Opinion ID: 2748257
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Unfair Competition (UCL)

Text: Finally, we affirm the district court’s grant of summary judgment to MB on plaintiffs’ claim under the California Unfair Competition Statute, which prohibits an entity from engaging in “unfair competition,” defined as “any unlawful, unfair or fraudulent business act or practice.” Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200. Section 17200 “borrows violations of other laws and treats these violations, when committed pursuant to business activity, as unlawful practices independently actionable under Bus. & Prof. Code §17200 et seq. and subject to the distinct remedies provided thereunder.” Farmers Ins. Exch. v. Superior Court, 2 Cal. 4th 377, 383, 6 Cal. Rptr. 487, 491, 826 P.2d 730, 734 (1992) (internal quotation marks omitted). In the FAC plaintiffs based their UCL claims on the alleged claims for tortious interference, providing unlawful notice under section 11713.3(t)(2), and fraudulent concealment. Because the court has affirmed summary judgment to MB on all those claims, MB is entitled to summary judgment on the UCL claims as well. 30 FRESNO MOTORS V. MERCEDES-BENZ Additionally, the remedy for a UCL violation is either injunctive relief or restitution. See Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17203. The restitutionary relief is limited to money or property lost by the plaintiff and acquired by the defendant. Kwikset Corp. v. Superior Court, 51 Cal. 4th 310, 335–36, 120 Cal. Rptr. 3d 741, 761–62, 246 P.3d 877, 894 (2001). “Restitution under § 17203 is confined to restoration of any interest in money or property, real or personal, which may have been acquired by means of such unfair competition.” Id. (emphasis in original) (internal quotation marks omitted). As Kwikset noted, the economic injury caused by an unfair business practice may often involve a loss by the plaintiff without any corresponding gain by the defendant. Such is the instant case, at least as to plaintiffs’ remaining claim under section 11713.3(t)(6). Under these circumstances, injunctive relief is the only available remedy. Kwikset, 51 Cal. 4th at 336. Because plaintiffs do not seek injunctive relief and have no claim for restitution under section 17203, MB is entitled to summary judgment on the UCL claims. AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART and REMANDED for proceedings consistent with this opinion. Each party shall bear its own costs on appeal.