, which Plaintiffs bring under the Oregon Mortgage
Lender Law, Oregon Revised Statutes §§ 86A.095–86A.103, without prejudice and with leave to
amend;
(3) Dismiss Plaintiffs’ Claim Three under the Oregon Mortgage Loan Origination law,
Oregon Revised Statutes §§ 86A.200–86A.242, with prejudice;
(4) Dismiss Claim Four under the Oregon Unlawful Trade Practices Act, Oregon Revised
Statutes §§ 646.605–646.652, without prejudice and with leave to amend;
(5) Decline to dismiss Claim Five, which Plaintiffs bring against the Builder Defendants
for breach of fiduciary duty;
(6) Decline to dismiss Claim Six, which Plaintiffs bring against the Lender Defendants
for aiding and assisting the breach of a fiduciary duty;
(7) Decline to dismiss Claim Seven as to the Lender Defendants. Although Plaintiffs
bring Claim Seven against all Defendants under an unjust-enrichment theory, only the Lender
Defendants moved to dismiss Plaintiffs’ unjust-enrichment claim; and
(8) Resolve Plaintiffs’ claims for declaratory and injunctive relief in the same manner as
the corresponding underlying claims set out above.
The matter is now before the Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B) and Federal
Rule of Civil Procedure 72(b). Each of the parties filed timely objections to the Magistrate
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Judge’s Findings and Recommendation. Lender Defs’ Objs., [ECF 51, 56];1 Plaintiffs’ Objs.
[ECF 53]; Builder Defs’ Objs. [ECF 54].2 When any party objects to any portion of the
Magistrate Judge’s Findings & Recommendation, the district court must make a de novo
determination of that portion of the Magistrate Judge’s report. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1); Dawson v.
Marshall, 561 F.3d 930, 932 (9th Cir. 2009); United States v. Reyna-Tapia, 328 F.3d 1114, 1121
(9th Cir. 2003) (en banc).
The Court has carefully considered the parties’ objections and concludes there is not any
basis to modify the Findings and Recommendation. The Court has also reviewed the pertinent
portions of the record de novo and finds no error in the Magistrate Judge’s Findings and
Recommendation.
CONCLUSION
The Court, therefore, ADOPTS Magistrate Judge You’s Findings and Recommendation
[ECF 47] as its own Opinion and Order. Accordingly, the Court GRANTS in part and DENIES
in part the Builder Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss [ECF 26] and GRANTS in part and DENIES
in part the Lender Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss [ECF 28].
The Court, therefore, DISMISSES Plaintiffs’ Claim One in part without prejudice and
with leave to amend as set out above. The Court also DISMISSES Plaintiffs’ Claims Two and
Four without prejudice and with leave to amend. The Court DISMISSES Plaintiffs’ Claim Three
with prejudice. The Court, however, declines to dismiss Plaintiffs’ Claims Five through Seven,
1
On July 10, 2019, the Lender Defendants filed a Reply [ECF 60] in support of their Objections
to the Magistrate Judge’s Findings and Recommendation. On July 15, 2019, however, the Lender
Defendants withdrew that Reply because reply memoranda are ordinarily not permitted to be
filed in support of objections to a magistrate judge’s findings and recommendation without leave
of Court. Accordingly, the Court declines to consider the Lender Defendants’ Reply.
2
The Court notes the Builder Defendants object to the portion of the Findings and
Recommendation in which Judge You declined to dismiss Plaintiffs’ unjust-enrichment claim.
The Builder Defendants, however, did not move to dismiss Claim Seven in their Motion [ECF
26]. In any event, the Court finds no error in the Magistrate Judge’s analysis on Claim Seven.
3 - ORDER
and resolves Plaintiffs’ claims for declaratory and injunctive relief in the same manner as the
underlying substantive claims.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
DATED this _________ day of July, 2019.
____________________________________
MARCO A. HERNÁNDEZ
United States District Judge
4 - ORDER
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