Wehner v. Syntex Corporation

No. 83-642 C (2) (E.D. Mo. December 26, 1984)

The court rules that trial by jury is not available to a private party seeking response costs under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act because relief under the Act is equitable in nature. However, the court denies defendant's motion to dismiss plaintiffs' requests for recovery of medical costs, loss to property, and post-relocation living expenses. Such a determination, the court concludes, must await discovery and trial on the merits. Finally, the court postpnes consideration of plaintiffs' substituted motion for class certification, holding that defendants need the benefit of discovery, presently stayed pending disposition of a jurisdictional issue, in order to properly respond to plaintiffs' motion.

Counsel for Plaintiffs
Murry A. Marks
2025 S. Brentwood, Suite 207, St. Louis MO 63144
(314) 961-2232

Arnold Levin, Laurence S. Berman
Levin and Fishbein
320 Walnut St., Suite 600, Philadelphia PA 19106
(215) 592-1500

Alan Kanner
1718 Locust St., Philadelphia PA 19103
(215) 546-6661

Counsel for Defendants
Robert J. Driscoll
Stinson, Mag & Fizzell
920 Main, P.O. Box 19251, Kansas City MO 64141
(816) 842-8600

Paul S. Brown
Brown, James & Rabbitt, P.C.
705 Olive St., Suite 1100, St. Louis MO 63101
(314) 421-3400

George Weisz
Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton
One State Street Plaza, New York NY 10004
(212) 344-0600

John J. Cole
Armstrong, Teasdale, Kramer & Vaughan
611 Olive St., Suite 1900, St. Louis MO 63101
(314) 621-5070

W. Munro Roberts Jr., Ted L. Perryman
Roberts, Perryman & Bomikamp, Inc.
1015 Locust St., Suite 700, St. Louis MO 63101
(314) 421-1850

Joseph M. Spivey III
Hunton & Williams
707 E. Main St., Richmond VA 23212
(804) 788-8200

[15 ELR 20210]

Filippine, J.:

Memorandum and Order

This matter is before the Court on the following motions: (1) motion to strike of Syntex Agribusiness, (2) plaintiffs substituted motion for class certification pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 23, and (3) motion of Syntex Agribusiness to postpone consideration of plaintiffs' substituted motion for class certification pending discovery and presentation of evidence.

This is a private action for response costs brought under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. § 9607. Plaintiffs have demanded a jury trial. The type of relief available under CERCLA, however, is equitable in nature and thus a jury trial is not available. United States v. Northeastern Pharmaceutical and Chemical Co., 19 Env't. Rep. Cas. 2186, 2187 [13 ELR 20992] (W.D. Mo. Sept. 20, 1983); United States v. Wade, 20 Env't. Rep. Case. 1853, 1855 (E.D. Pa. Feb. 21, 1984); United States v. Reilly Tar & Chemical Corp., 20 Env't Rep. Case. 1052, 1056 [13 ELR 20897] (D. Minn. June 23, 1983). Defendant Syntex Agribusiness's motion to strike plaintiffs' demand for a jury trial is well taken and will be granted.

In addition to moving to strike the jury demand, Syntex Agribusiness requests this Court to strike various elements of relief. Syntex Agribusiness maintains that plaintiffs may not recover certain medical expenses, loss to property and post-relocation living expenses. These issues, however, are more properly presented to the Court after discovery and trial on the merits. The Court cannot on the basis of the record as it now stands declare that plaintiffs' request for the type of costs listed above are redundant, immaterial, impertinent or scandalous. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f).

Plaintiffs seek this Court to certify a class; defendant Syntex Agribusiness argues that a ruling on plaintiffs' motion should be postponed until it can take discovery relating to the requirements of class actions. This Court's discovery stay is still in force pending disposition of the personal jurisdiction issue. Clearly defendants need the benefit of discovery in order to properly respond to plaintiffs' motion. Thus, the Court will postpone consideration of plaintiffs' motion for class certification pending discovery and presentation of evidence by the defendant Syntex Agribusiness. The Court's stay on all discovery shall remain in effect, and a ruling on defendant Syntex Corporation's motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction shall be forthcoming. The Court has received Syntex's supplemental memorandum of law and exhibits dated December 12, 1984. Following ruling on Syntex's motion the court will issue an appropriate order relating to discovery. The Court declines to lift its stay so that Syntex Agribusiness may take [15 ELR 20211] discovery relating to the class action issue, in that such discovery would have to be duplicated by Syntex Corporation should this Court deny its motion to dismiss.

Accordingly,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the motion of Syntex Agribusiness, Inc. to strike be and is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that plaintiff's demand for a jury trial be and is STRICKEN.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that defendant Syntex Agribusiness, Inc.'s motion to strike be and is otherwise DENIED.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the motion of defendant Syntex Agribusiness, Inc. to postpone consideration of plaintiffs' substituted motion for class certification pending discovery and presentation of evidence be and is GRANTED as indicated in the above memorandum.