Source: http://pa.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20091105_0001020.MPA.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 06:03:07+00:00

Document:
Before the court is Defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings. (Doc. 8.) The motion had been fully briefed, and is now ripe for disposition. For the reasons that follow, the motion will be denied.
On December 30, 2008, Plaintiff filed a complaint alleging invasion of privacy and violations of the Federal and Pennsylvania Wiretap Acts.*fn3 On January 27, 2009, Defendant filed an answer with affirmative defenses claiming the Release signed by both parties absolves him of any liability. (Doc. 4.) On March 9, 2009, Defendant filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings and a brief in support. (Docs. 8, 9.) On April 1, 2009, Plaintiff filed a response to Defendant's motion. (Doc. 12.) No reply by Defendant was filed and the motion is now ripe for disposition.
Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c), once the pleadings are closed a party may move for judgment on the pleadings "within such time as to not delay the trial." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(c).*fn4 The standard of review for a motion for judgment on the pleadings is identical to that of the motion to dismiss under Federal Rule 12(b)(6). Turbe v. Gov't of Virgin Islands, 938 F.2d 427, 428 (3d Cir. 1991) (citations omitted); Cannon v. United States, 322 F. Supp. 2d 636, 636 (W.D. Pa. 2004); Katzenmoyer v. City of Reading, 158 F. Supp. 2d 491, 496 (E.D. Pa. 2001).
The only notable difference between these two standards is that the court in a motion on the pleadings reviews not only the complaint but also the answer and written instruments attached to the pleadings. 2 Moore's Federal Practice Civil § 12.38 (2004). Despite this difference, courts in this circuit have consistently stated that the distinction between the two standards is "merely semantic." Christy v. We The People Forms & Serv. Ctrs., 213 F.R.D. 235, 238 (D.N.J. 2003); see Smith v. City of Philadelphia, 345 F. Supp. 2d 482, 485 (E.D. Pa. 2004) ("A motion for judgment on the pleadings pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c) is treated using the same standard as a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6).") (citing Regalbuto v. City of Philadelphia, 937 F. Supp. 374, 376-77 (E.D. Pa. 1995)).

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