Kutzman v. Derrel's Mini Storage, Inc.

Anthony W. Ishii, SENIOR DISTRICT JUDGE

*1151In a class action, where is the line between a party's permissible ex parte communications with putative class members and those to be deemed misleading, obfuscating, or coercive?

In the fall of 2018, Defendant Derrel's Mini Storage sent letters to and hosted voluntary informational sessions for their current and former employees-all putative class members in Rick Kutzman and Jamie Leonardo's wage-and-hour class action suit. Defendant's ultimate purpose was to obtain a settlement and release with these individual putative class members. Plaintiffs contend…