Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_14-cv-01333/USCOURTS-casd-3_14-cv-01333-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DAVID KAUFFMAN, on behalf of himself

and all others similarly situated,

Plaintiff,

CASE NO. 14-CV-1333-H-DHB

ORDER DECLINING TRANSFER 

vs.

CALLFIRE, INC. and THE

SPORTS NETWORK, INC.,

Defendants.

On November 17, 2014, Plaintiff David Kauffman filed a notice of related cases in this

action under Civil Local Rule 40.1(f), specifying that his putative class action may be related

to another action filed in this district, Couser v. Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc., No.

3:12-cv-02575-LAB-WVG (S.D. Cal. Oct. 23, 2012). (Docket no. 16.) The undersigned

Judge was assigned the Couser case and previously declined to accept transfer of the

Kauffman case on June 12, 2014, having determined that Kauffman was not related to

Couser.

In the interim, Plaintiff Kauffman was given leave to amend his complaint, and filed

his First Amended Complaint (“FAC”) on October 9, 2014. The Clerk of the Court prepared

a transfer order pursuant to the district’s low-number rule on November 19, 2014. See Civ.

L.R. 40.1(e). 

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Case 3:14-cv-01333-H-DHB Document 22 Filed 12/02/14 Page 1 of 2
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After another review of these two cases, the undersigned Judge determined again

that the cases are not related. The plaintiffs in each case are different individuals, and none

of the defendants are the same except one, Callfire, Inc. The respective plaintiffs are

represented by different counsel. The cases do not arise from the same transactions or

events: whereas Couser’s case was about alleged telephone calls she received on

approximately 40 occasions, (Couser, Docket no. 25, FAC, ¶ 30), Kauffman’s allegations

arise out of 31 text-based SMS messages, (Kauffman, Docket no. 10, FAC, ¶ 25). Also, the

calls in Couser were alleged to be unsolicited, (Couser, FAC, ¶¶ 24-25), but the text

messages in Kauffman were alleged to begin after Kauffman dialed a telephone number that

purported to give advice on choosing the winner of sports competitions, (Kauffman, FAC, ¶¶

21-22). The Couser plaintiff settled and relinquished any class action claims before the

Court had the opportunity to determine any class-related issues; in contrast, Kauffman

purports to represent a putative class. 

The Court does not have reason to believe that this action calls for the determination

of any similar facts or adjudication of any identical questions of law. See Civ. L.R. 40.1(g). 

For that reason, it is not a related case and the undersigned declines transfer of this action

under the low-number rule. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: December 1, 2014

HONORABLE LARRY ALAN BURNS

United States District Judge

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