Opinion ID: 2559108
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: Did appellants' complaints state a cause of action under the CPPA?

Text: Although I conclude that Grayson and Breakman have standing to sue, I agree with the majority's analysis that Grayson's complaint did not state a cause of action under the CPPA and need not belabor the point here. As to the sufficiency of Breakman's complaint, which the majority does not reach because it concludes that Breakman has no standing to sue, I come to a different conclusion. Breakman's complaint alleged in Paragraph 22 that AOL charged existing customers double what it charged new customers for certain services and had failed to disclose the pricing differential to its existing customers. The complaint alleged that AOL violated the CPPA because it fail[ed] to state a material fact if such failure tends to mislead. D.C.Code § 28-3904(f). If proven, the existence of a price differential of such magnitude for the same service would be material; appellee AOL claims, without citing controlling authority, that even though it would honor an existing customer's request to change plans to a lower price, it is not required by the CPPA to inform its customers of the price differential. The trial court dismissed Breakman's complaint on the ground that he lacked standing to sue and this court reversed, relying on the now-vacated division opinion in Grayson. Neither the trial court nor the appellate division of this court addressed whether AOL's failure to inform existing customers of the price differential violates the CPPA. Nor did they address appellee AOL's alternative argument, citing Forrest v. Verizon Communications, Inc., 805 A.2d 1007, 1015 (D.C.2002), that Breakman's complaint must be dismissed because Breakman is bound to bring his claim in Virginia by an online forum-selection clause. [11] These were not the issues for which the court granted rehearing en banc. At this early pleading stage, we are bound to assess the viability of Breakman's claim under Rule 12(b)(6) within the four corners of the complaint and assume that the facts alleged are true. In the absence of any controlling authority establishing that AOL's failure to provide information about a material pricing differential to its customers does not violate the CPPA or any evidence that Breakman has agreed to AOL's forum-selection clause, the complaint cannot be dismissed on either of AOL's arguments. I would, therefore, reverse the dismissal of Breakman's complaint and remand his case for further proceedings in Superior Court, without prejudice to the filing of a motion for summary judgment once the record is further developed.