Opinion ID: 2806123
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Second Summary Judgment

Text: Following remand, the magistrate indicated that it would reexamine Serna’s motion for summary judgment. Because Onwuteaka originally had filed no opposition to Serna’s motion, 4 the magistrate permitted Onwuteaka to file a response. Onwuteaka’s response consisted of six paragraphs. He objected to Serna’s motion as “conclusionary [sic] as to all defendants” and to Serna’s declaration as unsigned and “conclusionary”; he argued that Serna “failed to carry his burden” to adduce “evidence of where the contract made the basis of the underlying suit was signed” and was unresponsive to discovery seeking such evidence; he invoked the bona fide error defense of 15 U.S.C. § 1692k(c); and he averred that Serna concededly had suffered no damages as a result of Onwuteaka’s conduct. Onwuteaka attached two exhibits to his response: excerpts from Serna’s responses to his interrogatories and requests for admission, which purportedly showed the deficiency of Serna’s discovery responses as well as his admission of no damages, and a series of documents demonstrating that Serna had multiple addresses of record—albeit none in Harris County. 5 Onwuteaka’s response 4 Onwuteaka’s sole responsive filing before the district court issued its ruling was a motion styled “Motion for More Definite Statement and/or Special Exceptions to Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment.” In response, Serna filed a supplemental brief containing corrected declarations by Serna and counsel. 5 Two of Serna’s addresses were in San Antonio, which is within Bexar County, and the third address was in Laredo, which is within Webb County. 4 Case: 14-20574 Document: 00513069143 Page: 5 Date Filed: 06/05/2015 No. 14-20574 made no reference to the arbitration clause, the claim for “offsets and credits,” or the statute of limitations. The magistrate held a hearing on Serna’s motion in December 2013. The day after the hearing, Onwuteaka moved for leave to supplement his summary judgment response in order to “clarify” his bona fide error defense. He included a computer printout that appears to track the status of Serna’s loan, as well as a sworn statement describing both his reasons for filing suit in Harris County and the procedures his office maintains to avoid violating the FDCPA’s distant-venue provision. The magistrate denied the motion as untimely and noncompliant with local rules. In January 2014, the magistrate granted summary judgment to Serna by written order. Although Serna admitted that he had sustained no actual damages, he sought—and the magistrate awarded—the maximum amount of statutory damages ($1,000.00), in addition to reasonable costs and attorney’s fees. Onwuteaka moved for reconsideration, citing the inadequacy of Serna’s declaration to prove “consumer” status under the FDCPA, his entitlement to offsets and credits, and his invocation of the bona fide error defense. The magistrate denied the motion “[b]ecause the Court’s Order Granting Summary Judgment has already addressed the arguments raised by the Defendants.”