Opinion ID: 1869498
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Factual Variations

Text: General Motors next asserts that many factual variations preclude a finding of predominance. It claims that the following questions are individualized and predominate over any common question: (1) does a class member's parking brake have a defect; (2) if a parking brake failed, how will causation be determined; (3) with regard to the alleged cover up, what did General Motors know and when, and what did General Motors disclose and when; (4) was a parking brake repaired already under warranty and, if not, why not; (5) when did a class member's warranty expire; (6) did a class member first provide General Motors with notice of breach; (7) did a class member have knowledge about a potential parking-brake problem at the time of purchase; (8) did a class member rely on General Motors's alleged misrepresentation; (9) were the alleged misrepresentations or omissions material to a class member; (10) for leased vehicles, is General Motors liable to the lessor or the lessee; (11) is a class member's claim barred by the statute of limitations; (12) is a class member's claim barred by various affirmative defenses, such as comparative negligence; and (13) what the appropriate remedy, if any, is for any particular class member. Bryant responds that the central common issues in the case can be decided first and that any potential individualized issue raised by General Motors can be dealt with after deciding the common predominating issues. General Motors replies, in essence, that where there are numerous individualized issues, they can be better resolved on a case-by-case basis. We cannot say that the circuit court abused its discretion in its finding that factual variations did not preclude a finding of predominance. Here, the circuit court found that: the alleged inadequate float problem appears to be something that is present in all class vehicles and which occurs each time a class vehicle is used. This is because all class vehicles utilize the PBR 210x30 Drum-in-Hat park brake system, and GM has admitted in numerous documents, with little to no equivocation, that the inadequate float problem regarding that brake system is a real one. It further found that: the presence of this common inadequate float problem negates GM's argument that there is no one set of operative facts that establishes liability, or no single proximate cause that equally applies to each potential class member. . . . 23. Even assuming arguendo the parking brake failure should, as GM says, be defined more broadly such that individual inspections for lining wear and/or consideration of individual use factors might be necessary, Rule 23(b) predominance still exists. The Court views any need for individual inspections and/or the individual use factors merely as individual determinations relating to right to recovery or damages that pale in comparison to the common issues surrounding GM's alleged defectively designed parking brake and cover up to avoid paying warranty claims. . . . We have repeatedly recognized that conducting a trial on the common issue in a representative fashion can achieve judicial efficiency. See Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield v. Hicks, supra . Furthermore, we have routinely found the bifurcated process of class actions to be consistent with Rule 23(d), which allows the circuit court to enter orders necessary for the appropriate management of the class action. See id. In fact, we have expressed our approval for the bifurcated approach to the predominance element by allowing circuit courts to divide a case into two phases: (1) certification for resolution of the preliminary, common issues; and (2) decertification for the resolution of the individual issues. See id. The bifurcated approach has only been disallowed where the preliminary issues to be resolved were individual issues rather than common ones, see id., which is not the situation in the instant case. As already stated, the common issue that predominates here over any other potential issue is whether the parking-brake system installed in the class members' vehicles was defective and whether General Motors attempted to conceal any alleged defect. These overarching issues can be resolved before the circuit court reaches any of the individualized questions raised by General Motors. See, e.g., Asbury Auto. Group, Inc. v. Palasack, 366 Ark. 601, 237 S.W.3d 462 (2006). We have held that the mere fact that individual issues and defenses may be raised by the defendant regarding the recovery of individual class members cannot defeat class certification where there are common questions concerning the defendant's alleged wrongdoing that must be resolved for all class members. See FirstPlus Home Loan Owner 1997-1 v. Bryant, supra . Moreover, we have observed that challenges based on the statutes of limitations, fraudulent concealment, releases, causation, or reliance have usually been rejected and will not bar predominance satisfaction because those issues go to the right of a class member to recover, in contrast to underlying common issues of the defendant's liability. See id. (quoting SEECO, Inc. v. Hales, 330 Ark. 402, 413, 954 S.W.2d 234, 240 (1997) (quoting 1 Herbert B. Newberg, Newberg on Class Actions § 4.26, at 4-104 (3d ed.1992))). Accordingly, we cannot say that the circuit court abused its discretion in its finding of predominance.