The opinion of the court was delivered by: James Knoll Gardner, United States District Judge
The matter before the court is Defendants, Elaine G. Taylor and Environmental Process Systems, Inc.'s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's Complaint With Prejudice Pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), which motion was filed June 17, 2010. *fn1
Although defendants did not raise lack of subject matter jurisdiction as a basis for dismissal, it appears that plaintiff's Class Action Complaint fails to establish that this court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this case.
Accordingly, for the following reasons I direct plaintiff to file an amended complaint on or before April 1, 2011 for the limited purpose of pleading the grounds upon which this court's jurisdiction depends. I therefore also dismiss defendants' motion to dismiss without prejudice to re-file it if appropriate in the event that plaintiff files an amended complaint by April 1, 2011 establishing subject matter jurisdiction.
Plaintiff initiated this action by filing a Class Action Complaint ("Complaint") on February 24, 2010, alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA"), 47 U.S.C. § 227. The TCPA prohibits a person or entity within the United States from sending unsolicited fax advertisements.
47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1)(C). Plaintiff alleges that on or about June 17, 2006, defendants sent a one-page unsolicited advertisement to plaintiff's facsimile machine, and that "on information and belief, Defendants have sent similar unsolicited facsimile advertisements to at least 39 other recipients." *fn2
The TCPA establishes a private right of action for violations. Section 227(b)(3) provides:
A person or entity may, if otherwise permitted by the laws or rules of court of a State, bring in an appropriate court of that State---
(A) an action based on a violation of this subsection or the regulations prescribed under this subsection to enjoin such violation,
(B) an action to recover for actual monetary loss from such a violation, or to receive $500 in damages for each such violation, whichever is greater, or
47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(3). Treble damages may be awarded if the court finds that the defendant willfully or knowingly violated the TCPA. Id.
In section II of the Civil Cover Sheet submitted with plaintiff's Complaint, plaintiff marked the checkbox indicating that the basis of this court's jurisdiction is "Federal Question". However, the Complaint itself avers that ...