Fourth District Upholds Trial Court's Denial of Certification of UCL Class

On September 30, 2009, the Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court's denial of class certification in Kaldenbach v. Mut. of Omaha Life Ins. Co., 2009 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 7907 (Cal. App. 4th Dist. Sept. 30, 2009). The Court’s opinion, which is unpublished, recognized that In re Tobacco II precluded focus on issues relating to class member reliance and injury. The Court's analysis is seem ingly contrary to the Second District's unpublished opinion in Cohen v. Direct TV (discussed previously here). Notwithstanding this finding, however, the Court ultimately concluded that the trial court did not abuse its discretion insofar as the court's findings regarding predominance were supported on other grounds.

A more detailed discussion of the Kaldenbach opinion is addressed at the Bailey Class Action Daily.