371 F.Supp. 782
Clevester DAVIS et al., Plaintiffs,
v.
AVCO CORPORATION et al.,
Defendants.
No. C 73-226.
United States District Court,
N.D. Ohio, W.D.
Jan. 11, 1974.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
WALINSKI, District Judge.
This cause is before the Court on
defendants' motions to dismiss the
complaint for lack of subject matter
jurisdiction and for failure to state a claim
on which relief can be granted, and to
dismiss the class action aspects of the
complaint. Plaintiff has filed a motion for
conditional certification as a class action
and opposition to defendants' various
motions. Plaintiff has also filed copious
briefs in support of his contentions. The
Court will first consider the motion to
dismiss, for a favorable ruling thereon
would obviate the need to consider the
motion for conditional certification.
I. The Factual Allegations
The complaint, as yet unanswered, is a
class action for damages, and injunctive
and declaratory relief, brought under the
Securities Act of 1933, 15 U.S.C. 77a et
seq., and the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, 15 U.S.C., 78a et seq.
Jurisdiction of this Court is invoked
pursuant to 15 U.S.C., 77l, 77v and
78aa.
Plaintiff begins by alleging [FN1] that in
early 1971, he became the subject of
repeated *785 solicitations to participate in
a "great investment opportunity" known as
Dare To Be Great [hereinafter DBG] by
investing $5,000 in what was called the
"Adventure 4" level. Without going into
plaintiff's allegations in great detail, suffice
it to say that the solicitation efforts of DBG
followed the pattern described by the
Court in SEC v. Glenn W. Turner
Enterprises, Inc., 474 F.2d 476, 479-480
(9th Cir. 1973), and in Note, Dare To Be
Great, Inc!: A Case Study of Pyramid
Sales Plan Regulation, 33 Ohio St.L.J.
676, 677-86 (1972). Plaintiff attended
meetings which were conducted with a
revivalistic fervor and held out the promise
of great wealth if one would but participate
in the DBG program at one of the various,
and increasingly expensive, levels of
participation. Plaintiff, and the members
of the class he represents, were subjected
to almost unrelenting pressure to
participate in the scheme by DBG and its
agents.
FN1. In the following discussion,
the Court will assume the
allegations in the complaint to be
facts even though they are as yet
unproven. Thus, the Court's failure
to qualify a statement with the
word "allege" or other words of
similar import should not be
construed as any indication that
the Court has found the statement
to be true.
Actually, the DBG scheme was a pyramid
operation, accompanied by hard-sell
tactics, whose motivational, self-improvement course was of only nominal
worth. The only possible value which was
purchased by the unwitting participant
was the right to sell the scheme to others,
and this value was dubious because of
the saturation and pyramiding inherent in
the scheme.
Defendants were involved in this
operation in several important aspects.
The first mention of Avco Financial
Services occurred at a "Success
Adventure" meeting in Toledo during May,
1971, when the state director of DBG
advised the prospective participants to
contact Avco Financial Services in Toledo
if they wished to finance the amount
needed to participate. It then appears
that after a period of daily pressure by
DBG to sign up, the plaintiff was urged to
contact defendant McCormick, the
manager of one of defendant Avco
Corporation's offices in Toledo, for the
purpose of discussing financing.
Unknown to plaintiff, DBG had already
arranged in advance with Avco for plaintiff
to take out a loan with Avco.
Subsequently, plaintiff called McCormick
and agreed to come in to see him.
At the meeting with McCormick (and an
agent of DBG) in Avco's office, plaintiff
expressed doubts concerning DBG.
McCormick then assured plaintiff that
DBG:
"*** was a good investment, that
McCormick had thoroughly investigated
[DBG], that McCormick had been to
Success Adventure meetings in Toledo
and on a 'go- tour' to Indianapolis, that
by the time the first payment was due to
AVCO on the loan, plaintiff would have
made enough money from [DBG] sale's
commissions to pay off the entire loan,
that plaintiff would make money from
this investment, and that if plaintiff sold
[DBG] to others who needed financing,
AVCO would finance such subsequent
purchasers."
The complaint further alleges that Avco
and its agents and employees made
similar statements and representations to
all members of the class, and that these
statements were false and misleading and
designed to induce reliance by plaintiffs
who did, in fact, rely on these
representations. Thus, plaintiff was
induced to sign a loan agreement with
Avco Financial Services for $2,672.78,
and to issue his own promissory note,
styled a security, which was purchased
"and underwritten" by Avco. The
proceeds of the loan were then used by
plaintiff:
"*** to purchase for $2,000 a security
underwritten by defendants, commonly
known as Dare To Be Great Adventure
3, from [DBG's] agent."
In this manner, the defendants herein,
and DBG is not a party, participated
directly and indirectly in the financing and
distribution of DBG as a security; and
Avco Corporation and DBG conspired for
DBG to issue, and Avco Corporation *786
to underwrite and finance, DBG as a
security.
Finally, Avco failed to advise plaintiffs of
the potential infirmities of the saturation
and pyramiding of DBG, or of the true
financial position of DBG (and of Glenn
W. Turner Enterprises). Avco either knew
or should have known that the statements
of McCormick were false, misleading, and
failed to state material facts; and these
statements were part of a scheme and
course of business to defraud plaintiffs.
Defendants also knew that the contracts
and security agreements executed by
plaintiffs violated federal securities laws
and were thus void.
II. The Motion To Dismiss
Defendants assert two grounds for
dismissing the complaint herein:
a) The promissory notes issued by the
plaintiffs do not constitute securities
within the meaning of 2(1) of the
Securities Act of 1933, or 3(a)(10) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
and therefore this Court lacks subject
matter jurisdiction.
b) The complaint fails to state a claim on
which relief can be granted because
defendants are not "underwriters" or
"dealers" as defined by the acts.
a) Subject Matter Jurisdiction
It is clear that this contention turns solely
on whether plaintiffs' promissory notes
constitute "securities" as defined by 2(1)
and 3(a)(10). Section 2(1) states that
"security" means "*** any note, stock,
treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence
of indebtedness ***." 15 U.S.C., 77b(1).
[Emphasis added.] Section 3(a)(10)
contains virtually the same language
except that the words "evidence of
indebtedness" are omitted. 15 U.S.C.,
78c(a)(10).
It can be seen that the literal definitions
begin with the word "note." Plaintiff thus
argues that the words "any note" mean
exactly that-any note-and that this Court
should adopt a literal interpretation of
those definitional sections. Defendants
argue that while notes are literally covered
by the acts, the Congress intended, and
the courts have usually required, some
showing of the commercial setting in
which the alleged transactions took place,
and that these notes could not possibly be
securities in view of the purely consumer
financing nature of the transactions which
are the subject matter of the complaint.
Therefore, they argue, since the notes are
not securities, nothing herein is covered
by the federal securities laws, and thus
this Court is without subject matter
jurisdiction.
[1][2] The Court is mindful that the
federal securities laws are remedial in
nature and thus should be broadly
construed so as to effectuate their
purposes. Tcherepnin v. Knight, 389 U.S.
332, 336, 88 S.Ct. 548, 19 L.Ed.2d 564
(1967). It should also be noted that past
decisions have indeed indicated the need
to take into account the economic realities
of the transactions which are the subject
of the case in identifying a security. See
e. g., SEC v. W. J. Howey Co., 328 U.S.
293, 298, 66 S.Ct. 1100, 90 L.Ed. 1244
(1946).
"The test *** is what character the
instrument is given in commerce by the
terms of the offer, the plan of
distribution, and the economic
inducements held out to the prospect."
SEC v. Joiner Corp., 320 U.S. 344, 352-353, 64 S.Ct. 120, 124, 88 L.Ed. 88
(1943).
However, Howey involved the definition
of "investment contract", Joiner involved
oil leases, and Tcherepnin involved
withdrawable capital shares in a Savings
and Loan Association, none of which fit
within the literal meaning of notes, stocks
or bonds, which are the commonest forms
of securities. The use of the economic
realities test when the device fits within
one of the literal definitions is not so clear.
Professor Coffey takes the position that
the more desirable approach is to *787
give the economic realities test "primacy
over literal coverage." Coffey, The
Economic Realities of a "Security": Is
There a More Meaningful Formula?, 18
Western Reserve L.Rev. 367, 407 (1967).
The reason for this primacy is that:
"If *** courts also adopt a practice of
liberally defining the terms 'stock,'
'bond,' 'note,' or 'evidence of
indebtedness,' any examination of
'economic realities' might well be
foreclosed with respect to the majority of
alleged 'security' transactions." Id. at
406.
The danger of such a foreclosure of
examination is said to be that it inevitably
leads to curious results which the drafters
of securities fraud statutes did not
envision. See, e. g., Strauss v. State, 113
Ga.App. 90, 147 S.E.2d 367 (1966).
[Money order held to be security.]
[3][4] This Court is persuaded by
Professor Coffey's proposition that the
term "security" be viewed as:
"*** a transaction whose characteristics
distinguish it from the generality of
transactions so as to create a need for
the special fraud procedures,
protections, and remedies provided by
the securities laws." Coffey, loc. cit.
supra, at 373.
Thus, as applied to this case, the
promissory notes herein are securities
within the meaning of 2(1) and 3(a)(10)
if the events leading up to their issuance
are such as to call into play the antifraud
protections and remedies of the securities
laws, consistent with the purposes
Congress had in mind in adopting these
laws, and notwithstanding the literal
applicability of the definitional sections. In
short, the commercial setting, or economic
realities, of the transaction is relevant in
interpreting the term "security" even
where the device at issue is a note.
[5] At the outset, the Court notes that we
are at the pleading stage, and defendants
have not yet answered the complaint.
Therefore the allegations in the complaint
should be construed in a light most
favorable to the plaintiff when considered
as against a motion to dismiss for lack of
subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to
Rule 12(b)(1), Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure. Cf. Conley v. Gibson, 355
U.S. 41, 48, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80
(1957).
The complaint indicates that plaintiff and
the members of the class he represents
were a group of unsophisticated investors
who probably did not understand the
potential (and likely) risks to the money
they were investing in DBG and which
they were borrowing from defendants. On
the other hand, plaintiffs appear to have
been persuaded by the representations of
defendant McCormick as to the
soundness of their prospective
participation and presumably viewed him,
and by inference Avco Corporation, as
being more knowledgeable than they in
such matters. As respects the various
parties involved in the transactions,
McCormick could be held to be more
sophisticated as to the risks involved than
the plaintiff. Defendants held out the
promise of quick and sure financial
returns, even predicting that the loan
applicant will be able to pay off the loan
before the first installment is due.
It is not necessary to go further into the
facts alleged to find that these allegations,
if proven, are transactions sufficiently
distinguishable from ordinary consumer or
commercial transactions that the anti-fraud provisions of the securities laws fill
a special need. And it is at least arguably
true that such transactions are of the kind
which Congress had in mind in defining
the term "security." [FN2] Here were
unsophisticated investors, with little
knowledge or understanding of the likely
risks their investment *788 faced, being
persuaded by the manager of a finance
company with pictures of future profits
which will surely follow. It appears that
these are the very kinds of transactions
which Congress intended to sweep under
the umbrella of the anti- fraud provisions
of the securities laws. Several Supreme
Court decisions have concluded that the
anti-fraud provisions of federal securities
legislation should be flexibly construed in
order to carry out the remedial purposes.
See e. g., Affiliated Ute Citizens v. United
States, 406 U.S. 128, 151, 92 S.Ct. 1456,
31 L.Ed.2d 741 (1972); Superintendent of
Ins. v. Bankers Life & Casualty Co., 404
U.S. 6, 12, 92 S.Ct. 165, 30 L.Ed.2d 128
(1971); and SEC v. Capital Gains
Research Bureau, 375 U.S. 180, 186, 84
S.Ct. 275, 11 L.Ed.2d 237 (1963).
Decisions in other federal courts only
reinforce this view when promissory notes
have been used. See Llanos v. United
States, 206 F.2d 852 (9th Cir. 1953), cert.
denied, 346 U.S. 923, 74 S.Ct. 310, 98
L.Ed. 417 (1954); SEC v. Thunderbird
Valley, Inc., 356 F.Supp. 184
(D.S.D.1973); SEC v. Addison, 194
F.Supp. 709 (N.D.Tex.1961); and United
States v. Monjar, 47 F.Supp. 421
(D.Del.1942), aff'd, 147 F.2d 916 (3d Cir.
1944).
FN2. [This subchapter] reaches
the novel, uncommon or irregular
devices if it is proved that they are
widely offered or dealt in under
terms or courses of dealing which
established their character in
commerce as investment contracts
or as any interest or instrument
commonly known as a security.
SEC v. Joiner Leasing Corp., 320
U.S. 344, 64 S.Ct. 120, 88 L.Ed.
88 (1943).
[6] For these reasons this Court holds
that, based on the allegations in the
complaint, these promissory notes
constitute securities within the meaning of
15 U.S.C., 77b(1) and 78c(a)(10).
b) Failure to State a Claim
[7][8] The complaint is composed of six
counts. Count One alleges violations of
15 U.S.C., 77g and 78j(b), and Rule
10b-5 of the Securities and Exchange
Commission. It alleges that defendants
were "underwriters" under 15 U.S.C.,
77b(11), that defendants had knowledge
of the operations of DBG and yet made
false statements, as well as material
omissions of facts, in their representations
to plaintiffs in connection with the sale of
a security, i. e., the promissory notes. In
order to dismiss for failure to state a
claim, it must be clear that plaintiff could
prove no set of facts in support of his
claims which would entitle him to relief.
Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520-521,
92 S.Ct. 594, 30 L.Ed.2d 652 (1972).
Thus, it is clear that Count One states a
claim under that test. See Superintendent
of Ins. v. Bankers Life & Casualty Co.,
404 U.S. 6, 92 S.Ct. 165, 30 L.Ed.2d 128
(1971).
[9] Count Two alleges that defendants
solicited and attempted to buy securities
from plaintiffs within the meaning of 15
U.S.C., 77b(3) and 77l(2). It further
alleges that in this solicitation defendants
made false, oral statements, while having
knowledge of DBG's operations and
financial standing, in violation of 15
U.S.C., 77l(2); and defendants are also
in violation of the margin requirements of
15 U.S.C., 78g. This count also clearly
states a claim. See Emmi v. First
Manufacturer's Nat. Bank, 336 F.Supp.
629 (D.Me.1971); and Thiele v. Shields,
131 F.Supp. 416 (S.D.N.Y.1955).
Moreover, like Judge Young, this Court is
of the opinion that a private action by an
investor is an effective and legitimate
means of enforcing the margin
requirements of 78g. See Golob v.
Naumann, Vandervoort, Inc., 353 F.Supp.
1264 (N.D.W.D.Ohio 1972).
[10] Count Three alleges that defendants
offered and sold non-exempt securities
without filing a registration statement as
required under 15 U.S.C., 77g and
77aa or a prospectus as required by 15
U.S.C., 77j. Therefore, it is alleged,
defendants violated 15 U.S.C.,
77e(a)(1), (a)(2), (b)(2), (c); 77k(a); and
77l(1). It appears to this Court that this
count states a valid claim under the
previously-mentioned test.
[11] This Court was unable to find any
cases directly on point, but a careful
reading of the appropriate sections
convinces the Court that a claim under
77e is good as against a motion to
dismiss for failure to state a claim where,
*789 as here, the pleadings allege an offer
or sale of security, use of the mails or an
instrumentality of interstate commerce,
and a failure to file a registration
statement for a non-exempt security.
[12] Count Four alleges that defendants
are brokers or dealers within the meaning
of 15 U.S.C., 78c(a)(4) and (5), and that
they made use of the mails for
transactions in the sale of securities
without registering as brokers or dealers
pursuant to 15 U.S.C., 78o(a)(1), and
further made use of deceptive devices
pursuant to 15 U.S.C., 78o(c). This
count appears also to state a claim.
[13][14] Again, the Court could find, and
the parties offered, no cases precisely on
point. However, other courts have held
that this section, and other related
sections, of the securities laws carry an
implied right of civil recovery by buyers or
sellers of securities when they allege, as
here, use of the mails or any
instrumentality of interstate commerce for
the purpose of making or inducing a
transaction in the sale of securities by a
broker or dealer, as defined by 78c, who
failed to register as brokers or dealers.
Further, the use of a fraudulent,
deceptive, or manipulative device by such
an unregistered broker or dealer, as here
alleged, is a valid claim under 78o(c).
Cf. Rekant v. Dresser, 425 F.2d 872 (5th
Cir. 1970).
[15] The Fifth and Sixth Counts are state
law claims which are sought to be pended
to the federal claims under the doctrine of
pendent jurisdiction. Count Five alleges
violations of Ohio's Blue Sky laws,
1707.01(E) and (F), and 1707.14. Count
Six alleges a common law claim of fraud
and deceit; and it contains allegations of
false, material statements, known to be
false when made, which were made with
intent to induce plaintiffs to rely on these
statements, which they did in fact rely on,
and which resulted in injury to the
plaintiffs. All of these claims are alleged
to have risen from the same set of
operative facts as the federal claims and
are of such a nature that plaintiffs would
realistically be expected to bring them all
in one lawsuit. Hence, these state claims
are good as against a motion under Rule
12(b)(6), Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure, and this Court has jurisdiction
over them which it chooses to exercise.
United Mine Workers v. Gibbs, 383 U.S.
715, 86 S.Ct. 1130, 16 L.Ed.2d 218
(1966).
III. The Class Action
Since it is clear that the motion to dismiss
must be denied, the Court must now
consider plaintiff's motion for conditional
certification as a class action pursuant to
Rule 23(c)(1), Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure.
[16] Plaintiff brings his class action under
Rule 23(a) and (b)(3), Federal Rules of
Civil Procedure. He alleges that the
proposed class is composed of all
persons who obtained loans from the
defendants, including the parent
corporation, subsidiaries and affiliates
across the nation, for the purpose of
participating in a security known as Dare
To Be Great within three years of the filing
of this action. Plaintiff estimates the size
of the class nationwide to be
approximately 1,000 persons. He further
alleges that he adequately represents the
class due to his personally large stake in
the outcome, and that he is represented
by institutional counsel who will vigorously
conduct the litigation. In this regard, the
Court takes notice of the fact that
plaintiff's counsel, Advocates for Basic
Legal Equality, is indeed qualified
institutional counsel, experienced in class
action litigation, having litigated several
large class action lawsuits in this Court.
Plaintiff's allegations as to the DBG
security at issue are confined to the
Adventures 3 and 4 and the $1,000 plan.
He alleges that the Adventure 3 involved
a sum of $2,000 and Adventure 4 involved
$5,000. Therefore the probable amounts
which any member of the class would
have at stake could range from $1,000 to
an amount in excess of $5,000.
Plaintiff further alleges that his claims are
typical of the class he represents *790
since he secured a loan from defendants
for the purpose of investing in DBG and
has received nothing in return on his
investment. He states that sub-classes
can be created as to damages.
The class is so numerous, in excess of
1,000 persons, that joinder of all members
is impracticable. Since the complaint
alleges that a conspiracy between Avco
Corporation and DBG existed, and the
class contains all persons who obtained
loans from any of Avco's subsidiaries and
affiliates as a result of the conspiracy, this
action could have a scope at least as
broad as the state of Ohio and perhaps as
broad as the country.
It is further alleged that there are
common questions of law and fact relating
to the representations made by the
defendants, who are claimed to have
acted as underwriters to all the members
of the class, which relate to violations of
the same sections of the Securities Act of
1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. It is also said that the plaintiff's
claims as to false and misleading
statements are typical of the class claims.
The complaint also alleged that these
common, typical claims as to fraud and
misrepresentation and the resulting
violations of federal securities laws
predominate over any individual claims of
members of the class; and therefore,
given the size of the class and
commonality of claims, a class action is
said to be superior to any other available
method for resolution of this dispute. In
this regard plaintiff asserts that there is no
real conflict of interest between class
members since they are all seeking similar
relief on identical claims. Therefore, given
the complexity of a case such as this, no
individual member would have any
interest in controlling the litigation.
Finally, in order to avoid a multiplicity of
actions, something that is common to
securities fraud cases, there is desirability
in concentrating the litigation to a class
action in this Court which is also a proper
and desirable forum having power to hear
all the claims and fashion a remedy.
[17] As plaintiff has correctly pointed out,
in order to maintain a class action under
Rule 23(b)(3), it is necessary for the Court
to make at least six determinations. Rule
23(a) requires four findings, which may
loosely be lumped under the headings of
numerosity, commonality, typicality, and
adequacy of representation. Rule
23(b)(3), further requires a finding that the
common questions of law or fact
predominate over any questions affecting
only individual members, and a finding
that a class action is "superior to other
available methods for the fair and efficient
adjudication of the controversy." Rule
23(b)(3), Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure.
[18] Since this cause is still at the
pleading stage and defendants have not
yet answered the complaint, this Court will
assume that the facts as stated in the
pleadings are true for the purposes of this
motion. Green v. Wolf Corp., 406 F.2d
291, 294 (2d Cir. 1968); Vine v. Beneficial
Finance Co., 374 F.2d 627 (2d Cir. 1967),
cert. denied, 389 U.S. 970, 88 S.Ct. 463,
19 L.Ed.2d 460 (1969); Siegel v. Chicken
Delight, Inc., 271 F.Supp. 722, 725
(N.D.Calif.1969).
[19] Plaintiff alleges that the asserted
class is composed of all persons who
obtained loans from Avco Corporation or
any of its several subsidiaries and
affiliates nationwide, and that the class
numbers in excess of 1,000 persons. It
will be recalled that plaintiff has alleged
that defendants engaged in scheme,
practice, and course of business for the
purpose of defrauding plaintiff and the
members of the class he represents. It
should also be noted that plaintiff has
alleged a conspiracy between the parent
Avco Corporation and Dare To Be Great
in which DBG was to issue and Avco was
to underwrite and finance DBG's
securities. The alleged scheme and
course of conduct, as well as the
conspiracy, appear to extend beyond *791
the geographic area of this Court, thus
making the size of the alleged class to be
quite numerous. Hence, this Court finds,
based on the allegations being assumed
to be true, that the class is too numerous
and too widely scattered to be practicably
joined.
As previously shown, it has been alleged
that there are common questions of law
and fact relating to the representations
made by the defendants which are
claimed to have violated the same
sections of federal securities laws as to all
members of the class. In finding
commonality of claims, it has been said
that the:
"*** fundamental question is whether the
group aspiring to class status is seeking
to remedy a common legal grievance."
3 B J. Moore, Federal Practice,
23.45[2], at 23-756 (8th Release 1969).
And in the area of securities fraud cases,
one court has pointed out that:
"*** taking the issue in the context of the
securities laws and realizing that 'the
ultimate effectiveness of the federal
remedies *** may depend in large
measure on the applicability of the class
action device,' [citation omitted], the
interests of justice require that in a
doubtful case, such as was presented
here when considered by the trial court,
any error, if there is to be one, should be
committed in favor of allowing the class
action." Esplin v. Hirschi, 402 F.2d 94,
101 (10th Cir. 1968), cert. denied, 394
U.S. 928, 89 S.Ct. 1194, 22 L.Ed.2d 459
(1969).
The court in Esplin was speaking in the
context of a finding of common questions
of law or fact. See also Korn v. Franchard
Corp., 456 F.2d 1206, 1213 fn. 18 (2d Cir.
1972).
This Court is of the opinion that where,
as here, the complaint alleges a course of
conduct in which similar oral
representations were made to all the
members of the class, the requirement of
common questions of law or fact has been
met. See Dolgow v. Anderson, 43 F.R.D.
472, 488-490 (E.D.N.Y.1968).
It should also be obvious that plaintiff's
claims are typical of the class claims.
Both assert that defendants interfered
with the same legal interests on the same
set of facts.
The Court has already indicated that the
representation of the class will be
adequate by this plaintiff. He has a
sufficiently large stake in the outcome and
counsel have a demonstrated proficiency
in class actions.
This leaves for consideration the
requirements of Rule 23(b)(3), i.e.,
predominance of common issues and
superiority of a class action. Defendant,
in its memorandum in support of its
motion to dismiss the class action aspects
of the complaint, filed July 23, 1973,
states that:
"*** where the activities allegedly giving
rise to liability are standardized, as
where uniform misrepresentations are
made to all members of the group, a
class action will be proper." Def.Memo.,
p.6.
A reading of the complaint suggests that
this is exactly what plaintiff has alleged-standardized, uniform misrepresentations
to all members of the class. Defendants
would have this Court now find that there
could have been no standardized, uniform
misrepresentations to all of the members
of the class on this motion to certify. But
that is the very subject of this lawsuit.
Obviously for plaintiff to prevail, at trial,
his proof will have to conform to his
pleadings. It does not seem to this Court,
however, that the interests of justice
dictate a denial of class action status
because of the difficulties of proof.
[20] For the present, plaintiff has alleged
that the common issues of fraudulent
misrepresentation under 15 U.S.C.,
77g and 78j(b) and Rule 10b-5, as well as
the failure to register charges under 15
U.S.C., 77e, 77k and 77l, as well as
the other claims, all predomimate over
any other individual issues. Defendants
argue that there can be no *792
predominance of common issues of law or
fact because plaintiff has alleged oral
misrepresentations and that therefore
there will necessarily be varying
representations accompanied by varying
degrees of reliance. It should be noted
however that plaintiff has alleged material
omissions as well as misrepresentations
in violation of Rule 10b-5. Where such a
course of conduct is alleged, other courts
have found the necessary predominance.
Esplin v. Hirschi, 402 F.2d 94 (10th Cir.
1968); In re Penn Central Securities
Litigation, 347 F.Supp. 1327
(E.D.Pa.1972); Dolgow v. Anderson,
supra. And plaintiff is quite correct that
the Supreme Court has done away with
any requirement that the plaintiff must
offer positive proof of individual reliance in
cases under Rule 10b-5. Affiliated Ute
Citizens v. United States, 406 U.S. 128,
153-154, 92 S.Ct. 1456, 31 L.Ed.2d 741
(1972).
In finding predominance, some courts
have used a "common nucleus of
operative facts" test, when as here,
standardized, uniform misrepresentations
and omissions, which are used as part of
a scheme or course of business or
practice and which operated as a fraud,
constitute the heart of the complaint.
Esplin v. Hirschi, 402 F.2d 94, 99 (10th
Cir. 1968), cert. denied, 394 U.S. 928, 89
S.Ct. 1194, 22 L.Ed.2d 459 (1969); Siegel
v. Chicken Delight, Inc., 271 F.Supp. 722,
726 (N.D.Calif.1967). This Court feels
that such a test correctly describes what
plaintiff has here alleged. Whatever may
be individual variations in the practice
which plaintiff claims took place, this
Court feels that the heart of this complaint
is a common nucleus of operative facts all
pointing toward violations of the same
legal interests. Defendants' contention
that since many members of the class
sponsored other members for loans to
purchase DBG, they are in pari delicto
with defendants and therefore there can
be no predominance is clearly specious.
The Supreme Court has only recently
reiterated what it calls:
"*** the inappropriateness of invoking
broad common-law barriers to relief
where a private suit serves important
public purposes." Perma Life Mufflers,
Inc. v. International Parts Corp., 392
U.S. 134, 138, 88 S.Ct. 1981, 1984, 20
L.Ed.2d 982 (1968).
Finally, it is necessary to show that a
class action is superior to other available
methods for the fair and efficient
adjudication of this controversy.
Numerous courts have found the class
action device to be a superior method of
proceeding in a securities law fraud case.
Green v. Wolf Corp., 406 F.2d 291 (2d
Cir. 1968); Esplin v. Hirschi, 402 F.2d 94,
101 (10th Cir. 1967); Feder v. Harrington,
52 F.R.D. 178 (S.D.N.Y.1970); Cohen v.
Franchard, 51 F.R.D. 167 (S.D.N.Y.1970);
Rosenblatt v. Omega Equities Corp., 50
F.R.D. 61 (S.D.N.Y.1970). Indeed one
court has indicated that it thought it
beyond dispute that a class action was
superior to other methods in a securities
fraud case. Lewis v. Bogin, 337 F.Supp.
331, 338 (S.D.N.Y.1972).
Defendant would have the Court utilize
instead a program of consolidation and
liberal use of intervention and joinder.
However, given the far-reaching aspects
of the allegations, of which the Court has
previously spoken, consolidation,
intervention and joinder appear now to be
highly inefficient as well as unlikely to
promote the ends of justice, both for
plaintiffs as well as defendants. Therefore
a class seems at this point to be a
superior method of disposing of this
controversy.
IV. Order
For the reasons previously expressed,
It is ordered that defendants' motion to
dismiss be, and hereby is, denied;
That the cause herein be, and hereby is,
certified as a class action for damages
and other equitable relief on behalf of all
persons who borrowed money through
loans obtained from the defendants,
including the parent corporation, *793
affiliates, and subsidiaries throughout the
State of Ohio, for the purpose of entry into
and participation in a security commonly
known as Dare To Be Great, Inc.,
Adventures 3 and 4 and the $1,000 plan
within three years of the filing of this
action; and this certification shall be
conditional on the results of discovery
which may be directed outside the
geographical limits of this Court, and
evidence obtained at an evidentiary
hearing to be held after the close of
discovery, after which a final
determination shall be made as to the
propriety of a class action as well as to
the size and scope thereof.
It is further ordered that the notice
required under Rule 23(c)(2) be stayed
until the Court receives sufficient facts
from the parties as to the size and
location of the class.
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