Mazzei v. Money Store

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Plaintiff filed a class action against The Money Store, alleging overcharge of late fees on mortgages. After plaintiff prevailed in the jury trial, the district court granted defendants' post-verdict motion to decertify a class that was previously certified pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(a) and (b)(3), and entered judgment in favor of plaintiff only. The court held that a district court has power, consistent with the Seventh Amendment and Rule 23, to decertify a class after a jury verdict and before the entry of final judgment; in considering such decertification (or modification), the district court must defer to any factual findings the jury necessarily made unless those findings were “seriously erroneous,” a “miscarriage of justice,” or “egregious.” Applying these principles, the court concluded that the district court did not abuse discretion in determining that Rule 23’s requirements were not met and in decertifying the class. Accordingly, the court affirmed the judgment. An accompanying summary order affirms the denial of plaintiff’s motion for a new trial as to a second claim. View "Mazzei v. Money Store" on Justia Law