We typically focus on appellate decisions regarding class certification, but wanted to note for you a recent lower court federal decision in case involving a proposed class of patients who claim they were implanted with a medical device for treating acid reflux . See Haggart v. Endogastric Solutions Inc., No. 2:10-cv-00346 (W.D.Pa. 6/28/12).

Readers will want to note the discussion of ascertainability. The implicit requirement of ascertainability is an important but sometimes overlooked prerequisite to class certification. A plaintiff must offer a definition of a class that is precise, objective and presently ascertainable. A threshold requirement to a Rule 23 action is the actual existence of a class which is sufficiently definite and identifiable. See, e.g., Kline v. Sec. Guards, Inc., 196 F.R.D. 261, 266 (E.D. Pa. 2000); Reilly v. Gould, Inc., 965 F. Supp. 588, 596 (M.D. Pa. 1997); Clay v. Am. Tobacco Co., 188 F.R.D. 483 (S.D. Ill. 1999). The initial inquiry on class definition is distinct from the analysis required by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23. See, e.g., Sanneman v. Chrysler Corp., 191 F.R.D. 441, 446 n. 8 (E.D. Pa. 2000). This notion means, in part, that the court can see sufficient administrative feasibility in determining whether a particular person belongs to a class — that the court can identify class members in a practical and non-burdensome manner. A “proposed class must be sufficiently identifiable,” and it must be “administratively feasible to determine whether a given individual is a member of the class.”Mueller v. CBS, Inc., 200 F.R.D. 227, 233 (W.D. Pa. 2001). A class may not be ascertainable if it will require individual inquiry into each class member’s particular situation to determine whether that plaintiff suffered the injury alleged. Similarly, a class is not ascertainable if membership depends on a particular subjective state of mind. And even when plaintiffs offer ostensibly objective criteria for membership, the court must be able to apply that objective criteria to determine who is in the class without addressing numerous fact-intensive questions. Certification is denied when determining membership in the class essentially requires a mini-hearing as to each prospective class member. E.g., Agostino v. Quest Diagnostics Inc., 256 F.R.D. 437, 478 (D.N.J. 2009); Solo v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 2009 WL 4287706, (D. S.C. Sept. 25, 2009) (class not appropriate for certification where determining class membership would require “fact-intensive mini-trials”).

Here, plaintiff claimed that defendant had misrepresented implantation of a medical device for treatment of acid reflux — describing it as “reversible” rather than “revisable.”  Plaintiff offered one class definition as “all individuals who have undergone the [procedure] . . . and who have relied upon representations” related to its reversibility and/or revisability,  This, the court said, was “simply a non-starter.”  The determination of class membership under this definition would require the court to adjudicate on a person-by-person basis whether each proposed class member relied on defendant’s representations. That is, class membership would not be ascertainable without the imposition of serious administrative burdens incongruous with the efficiencies expected in a class action.

Plaintiff then went to an alternate class defined as “all individuals who have undergone the EsophyX procedure in the United States since September 24, 2007.” But this very broad proposed class failed the typicality requirement owing to marked differences as to information received and relied upon, the legal theory underlying plaintiff’s claims, and other factors.  Specifically, there would be numerous, inevitable questions regarding the information received by individual patients – from their physicians or other sources – and their reliance on particular representations. While named plaintiff was unhappy, plaintiff conceded that most patients undergoing an EsophyX procedure have had a successful result.  Putative class members received information regarding the procedure primarily from their physicians, which information likely varied for reasons related to both the physicians themselves and the individual patient’s medical circumstances; the amount and content of information received by a patient directly from defendant’s marketing or other materials likely differed from plaintiff’s and as between putative class members as well; and individual decisions to undergo the procedure were likely influenced by and premised on varying individual considerations — all of which also undercut predominance.

Motion for class certification denied.