Case 3:11-cv-01812-JM-JMA Document 31 Filed 02/20/13 Page 1 of 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 10 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 11 12 In re JIFFY LUBE ) Case No.: 3:11-MD-2261-JM (JMA) INTERNATIONAL, INC. TEXT ) 13 SPAM LITIGATION ) FINAL APPROVAL OF CLASS ) ACTION AND ORDER OF 14 ) DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE ) 15 16 Pending before the Court are Plaintiffs’ Motion for Final Approval of Class 17 Action Settlement (Dkt. 90) and Plaintiffs’ Motion for Approval of Attorneys’ Fees and 18 Expenses and Class Representative Incentive Awards (Dkt. 86) (collectively, the 19 “Motions”). The Court, having reviewed the papers filed in support of the Motions, 20 having heard argument of counsel, and finding good cause appearing therein, hereby 21 GRANTS Plaintiffs’ Motions and it is hereby ORDERED, ADJUDGED, and DECREED 22 THAT: 23 1. Terms and phrases in this Order shall have the same meaning as ascribed to 24 them in the Parties’ August 1, 2012 Class Action Settlement Agreement, as amended by 25 the First Amendment to Class Action Settlement Agreement as of September 28, 2012 26 (the “Settlement Agreement”). 27 2. This Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this action and over all 28 Parties to the Action, including all Settlement Class Members. 1 3:11-md-2261-JM (JMA) Case 3:11-cv-01812-JM-JMA Document 31 Filed 02/20/13 Page 2 of 10 1 3. On October 10, 2012, this Court granted Preliminary Approval of the 2 Settlement Agreement and preliminarily certified a settlement class consisting of: 3 4 All persons or entities in the United States and its Territories who in April 2011 were sent a text message from short codes 5 72345 or 41411 promoting Jiffy Lube containing language similar to the following: 6 7 JIFFY LUBE CUSTOMERS 1 TIME OFFER: REPLY Y TO JOIN OUR ECLUB FOR 45% OFF 8 A SIGNATURE SERVICE OIL CHANGE! STOP TO 9 UNSUB MSG&DATA RATES MAY APPLY T&C: JIFFYTOS.COM. 10 (Dkt. 85 at 3.) 11 4. Excluded from the Settlement Class are those persons who have submitted 12 valid and timely requests for exclusion pursuant to the Preliminary Approval Order and 13 the Notice to the Settlement Class. Valid and timely requests for exclusion were received 14 from the persons listed on Appendix 1 attached hereto and incorporated into this Final 15 Judgment. Those persons listed on Appendix 1 are found to have validly excluded 16 themselves from the Settlement in accordance with the provisions of the Preliminary 17 Approval Order, and are not bound by this Final Judgment or the Releases herein. 18 5. The Court finds that the Notice and the Notice Plan implemented pursuant to 19 the Settlement Agreement and the Preliminary Approval Order of October 10, 2012 and 20 consisting of individual notice via first-class U.S. Mail postcard, internet publication on 21 the interactive settlement website, a toll-free phone number to field inquiries by Settlement 22 Class Members, and in-store signage directing Settlement Class Members to the settlement 23 website and toll-free phone number, has been successfully implemented and was the best 24 notice practicable under the circumstances and: (1) constituted notice that was reasonably 25 calculated, under the circumstances, to apprise the Settlement Class Members of the 26 pendency of the Action, their right to object to or to exclude themselves from the Settle- 27 ment Agreement, and their right to appear at the Fairness Hearing; (2) was reasonable and 28 constituted due, adequate, and sufficient notice to all persons entitled to receive notice; 2 3:11-md-2261-JM (JMA) Case 3:11-cv-01812-JM-JMA Document 31 Filed 02/20/13 Page 3 of 10 1 and (3) met all applicable requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Due 2 Process Clause, and the rules of the Court. 3 6. The Court finds that Defendants properly and timely notified the appropriate 4 state and federal officials of the Settlement Agreement, pursuant to the Class Action 5 Fairness Act of 2005 (“CAFA”), 28 U.S.C. § 1715. The Court has reviewed the substance 6 of Defendants’ notice and accompanying materials, and finds that they complied with all 7 applicable requirements of CAFA. 8 7. This Court now affirms certification of the Settlement Class for settlement 9 purposes only, gives final approval to the Settlement, and finds that the Settlement 10 Agreement is fair, reasonable, adequate, and in the best interests of the Settlement Class. 11 The settlement consideration provided under the Settlement Agreement constitutes fair 12 value given in exchange for the release of the Released Claims against the Released 13 Parties. The Court finds that the consideration to be paid to members of the Settlement 14 Class is reasonable, considering the facts and circumstances of the numerous types of 15 claims and affirmative defenses asserted in the Action, and the potential risks and 16 likelihood of success of alternatively pursuing trials on the merits. The complex legal and 17 factual posture of this case, and the fact that the Settlement is the result of arms’ length 18 negotiations between the Parties, including negotiations presided over by the Honorable 19 Magistrate Judge Jan M. Adler, support this finding. 20 8. The Court finds that the Class Representatives and Class Counsel adequately 21 represented the Settlement Class for purposes of litigation of this matter and entering into 22 and implementing the Settlement Agreement. Accordingly, the Settlement is hereby finally 23 approved in all respects, and the Parties are hereby directed to implement the Settlement 24 according to its terms and provisions. The Settlement Agreement is hereby incorporated 25 into this Order in full and shall have the full force of an Order of this Court. 26 9. The requirements of Rule 23(a) and (b)(3) have been satisfied for settlement 27 purposes only, for the reasons set forth herein. The Settlement Class is so numerous that 28 joinder of all members is impracticable; there are at least some questions of law or fact 3 3:11-md-2261-JM (JMA) Case 3:11-cv-01812-JM-JMA Document 31 Filed 02/20/13 Page 4 of 10 1 common to the class; the claims do fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class; 2 the questions of law or fact common to class members predominate over any questions 3 affecting only individual members; and a class action is superior to other available 4 methods for fairly and efficiently adjudicating the controversy between the Class Repre- 5 sentatives and Defendants. 6 10. The appointment of Class Counsel and Liaison Class Counsel are hereby 7 confirmed. Class Counsel and Liaison Class Counsel are found to be experienced in class 8 litigation, including litigation of similar claims in other cases, and have fairly and 9 adequately represented the interests of the Settlement Class in the Action and the Settle- 10 ment. 11 11. This Court hereby dismisses the Action, comprised of the seven actions 12 identified in the Settlement Agreement, on the merits and with prejudice, without fees or 13 costs to any of the Parties except as expressly provided herein. 14 12. Upon the Effective Date of this Order, Plaintiffs and each and every Settle- 15 ment Class Member who did not timely and validly opt out of the Settlement Class, and 16 any Person claiming by or through any Plaintiff or any Settlement Class Member as his, 17 her, or its spouse, marital community, parent, child, heir, associate, co-owner, attorney, 18 agent, administrator, devisee, predecessor, successor, assignee, representative of any kind, 19 shareholder, partner, director, employee, or affiliate, whether or not he, she or it receives 20 any Settlement Benefits, shall fully, finally, completely and forever, release, acquit and 21 discharge Heartland, TextMarks, Jiffy Lube, and Oil Express as well as any other entity in 22 which Heartland, TextMarks, Jiffy Lube, and/or Oil Express has a controlling interest, to 23 which they are related, or with which they are affiliated, and any and all of any such 24 entities’ present, past, or future heirs, executors, estates, administrators, predecessors, 25 successors, assigns, parent entities, subsidiaries, franchises, associates, affiliates, employ- 26 ers, employees, agents, consultants, independent contractors, insurers, directors, managing 27 directors, officers, partners, principals, shareholders, members, attorneys, accountants, 28 financial and other advisors, investment bankers, underwriters, lenders, auditors, invest- 4 3:11-md-2261-JM (JMA) Case 3:11-cv-01812-JM-JMA Document 31 Filed 02/20/13 Page 5 of 10 1 ment advisors, legal representatives, and/or successors in interest, from any and all claims, 2 demands, liabilities, duties, rights, obligations, or causes of action whatsoever belonging 3 to any of the Releasing Parties, pursuant to the TCPA, the CPA, the CEMA, or other 4 federal, state, local, statutory, or common law, or any other law, rule, or regulation, related 5 to, arising out of, or in any way connected to the alleged transmission of the Text Mes- 6 sage, whether or not such claims were or could have been asserted in the Action, including 7 claims sounding in law or in equity, whether accrued or unaccrued, suspected or unsus- 8 pected, known or unknown, direct or derivative, and including Unknown Claims as that 9 term is defined in the Settlement Agreement. 10 13. Additionally, Defendants Heartland and TextMarks, on behalf of themselves 11 and their respective present, past, or future predecessors, successors, assigns, parent 12 entities, subsidiaries, franchises, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents, 13 hereby release and forever discharge each other from any and all claims, demands, 14 liabilities, duties, rights, obligations, or causes of action whatsoever, including Unknown 15 Claims, related in any way to the Action or the Text Message, including without limitation 16 claims for defense, indemnification, contribution, comparative fault, reimbursement, or 17 offset.