Romero et al v. Securus, CA, Complaint, illegal recording monitoring telephone calls, 2016

Type: Complaints • May 27, 2016 • Locations: United States of America -> California • Topics: Telephones -> Telephone Monitoring

Download original document:
Brief thumbnail

Document text

This text is machine-read, and may contain errors. Check the original document to verify accuracy.

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 1 of 25

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

LAW OFFICES OF RONALD A. MARRON
RONALD A. MARRON (SBN 175650)
ron@consumersadvocates.com
ALEXIS WOOD (SBN 270200)
alexis@consumersadvocates.com
KAS GALLUCCI (SBN 288709)
kas@consumersadvocates.com
651 Arroyo Drive
San Diego, California 92103
Telephone:(619) 696-9006
Facsimile: (619) 564-6665
LAW OFFICE OF ROBERT L. TEEL
ROBERT L. TEEL (SBN 127081)
lawoffice@rlteel.com
207 Anthes Ave, 2nd Floor
Telephone:(866) 833-5529
Facsimile: (855) 609-6911
Attorneys for Plaintiff and the Proposed Class

13
14

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

15
16
17
18

JUAN ROMERO and FRANK
TISCARENO, on behalf of themselves,
and all others similarly situated,
Plaintiffs,

19
20
21
22
23

v.
SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC,
Defendant.

Case No.: '16CV1283 JM MDD
CLASS ACTION
COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES
AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF
PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA
PENAL CODE § 636 AND BASED
ON NEGLIGENCE
DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL

24
25
26
27
28

Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 2 of 25

INTRODUCTION

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Plaintiffs Juan Romero (“Romero”) and Frank Tiscareno

(“Tiscareno”), individually referred to herein as a “Plaintiff” and collectively as the
“Plaintiffs”, individually and on behalf of all other persons similarly situated, by
their undersigned attorneys, for their complaint against defendants, file this lawsuit
to stop Securus Technologies, Inc. (“Securus” or “Defendant”) from illegally
monitoring, recording, maintaining, storing, and disclosing private phone calls by
detainees to or from their attorneys without either party’s permission and without
warning, and allege the following based upon personal knowledge as to themselves
and their own acts, and information and belief as to all other matters, based upon,
inter alia, the investigation conducted by and through their attorneys, which
includes, without limitation, a review of the Defendant’s public documents,
announcements, and wire and press releases published by and regarding Securus,
and information readily obtainable on the internet.

JURISDICTION AND VENUE

17
18

This Court has original jurisdiction pursuant to the Class Action

Fairness Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d), because: (a) at least one member of the putative

Class is a citizen of a state different from Securus; (b) the amount in controversy

exceeds $5,000,000, exclusive of interest and costs; (c) the proposed class consists

of more than 100 class members; and (d) none of the exceptions under the subsection

apply to this action.

This Court has supplemental jurisdiction over the California Invasion

of Privacy Act, Penal Code §§ 630, et seq. (“CIPA”) and common law claims

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1367 (supplemental jurisdiction over pendant state law

claim).

1
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 3 of 25

This Court has jurisdiction over Defendant because: (a) it is registered

to conduct business in California; and (b) has sufficient minimum contacts in

California, or otherwise intentionally avails itself of the markets within California

through the promotion, sale, marketing, and distribution of its products and services,

to render the exercise of jurisdiction by this Court proper and necessary.

Venue is proper in this District under 28 U.S.C. § 1391 because

Plaintiffs are residents of and domiciled in this District, Defendant conducts

substantial business in this District, and a substantial part of the events giving rise to

Plaintiffs’ claims occurred in this District.

10
PARTIES

11
12

Plaintiff Juan Romero is a resident of San Diego, California and the

county of San Diego, who was a detainee and prisoner held at one or more of San

Diego county’s detention facilities, and a user of the Securus phone system who has

used Securus’ phone system to communicate with his attorney.

Plaintiff Frank Tiscareno is a resident of Menifee, California and the

county of Riverside, who was a detainee and prisoner held at one or more of San

Diego county’s detention facilities, and a user of the Securus phone system who has

used Securus’ phone system to communicate with his attorney.

Defendant Securus Technologies, Inc. is a Texas corporation with its

principal place of business at 14651 Dallas Parkway, Suite 600, Dallas. Texas

75254-8815.

23
24

SUMMARY AND COMMON FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS

25
26
27
28

Plaintiffs are attorney and client users of the Securus phone system

who bring this proposed class action lawsuit on behalf of all detainees and attorneys
2
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 4 of 25

who used the Securus phone system from June 1, 2008 to the present to communicate

and converse whose private phone calls were unlawfully recorded without

permission of all parties. Plaintiffs seek injunctive relief requiring Securus to

implement and maintain policies and practices to comply with laws and regulations

designed to protect privacy rights, and to prevent and remedy these types of unlawful

private and confidential recordings, as well as restitution, damages, statutory

remedies, disgorgement, and other relief.

10.

Throughout the country, a person arrested is typically brought to a

detention facility or jail to be booked by law enforcement authorities. Attorneys

routinely contact, communicate, and converse with persons in jail by phone or

videoconference to discuss confidential matters. They do so under the express

understanding, representation, and promise from Securus that their conversations are

private, confidential, and privileged, and are not to be recorded without permission

from all parties. Similarly, Securus represents and promises, and detainees are told

and understand, their conversations with their attorneys are private, confidential, and

privileged and not to be recorded without permission from all parties.

11.

Prison and jail communications is a $1.2 billion a year business. Securus

provides phone and videoconferences services to detainees nationwide and, without

limitation, the San Diego county, San Bernardino county, Riverside county, and

other California county detention facilities. The company is a leading provider of

phone services inside the country’s prisons and jails.

12.

Securus claims on its website that it is the largest inmate communications

provider in the country serving thousands of correctional facilities and more than 1

million inmates in at least 45 states. The company processes over one million calls per

day. In 2014, Securus is reported to have generated over $400 million dollars in

revenue from tolls and fees it charges detainees and their families, friends, lawyers,

and others for speaking with detainees.

3
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 5 of 25

13.

Securus records communications between detainees and the outside

world on servers, electronic storage devices, cables, and software separate from what

connects the callers. The equipment it uses to intercept, record, and share detainees’

and lawyers’ telephone calls facilitates such calls.

necessary incident of the calls.

14.

The recordings are not a

Securus gives local law enforcement agencies direct eavesdropping

ability and online access to recorded phone calls and the ability to listen in and

review them at any time. In fact, some if not all of Securus’ contracts with law

enforcement require Securus to provide inmate call recording and tracking and allow

law enforcement, including without limitation prosecuting attorneys, to search the

contents of those recordings at will and without notice.

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

Promises About Recording of Private Attorney-Client Phone Calls
15.

Securus promises Plaintiffs, attorneys, and the public that it does not

record telephone calls between attorneys and their clients. For instance, its “Video
Visitation” brochure states in connection with an inmate’s calls to their attorney,
“These private sessions will not be recorded or monitored.” Securus thereby leads
detainees and their attorneys to believe calls between them are not recorded without
permission of all parties, and are private and confidential.
16.

But in reality, Securus does eavesdrop on, listen in on, record, and store

private and confidential attorney-client phone calls without permission of all parties,
and Securus shares access and recordings with law enforcement personnel, including
prosecutors, as evidenced by, inter alia, reports by lawyers of production of such
recorded calls from prosecutors in discovery. The opportunity for the prosecution
to use the knowledge acquired through eavesdropping and listening to the recorded
phone calls to their tactical advantage, with or without admitting they eavesdropped
4
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 6 of 25

or obtained or listened to the recordings, creates a huge potential for mischief and

abuse.

3
Invasion of Privacy

4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

17.

Civil detainees, like other citizens, have a right to expect that their phone

calls, and especially private and confidential attorney-client phone calls, will not be
recorded or stored without their permission. Law enforcement is not free to record and
make use of telephone conversations, and especially attorney-client telephone
conversations and recordings, without limitation.
18.

Plaintiffs and their attorneys have a right to privacy when making or

receiving attorney-client phone calls. Securus’ conduct seriously violates Plaintiffs’
statutory and common law rights of privacy.

Securus Is Not So Secure

15
16

19.

Securus, it turns out, is not so secure. On or about November 11, 2015,

the online journalism publication, The Intercept, announced it had received “an

enormous cache of phone records” and other material, which revealed a major data

breach by Securus of 70 million stored phone call recordings, including what has now

been determined to be over 57,000 confidential attorney-client phone calls, and

counting, as well as other personal information, in not less than 37 states. The recorded

and leaked calls span a nearly two and one-half year period beginning in December

2011 and ending in the spring of 2014 in calls that range from under a minute to over

an hour in length. Securus makes money when the call is connected, regardless of how

long it lasts, and gets more revenue the longer the call goes on.

26
27
28

20.

Securus advertises and promotes itself as having a superior phone system

called the “Secure Call Platform” that is able to monitor, record, and securely store
5
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 7 of 25

phone call recordings and make them accessible only to authorized users within the

criminal justice system. Securus’ promotional material touts itself as a provider of “the

most technologically advanced audio and video communications platform to allow

calls with a high level of security.”

21.

Securus also states that it does “not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to

outside parties, including law enforcement, personally identifiable information,”

except under certain limited circumstances. In fact, Securus does extensive business

with local and county governments and private contractors, state departments of

correction, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service, all of which

operate the nation’s jails and run the nation’s prison systems. Securus derives

substantial revenue from “site commissions,” which it kicks back in the form of

payments to government law enforcement from revenue generated by inmate calls.

22.

Securus’ website claims that its database contains the billing names and

addresses of over half a million people who are not incarcerated, as well as information

about 1,000,000 inmates from over 2,000 correctional facilities, that includes over 100

million call records. Securus recognizes that this is valuable data and boasts it can

make it available at the fingertips of law enforcement and correctional authorities.

Securus states that the data, which is available and being sold to corrections and law

enforcement authorities through so-called “site commissions,” is “growing every day”

and can be provided to law enforcement investigators on demand.

21
Securus Breaches Its Duties and Obligations

22
23
24
25
26
27
28

23.

In addition to the duties and obligations Securus has voluntarily

undertaken and committed to, Securus has statutory obligations not to record private
and confidential attorney-client phone calls without permission of all the parties. For
example, Securus has a duty and obligation to follow all federal, state, and local laws
in conducting its business, yet it breached this duty by, amongst other things, recording
6
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 8 of 25

private and confidential attorney-client privileged communications without

permission.

24.

In a 2011 bid to provide phone service to inmates in Missouri’s state

prisons, Securus undertook a duty and obligation to record and monitor each call, with

the exception of attorney-client calls. But, the database provided to The Intercept

shows that over 57,000 recordings of inmate-attorney communications were recorded,

collected, stored, disclosed, and ultimately hacked.

25.

The Intercept arrived at the 57,000 figure by looking up each of the nearly

1.3 million phone numbers that inmates called in a public directory of businesses to

find out whether a law firm or attorney’s office is associated with that number. Those

numbers, however, do not include calls to attorney cellphone or other attorneys’

numbers not listed in a public business directory and the number of recorded attorney-

client calls is undoubtedly higher.

26.

Securus has undertaken other similar duties and obligations not to record

private attorney-client conversations and communications, both directly to users of the

Securus system, and in its contracts with law enforcement, yet it appears Securus has

no intention of ceasing its unlawful, unconstitutional eavesdropping, recording, and

invasion of private attorney-client communications. Detainees and lawyers are all at

substantial risk of having their conversations monitored, recorded, and used against

them to prejudice their criminal cases and that Defendant will continue to violate their

rights

27.

Securus claims on its website that it has a superior, revolutionary

technology that collects intelligence from more than 2,600 law enforcement and

correction agencies “providing unbeatable lead generation.” It also promotes itself as

“SAS 70 and Sarbanes-Oxley compliant.”

26
27
28

28.

Securus also promises that it’s platform will “allow calls with a high level

of security and that it “understands that confidentiality of calls is critical, and [it] will
7
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 9 of 25

follow all federal, state, and local laws in the conduct of [its] business.” It also pledges

to “provide and invest in security features that will make all parties and the public safe

while maintaining the critical family connection to inmates.”

29.

However, the sheer scale of the Securus hack of over 70 million

recordings shows that the company’s promotional and advertising claims are false and

misleading and that Securus has failed to live up to its own duties, obligations, and

undertakings.

30.

In addition, the quantitative nature of the data hack reveals the falsity of

Securus’ promotional and advertising material. The Securus database reveals that the

recordings contained prisoners’ first and last names; the phone numbers they called;

the date, time, and duration of the calls; the inmates’ Securus account numbers; as well

as other information. In addition to metadata, each phone call record includes a

“recording URL” which provides a link to where the audio recordings of the calls can

be downloaded with the click of a mouse.

31.

On November 12, 2015, Securus admitted the data breach and flaws in

its security measures for the first time when it emailed The Intercept and stated

“evidence suggests that an individual or individuals with authorized access to a limited

set of records may have used that access to inappropriately share those records.”

32.

According to The Intercept, in an email thread from July 21, 2014, two

Securus employees discussed the breach.

one email contained in the document. “The company will be called to task for this if

someone got in there that shouldn’t have been.” There is no indication the 2014 hack

had been made public prior to The Intercept article.

33.

“OMG……..this is not good!” reads

The private phone calls Securus recorded between detainees and their

attorneys while in physical custody in San Diego county were not included in The

Intercept cache of phone calls.

27
28

8
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 10 of 25

Securus Does Not Warn Attorney Client Users

2
3

34.

Since at least 2013, users of the Securus phone system for phone calls

between attorneys and their clients have only heard the Securus prompt associated

with the Securus’ marketing information, but not the prompt warning them that the

phone call was being monitored and recorded.

35.

Securus recorded private and confidential phone calls from detainees to

the San Diego county Public Defender's Office and Alternate Public Defender's

Office, as well as other criminal defense attorneys, without their permission and

10
11

without any warning at various times from at least 2013 until at least August, 2014.
36.

During the period from May 2013 to July 2014 attorney-client calls,

including to the Public Defender’s Office, Alternate Public Defender’s Office, and

other attorney offices, including without limitation Plaintiffs’ lawyer, were recorded

without permission or warning.

37.

Securus knew these calls were being recorded unlawfully and covered it

up by suppressing and concealing the true facts. Securus had a duty and was bound to

disclose its unlawful eavesdropping and recording due to its superior and exclusive

knowledge of the true facts which were not known or reasonably accessible to

Plaintiffs. Instead, Securus actively concealed, suppressed, omitted, and failed to

disclose these true facts concerning the recording, storage, and security of private,

confidential, and privileged attorney-client phone calls with the intent to induce

Plaintiffs to continue to purchase Securus’ communications services.

38.

Plaintiffs were unaware of these suppressed and omitted material facts at

the time they used the Securus system. Plaintiffs relied on the truthfulness and

reliability of the statements made by Securus. Plaintiffs did not know, or have any

reason to know, of these facts, conditions or circumstances. If they had known the true

facts at the time of their purchases, Plaintiffs would not have used or paid for Securus’

9
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 11 of 25

services for their attorney-client communications and would have taken action sooner

to protect their privacy rights.

39.

The total number of private phone calls between detainees and their

lawyers recorded without permission or warning is currently unknown, but the

recording of private attorney-client calls appears endemic to the Securus system on a

California-wide, and indeed a nationwide, basis.

40.

Securus, though, can tell us how many private calls were unlawfully

recorded. Securus brags it has the capability at its fingertips to query its system and

know exactly which, and how many, private calls were recorded.

41.

In addition to San Diego county (population 3.2M), Securus also does

business in Riverside county (population 2.2M), San Bernardino county (populations

2M), San Mateo county (population 700K) other California counties. In all, Securus

claims to serve 70 detention facilities in California alone. Based on an extrapolation

of the Missouri statistics, the potential number of private attorney-client phone calls

unlawfully recorded by Securus is staggering, with well over 500,000 calls estimated

per year made just to the Public Defenders’ offices in the four counties listed above.

42.

Securus has been wrongly and unjustly enriched by payments illegally

collected by Securus, and the retention of such payments is unfair and unlawful given

the true facts regarding the eavesdropping, listening to, recording, storage, disclosure,

and security of the conversations between Plaintiffs and their attorney, and other

attorney-client users of the Securus system. Securus should not be allowed to retain

the proceeds from the benefits conferred upon it by Plaintiffs and other attorney-client

users of the Securus system.

24
25
26
27
28

10
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 12 of 25

PLAINTIFFS’ EXPERIENCE

Plaintiff Romero

3
4

43.

Plaintiff Juan Romero is a resident of San Diego, California and the

county of San Diego who formerly was a detainee and prisoner of, without limitation,

the San Diego County George Bailey Detention Facility. During the Class Period, Mr.

Romero used the Securus phone systems in private conversations with his attorney.

Mr. Romero’s attorney’s phone conversations with detainees were recorded. On

information and belief, Securus recorded Mr. Romero’s private, confidential, and

privileged phone calls with his attorney without warning to, or permission from, all

parties.

44.

Neither Plaintiff Romero nor his attorney have received any notice of

the recording of their phone calls. Securus’ unlawful recordings have compromised

the private, confidential, and privileged conversations of Mr. Romero and his

lawyer.

16
Plaintiff Tiscareno

17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

45.

Plaintiff Frank Tiscareno is a resident of Menifee, California and the

county of Riverside who formerly was a detainee and prisoner of, without limitation,
the San Diego County Central Jail. During the Class Period Mr. Tiscareno used the
Securus phone systems in private conversations with his attorney. Mr. Tiscareno’s
attorney’s phone conversations with detainees were recorded. On information and
belief, Securus recorded his private, confidential, and privileged phone calls with his
attorney without warning to, or permission from, all parties.
46.

Neither Plaintiff Tiscareno nor his attorney have received a notice of

the recording of their phone calls. Securus’ unlawful recordings have compromised
11
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 13 of 25

the private, confidential, and privileged conversations of Mr. Tiscareno and his

lawyer.

3
CLASS ACTION ALLEGATIONS

4
5
6

47.

Plaintiffs brings this action pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure

23 on behalf of themselves and the Class preliminarily defined as:

7
The Class

All persons and his or her attorneys, that were physically in California: (a)
whose conversation, or any portions thereof were listened to, eavesdropped
on, or recorded by Securus from June 1, 2008 to the present, inclusive: (b)
without permission of all parties to such conversation; (c) by means of an
electronic device; (d) while such person was in the physical custody of a
law enforcement officer or other public officer, or who was on the property
of a law enforcement agency or other public agency.

9
10
11
12
13
14

Such persons are collectively referred to herein individually as a “Class Member”

and collectively as the “Class” or “Class Members.”

16
17
18
19
20
21

48.

agencies and personnel, members of the foregoing persons’ immediate families and
their legal representatives, heirs, successors or assigns and any entity or person in
which Defendant have or had a controlling or supervisory interest or control over at
all relevant times.
49.

22
23
24
25
26
27
28

Excluded from the Class are the Defendant herein, law enforcement

Plaintiffs satisfy the numerosity, commonality, typicality, adequacy,

and predominance prerequisites for suing as representative parties pursuant to Rule
23.
50.

Numerosity.

The exact number of proposed Class Members is

currently not known, but is believed to consist of thousands of former or current
Securus detainees and attorneys who have or are using Securus’ phone system and
12
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 14 of 25

have had their attorney-client phone conversations recorded without their

permission or warning, making joinder of each individual Class Member

impracticable.

51.

Commonality.

Common questions of law and fact exist for the

proposed Class’ claims and predominate over questions affecting only individual

Class Members. Common questions include, without limitation:

7
8
9
10
11

a. Whether the recording of a telephone call between a detainee and his or her

or her attorney without permission or warning constitutes a violation of each
Class Member’s CIPA rights and the common law tort of invasion of
privacy;

12
13

b. What monitoring, limiting, and supervisory procedures and practices should

Securus be required to implement to ensure ongoing protection of each Class

Member’s CIPA rights and as part of any injunctive relief ordered by the

Court;

17
18

c. Whether Securus violated the Class Members’ rights under California Penal

Code Section 636 by recording of a telephone call between a detainee and

his or her attorney without permission or warning;

21
22

d. Whether Securus acted negligently by, without limitation: (i) failing to

adequately protect Class Members’ privacy rights; (ii) eavesdropping on,

23
24

listening in to, recording, disclosing, and storing private, confidential, and

privileged telephone calls between detainees and their attorneys without

permission of all parties; (iii) failing to follow all applicable laws; (iv)

failing to notify, warn, or get permission of Plaintiffs and Class Members, at

13
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 15 of 25

the point of call or otherwise, to record the call; (v) failing to notify

Plaintiffs and Class Members after the recording of private telephone calls

3
and conversations between a detainee and his or her attorney without

4
5

permission or warning that the call had been recorded; and (vi) failing to

maintain adequate monitoring, limiting, and supervisory procedures,

policies, and practices;

8
9

e. Whether Class Members may obtain damages, restitution, disgorgement,

declaratory, and injunctive relief against Securus; and

10
11
12
13
14
15
16

What monitoring, limiting, supervisory, policies procedures and practices,
security procedures, and recording warning and notification procedures
Securus should be required to implement as part of any injunctive relief
ordered by the Court.

52.

Typicality. Plaintiffs’ claims are typical of the claims of the proposed

Class because, among other things, Plaintiffs and Class Members sustained similar

injuries and statutory damages as a result of Securus’ uniform wrongful conduct and

their legal claims all arise from the same core Securus practices.

53.

Adequacy. Plaintiffs will fairly and adequately protect the interests of

the Class. Their interests do not conflict with Class Members’ interests and they

have retained counsel competent and experienced in complex, privacy, and class

action litigation to vigorously prosecute this action on behalf of the Class. In

addition to satisfying the prerequisites of Rule 23(a), Plaintiffs satisfy the

requirements for maintaining a class action under Rule 23(b)(3).

26
27
28

54.

Common questions of law and fact predominate over any questions

affecting only individual Class Members and a Class action is superior to individual
14
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 16 of 25

litigation. The amount of damages available to individual Plaintiffs are insufficient

to make litigation addressing Securus’ conduct economically feasible in the absence

of the Class action procedure. Individualized litigation also presents a potential for

inconsistent or contradictory judgments, and increases the delay and expense to all

parties and the court system presented by the legal and factual issues of the case. By

contrast, the Class action device presents far fewer management difficulties and

provides the benefits of a single adjudication, economy of scale, and comprehensive

supervision by a single court.

9
10

55.

In addition, Class certification is appropriate under Rule 23(b)(1) or

(b)(2) because:

11
the prosecution of separate actions by the individual Members of the

proposed Class would create a risk of inconsistent or varying adjudication

which would establish incompatible standards of conduct for Securus;

the prosecution of separate actions by individual Class Members

16
17

would create a risk of adjudications with respect to them which would, as a

practical matter, be dispositive of the interests of other Class Members not

parties to the adjudications, or substantially impair or impede their ability to

protect their interests; and

21
22

Securus has acted or refused to act on grounds that apply generally to

the proposed Class, thereby making final injunctive relief or declaratory

relief described herein appropriate with respect to the proposed Class as a

whole.

26
27
28

15
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 17 of 25

FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION

Violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act

Cal. Pen. Code §§ 630, et seq.

On Behalf of the Plaintiffs Individually and the Class

5
6

56.

Plaintiffs incorporate by reference the foregoing allegations.

57.

The California Invasion of Privacy Act, Cal. Pen. Code §§ 630, et seq.

(“CIPA”), states that “The Legislature hereby declares that advances in science and

technology have led to the development of new devices and techniques for the

purpose of eavesdropping upon private communications and that the invasion of

privacy resulting from the continual and increasing use of such devices and

techniques has created a serious threat to the free exercise of personal liberties and

cannot be tolerated in a free and civilized society.”
58.

Plaintiffs and the Class Members made and received private,

confidential, and privileged telephone calls which were recorded by Securus without

permission of all parties and without disclosure to both parties that the phone calls

may be or were being recorded.
59.

California Penal Code § 636(a) prohibits “[e]very person” from

‘without permission from all parties to the conversation, eavesdrop[ping] on or

record[ing], by means of an electronic device, a conversation, or any portion thereof,

between a person who is in the physical custody of a law enforcement officer or

other public officer, or who is on the property of a law enforcement agency or other

public agency, and that person's attorney, religious adviser, or licensed physician . .

.”

60.

Pursuant to California Penal Code § 632(b), Securus is a “person.”

26
27
28

16
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 18 of 25

61.

Securus violates the CIPA when it listens to, eavesdrops, or records,

stores, and discloses, without permission private, privileged, and confidential phone

calls made and received by the Class Members without permission of all parties.

62.

Securus does not have express or implied permission of all parties to

eavesdrop upon or record private, confidential, and privileged telephone calls to or

from attorneys with their clients without warning.

expressly undertook a duty and obligation to the Plaintiffs and Class Members when

it told them their calls would not be recorded.

63.

To the contrary, Securus

The Class Members do not consent, expressly or impliedly, to Securus’

eavesdropping upon and recording of their private, confidential, and privileged

phone calls between attorneys and their clients. Securus does not disclose to or warn

the Class Members that their private, confidential, and privileged calls may be

recorded, stored, and disclosed to third parties. Plaintiffs and the Class Members do

not know or expect, or have any reason to know or suspect that Securus records their

private, confidential, and privileged phone calls between attorneys and their clients.

64.

California Penal Code Section 637.2 provides: “Any person who has

been injured by a violation of this chapter may bring an action against the person

who committed the violation for the greater of the following amounts:

19
20

(a) Five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(b) Three times the amount of actual damages, if any, sustained by the

22
23

Plaintiffs.
(c) Any person may, in accordance with Chapter 3 (commencing with

24
25

Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, bring an action to

enjoin and restrain any violation of this chapter, and may in the same action seek

damages as provided by subdivision (a).

17
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 19 of 25

1
2

(d) It is not a necessary prerequisite to an action pursuant to this section
that the Plaintiff has suffered, or be threatened with, actual damages.”

3
4

65.

Accordingly, Plaintiffs request the Court issue declaratory relief

declaring Securus’ practice of eavesdropping on, listening to, recording, disclosing,

or using private, confidential, and privileged between detainees and their attorney

without permission of all parties unlawful.

66.

Plaintiffs request the Court enter an injunction requiring Securus to

cease the unlawful practices described herein and enjoining Securus from

eavesdropping on, listening to, recording, disclosing, or using private, confidential,

and privileged communications between detainees and their attorneys without

permission of all parties and order Securus to seek, obtain, and destroy all existing

recordings in their possession or the possession of third parties to whom they have

given access or disclosed unlawfully recorded communications.

67.

Plaintiffs request that the Court enter an injunction ordering that

Securus: (a) engage a third party ombudsman as well as internal compliance

personnel to monitor, conduct test, and audit Securus’ safeguards and procedures on

a periodic basis; (b) audit, test, and train its internal personnel regarding any new or

modified safeguards and procedures; (c) conduct regular checks and tests on its

safeguards and procedures; (d) periodically conduct internal training and education

to inform internal personnel how to identify violations when they occur and what to

do in response; and (e) meaningfully educate its former and current users about their

privacy rights by pre-recorded statements at the beginning of recorded phones calls,

as well as any steps they must take to safeguard such rights.

68.

Plaintiffs request the Court enter an order pursuant to Cal. Penal Code

Section 637.2 awarding statutory damages of $5,000 to Plaintiffs and each Class

Member for each phone call unlawfully recorded without permission of all parties.

18
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 20 of 25

SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION

Negligence

On Behalf of Plaintiffs Individually and the Class

4
5

69.

Plaintiffs incorporate the above allegations by reference.

70.

In providing telecommunications products and services to Plaintiffs and

the Class, Securus owed a duty to exercise reasonable care in safeguarding and

protecting private, confidential, and privileged attorney-client phone calls. This duty

included, among other things, taking reasonable measures to implement and

maintain reasonable procedures to protect the rights of Class Members in compliance

with applicable law, including, but not limited to, procedures and policies to

supervise, restrict, limit, and determine: (a) whether any conversation between a

detainee and his or her attorney is or was being recorded; (b) whether all parties had

given their permission to have their conversation recorded; (c) whether the

conversation is being, or had in fact been, recorded; (d) how long after discovery any

recordings, whether they were lawfully obtained or not, can be retained before being

destroyed and notice given to the injured persons; (e) and under what circumstances

the recordings, whether lawfully obtained or not, may be sold, transferred, reviewed,

disclosed, or released to third parties.

71.

In providing services to the Plaintiffs and the Class, Securus owed them

a duty to exercise reasonable care: (a) in obtaining permission to record their

conversations; (b) in recording and adequately securing the privacy of attorney-

client telephone calls and the privilege applicable to such calls; and (b) in protecting

the content of Plaintiffs and the Class’ attorney-client phone calls from unauthorized

eavesdropping, listening in, recording, storage, disclosure, and access and use.

26
27
28

72.

Securus’ systems, policies, and procedures for handling the private,

confidential, and privileged information of attorney-client phone calls were intended
19
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 21 of 25

to affect Plaintiffs and the Class. Securus was aware that by providing phone

products and services to the attorney-client users of its systems, it had a

responsibility to take reasonable measures to protect the phone calls from being

eavesdropped on or recorded and not to provide access to law enforcement,

prosecutors, or other third parties without restriction.

73.

The duty Securus owed to Plaintiffs and Class Members to protect their

private, confidential, and privileged attorney-client phone calls is also underscored

by the California Invasion of Privacy Act, which recognizes the importance of

maintaining the confidentiality of attorney-client phone calls and was established to

10
11

protect individuals from improper recording of such calls.
74.

Additionally, Securus had a duty to timely disclose to and/or warn

Plaintiffs and Class Members that their private, confidential, and privileged were,

had been, or were reasonably believed to have been recorded. Timely disclosure is

appropriate so that Plaintiffs and Class Members could, among other things,

undertake appropriate measures to avoid such recordings and prevent or mitigate the

risk of unlawful recording and disclosure.

75.

There is a very close connection between Securus’ failure to take

reasonable measures to protect attorney-client users of its systems and the injury to

Plaintiffs and the Class. When individuals have their private, confidential, and

privileged attorney-client phone calls recorded: (a) they are at risk for improper use

of such recordings by law enforcement, prosecutors, and other parties, and of having

their privacy rights violated; and (b) they may need to incur additional costs and

expense to protect themselves from such invasions of privacy.

76.

Securus is legally responsible and to blame for such unlawful

eavesdropping and recordings and the violations of the privacy rights of the attorney-

client users of its service because it failed to take reasonable privacy and recording

measures. If Securus had taken reasonable privacy and recording security measures,

20
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 22 of 25

private, confidential, and privileged phone calls of attorney-client users of Securus’

products and services would not have been eavesdropped on or recorded.

77.

The policy of preventing future harm weighs in favor of finding a

special relationship between Securus and the Class. Securus’ attorney-client users

of its telecommunications products and services count on Securus to keep their

attorney-client phone calls private. Indeed, they are captive users. If Defendant is

not held accountable for failing to take reasonable privacy security and recording

measures to protect the attorney-client users of their system, they will not take the

steps that are necessary to protect against future invasions of privacy and rights.

78.

It was foreseeable that if Securus did not take reasonable security

measures, the private, confidential, and privileged attorney-client phone calls of

Plaintiffs and Members of the Class would be recorded and unlawfully disclosed.

Securus should have known to take precautions to secure such attorney-client calls.

79.

Securus breached its duty to exercise reasonable care in protecting the

private attorney-client phone calls of Plaintiffs and the Class by: (a) failing to

implement and maintain adequate recording and security measures to safeguard

phone calls; (b) failing to monitor its systems to identify unlawful activity; (c)

allowing unauthorized recording and access to the private attorney-client phone calls

of Plaintiffs and the Class; and (d) failing to otherwise prevent unauthorized

eavesdropping, recording, listening to, or disclosure of such calls.

80.

Securus breached its duty to timely warn or notify Plaintiffs and the

Class about the unlawful recordings. Securus has failed to issue any warnings to its

current and former attorney-client users of its systems affected by the recordings.

Additionally, Securus was, or should have been, aware of the unlawful recordings

as early as June 1, 2008.

26
27
28

81.

But for Securus’ failure to implement and maintain adequate measures

to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the Plaintiffs’ and Class Members
21
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 23 of 25

attorney-client calls and conversations, and its failure to monitor its systems to

identify unlawful recordings and suspicious activity, the private recording of

Plaintiffs and Class Members would not have been made, and they would not be at

a heightened risk of unlawful recordings in the future.

82.

Securus’ negligence was a substantial factor in causing harm to

Plaintiffs and Class Members and in violating the Class’ CIPA and common law

privacy rights.

83.

As a direct and proximate cause and result of Securus’ failure to

exercise reasonable care and use reasonable measures to safeguard the private,

confidential and privileged nature of the recorded attorney-client phone calls, such

calls of Plaintiffs and the Class attorney-client users of the Securus

telecommunications services were eavesdropped on, listened to, recorded, stored,

and disclosed, such that unauthorized individuals could use the information to

compromise Plaintiffs privacy rights. Plaintiffs and the Class face a heightened risk

of such invasions of privacy in the future.

84.

Members of the Class have also suffered economic damages, including

incurring additional legal costs and expenses and charges for phone calls they would

not have otherwise incurred and paid.

85.

Neither Plaintiffs nor other Class Members contributed to the unlawful

conduct set forth herein, nor did they contribute to Securus’ unlawful eavesdropping,

listening to, recording, or storage of attorney-client phone calls, nor to the

insufficient measures to safeguard the private nature of such calls and conversations.

86.

Plaintiffs and the Class seek compensatory damages and punitive

damages with interest, the costs of suit and attorneys’ fees, and other and further

relief as this Court deems just and proper.

26
27
28

22
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 24 of 25

PRAYER FOR RELIEF

WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs, individually and on behalf of the proposed Class,

2
3

request the Court:

4
5
6
7

appoint Juan Romero and Frank Tiscareno as Class representatives, and appoint
the Law Offices of Ronald A. Marron and Robert Teel as Class counsel;
b.

8
9

Award declaratory, injunctive and other equitable relief as is

necessary to protect the interests of Plaintiffs and Class Members;

10
11

Certify this case as a Class action on behalf of the Class defined above

Award restitution and damages to Plaintiffs and Class Members in an

amount to be determined at trial;
d.

Order disgorgement of Defendant’s unjustly acquired revenue, profits,

and other monetary benefits resulting from their unlawful conduct for the benefit of

Plaintiffs and Class Members in an equitable and efficient manner determined by the

Court;

17
18

Order the imposition of a constructive trust upon Defendant such that

its enrichment, benefit, and ill-gotten gains may be allocated and distributed

equitably by the Court to and for the benefit of Plaintiffs and the Class Members.

21
22
23
24
25
26

Award Plaintiffs and Class Members their reasonable litigation

expenses and attorneys’ fees;
g.

Award Plaintiffs and Class Members pre- and post-judgment interest

to the extent allowable; and
h.

Award such other and further relief as equity and justice may require.

27
28

23
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT

Case 3:16-cv-01283-JM-MDD Document 1 Filed 05/27/16 Page 25 of 25

1
2

JURY DEMAND
Plaintiff hereby demands a trial by jury on all issues so triable.

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

Dated: May 27, 2016

/s/ Ronald A. Marron
By: Ronald A. Marron
LAW OFFICES OF RONALD A.
MARRON
RONALD A. MARRON
ALEXIS WOOD
KAS GALLUCCI
651 Arroyo Drive
San Diego, California 92103
Telephone: (619) 696-9006
Facsimile: (619) 564-6665
LAW OFFICE OF ROBERT L. TEEL
ROBERT L. TEEL
lawoffice@rlteel.com
207 Anthes Ave, 2nd Floor
Telephone: (866) 833-5529
Facsimile: (855) 609-6911

17
18
19

Attorneys for Plaintiffs
and the Proposed Class

20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

24
Romero et al v. Securus Technologies, Inc.
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT