Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_18-cv-03291/USCOURTS-cand-5_18-cv-03291-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 790
Nature of Suit: Other Labor Litigation
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

WILLIE R. MEADOWS,

Plaintiff,

v.

AMERICAN ADDICTION CENTERS, 

INC.,

Defendant.

Case No. 18-cv-03291-BLF 

ORDER VACATING APRIL 16, 2020 

HEARING ON MOTION TO

INTERVENE; GRANTING MOTION

TO INTERVENE; AUTHORIZING 

FILING OF COMPLAINT IN 

INTERVENTION; AND SETTING 

DEADLINE FOR STATUS REPORT RE 

FILING OF CONSOLIDATED CLASS 

ACTION COMPLAINT

[Re: ECF 41]

Having determined that the Motion to Intervene (ECF 41) filed by Proposed Intervenor 

Caroline Park (“Park”) is appropriate for disposition without a hearing, the Court VACATES the 

hearing set for April 16, 2020. Park’s motion is GRANTED for the reasons discussed below.

Plaintiff Willie R. Meadows (“Meadows”) filed this putative class action in the Santa Clara 

County Superior Court on April 27, 2018, asserting claims against his former employer, 

Defendant American Addiction Centers, Inc. (“AAC”), for violations of federal and state credit 

reporting laws, state wage and hour laws, and state unfair competition law. See Notice of 

Removal Exh. A, ECF 1-1. AAC removed the action to federal district court on June 1, 2018, on 

the basis of federal question jurisdiction. See Notice of Removal, ECF 1. Meadows filed the 

operative first amended complaint (“FAC”) on September 11, 2018, adding a claim under 

California’s Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”). See FAC, ECF 16. AAC answered the 

FAC on February 14, 2019. See Answer, ECF 29.

Case 5:18-cv-03291-BLF Document 47 Filed 04/09/20 Page 1 of 3
2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

On April 11, 2019, Proposed Intervenor Park filed a putative class action against AAC in 

the Orange County Superior Court, and on July 12, 2019, Park filed a first amended complaint 

against AAC (“Park FAC”). See Allen Decl. ¶ 9, ECF 41-1. Although Park apparently intended 

to attach a copy of the Park FAC to the present motion, it was omitted from Park’s filing.1 The 

Court accepts the description of the Park FAC provided in the Motion to Intervene, which is 

signed by Park’s counsel. See Motion to Intervene, ECF 41. The Park FAC alleges that Park 

worked for AAC as a non-exempt, hourly nurse from approximately March 2016 to February 22, 

2019. See id. Park asserts state law wage and hour claims on behalf of a putative class of nonexempt, hourly nurses employed by AAC in California, as well as a PAGA claim for penalties 

arising from the alleged wage and hour violations. See id. The Orange County Superior Court has 

stayed Park’s action. See Allen Decl. ¶ 10, ECF 41-1. 

Park now seeks leave to intervene as of right in the present action pursuant to Federal Rule 

of Civil Procedure 24(a). See Motion to Intervene, ECF 41. An applicant seeking to intervene as 

of right under Rule 24(a) must “make four showings to qualify under this Rule: (1) it has a 

significant protectable interest relating to the property or transaction that is the subject of the 

action; (2) the disposition of the action may, as a practical matter, impair or impede the applicant’s 

ability to protect its interest; (3) the application is timely; and (4) the existing parties may not 

adequately represent the applicant’s interest.” Perry v. Schwarzenegger, 630 F.3d 898, 903 (9th 

Cir. 2011) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). Park has satisfied these four 

requirements. She has a significant protectable interest in the subject of the present action, as it 

appears that she is a putative class member in the present action (factor 1). Disposition of the 

present action may impair or impede Park’s ability to protect her interest, as her claims against 

AAC will be resolved by the present action unless she opts out (factor 2). Park’s application is 

timely, as the present action is in its early stages (factor 3). Finally, the parties to the present 

action may not adequately represent Park’s interests, as Plaintiff Meadows has not asserted claims 

1 The Allen Declaration states that a copy of Park’s FAC is attached to the declaration as Exhibit 

G. See Allen Decl. ¶ 9, ECF 41-1. However, there is no Exhibit G attached to the Allen 

Declaration.

Case 5:18-cv-03291-BLF Document 47 Filed 04/09/20 Page 2 of 3
3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

specific to nurses who work an alternative workweek schedule or a standalone claim for unpaid 

overtime, both claims that Park seeks to assert (factor 4).

Pursuant to a stipulation submitted by Plaintiff Meadows, Defendant AAC, and Proposed 

Intervenor Park, and approved by the Court, any opposition to the Motion to Intervene was due by 

March 6, 2020. See Stipulation and Order, ECF 44. Defendant AAC filed a Statement of NonOpposition on March 6, 2020. See Statement of Non-Opposition, ECF 45. Plaintiff Meadows did 

not respond to the Motion to Intervene. Accordingly, based on the Court’s determination that Park 

has satisfied the requirements of Rule 24(a), governing intervention as of right, and absent any 

opposition, Park’s Motion to Intervene is GRANTED.

Park has submitted a Proposed Complaint in Intervention. See Proposed Complaint, ECF 

41-2. Park SHALL file her Complaint in Intervention separately on the docket on or before April 

15, 2020.

Meadows and Park SHALL file a joint status report, on or before April 22, 2020, advising 

the Court whether they intend to file a consolidated class action complaint and proposing a 

schedule for such filing.

ORDER

For the foregoing reasons,

(1) The April 16, 2020 hearing on the Motion to Intervene is VACATED;

(2) The Motion to Intervene is GRANTED;

(3) Park SHALL file her Complaint in Intervention separately on the docket on or 

before April 15, 2020; and

(4) Meadows and Park SHALL file a joint status report, on or before April 22, 2020, 

advising the Court whether they intend to file a consolidated class action complaint 

and proposing a schedule for such filing.

Dated: April 9, 2020

______________________________________

BETH LABSON FREEMAN

United States District Judge

Case 5:18-cv-03291-BLF Document 47 Filed 04/09/20 Page 3 of 3