Opinion ID: 2821408
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Conditional Certification

Text: Following certification, the District Court agreed to give the Plaintiffs an opportunity to conduct further discovery touching on merits-related issues. PNC argues that, in doing so, the District Court conditionally certified the class – an approach that PNC asserts is “entirely backwards” and represents a prohibited practice. (Opening Br. at 29.) See Hayes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 725 F.3d 349, 358 (3d Cir. 2013) (“Certification may not be granted because the plaintiff promises the class will be able to fulfill Rule 23’s requirements, with the caveat that the class can always be decertified if it later proves wanting. To certify a class in this manner is effectively to certify the class conditionally, which Rule 23 does not permit.”); see also In re Nat’l Football League Players Concussion Injury Litig., 775 F.3d 570, 579 (3d Cir. 2014) (explaining that the Supreme Court and Congress specifically amended Rule 23 to preclude conditional certification of putative class actions). PNC relies upon statements made by the Court at a status conference held on August 28, 2013, a month after it had certified the class, to argue that the class was conditionally certified. For instance, at one point the Court stated, “I want to know what documents you’re looking for that will prove your theory not only of the case, but be 30 supportive of the fact that this should be a class action proceeding as opposed to individual cases.” (App. at 1824.) After reviewing the transcript of the entire status conference, however, we conclude that the District Court did not impermissibly certify the class on a conditional basis. At that conference, the Court attempted to streamline proceedings going forward, including additional discovery that the Plaintiffs had requested. To that end, the Court discussed the nature and quality of evidence the Plaintiffs were seeking. Although it articulated an expectation that discovery would vindicate its decision to grant class certification, we do not believe that the Court’s statements were meant to indicate that the earlier ruling was conditional. PNC points to nothing in the ruling itself to show that it was an impermissible conditional certification. We conclude, therefore, that the class was not conditionally certified.