Stephen Muccio v. Global Motivation, Inc. ( 2023 )


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  • USCA11 Case: 23-10081     Document: 24-1      Date Filed: 08/25/2023   Page: 1 of 3
    [DO NOT PUBLISH]
    In the
    United States Court of Appeals
    For the Eleventh Circuit
    ____________________
    No. 23-10081
    Non-Argument Calendar
    ____________________
    STEPHEN MUCCIO,
    individually and on behalf of all
    others similarly situated,
    Plaintiff-Appellant,
    versus
    GLOBAL MOTIVATION, INC.,
    JORDAN R. BELFORT,
    Defendants-Appellees.
    ____________________
    USCA11 Case: 23-10081      Document: 24-1      Date Filed: 08/25/2023     Page: 2 of 3
    2                      Opinion of the Court                  23-10081
    Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the Southern District of Florida
    D.C. Docket No. 9:22-cv-81004-AMC
    ____________________
    Before ROSENBAUM, JILL PRYOR, and BLACK, Circuit Judges.
    PER CURIAM:
    Stephen Muccio appeals from the dismissal of his amended
    complaint for lack of Article III standing. Muccio brought this pu-
    tative class action against Global Motivation, Inc. and its owner,
    Jordan Belfort, alleging Global Motivation sent him and at least 100
    other individuals five unsolicited text messages using automated
    computer systems to solicit the sale of consumer goods or services.
    He asserted two counts under the Florida Telephone Solicitation
    Act (FTSA), Florida Statute § 501.059, and three counts under the
    federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 
    47 U.S.C. § 227
    (TCPA).
    Global Motivation and Belfort moved to dismiss the com-
    plaint for lack of Article III standing, and the district court agreed.
    Citing Salcedo v. Hanna, 
    936 F.3d 1162
     (11th Cir. 2019), and Drazen
    v. Pinto, 
    41 F.4th 1354
     (11th Cir. 2022), vacated, 
    61 F.4th 1297
     (11th
    Cir. 2023) (Drazen I), the district court found Muccio could not es-
    tablish a concrete harm, notwithstanding Muccio’s attempts to dis-
    tinguish our prior precedent based on the number of text messages
    he received and on the language of the FTSA.
    USCA11 Case: 23-10081      Document: 24-1       Date Filed: 08/25/2023     Page: 3 of 3
    23-10081                Opinion of the Court                          3
    After Muccio appealed from the dismissal, however, we va-
    cated the panel opinion in Drazen I and reheard it as a full court.
    We then explained “the Constitution empowers Congress to de-
    cide what degree of harm is enough so long as that harm is similar
    in kind to a traditional harm.” Drazen v. Pinto, __ F.4th __, No. 21-
    10199, slip op. at 17, (11th Cir. July 24, 2023) (en banc) (Drazen II).
    “[T]he harm associated with an unwanted text message shares a
    close relationship with the harm underlying the tort of intrusion
    upon seclusion.” 
    Id. at 17
    . As a result, “the receipt of an unwanted
    text message causes a concrete injury.” 
    Id. at 18
    . And, like Con-
    gress did with the TCPA, the Florida Legislature “has used its law-
    making powers to recognize a lower quantum of injury necessary
    to bring a claim under the [FTSA].” 
    Id.
    We do not fault the district court’s reliance on Salcedo and
    Drazen I when it dismissed the case in December 2022. Neverthe-
    less, we review standing issues de novo, Muransky v. Godiva Choco-
    latier, Inc., 
    979 F.3d 917
    , 923 (11th Cir. 2020) (en banc), and with the
    benefit of Drazen II, we conclude Muccio has standing to bring his
    claims.
    We REVERSE the district court’s dismissal for lack of stand-
    ing and REMAND for further proceedings.
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 23-10081

Filed Date: 8/25/2023

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 8/25/2023