Houston Judge Denies Summary Judgment Motions in Robocall Case

U.S. District Judge George Hanks for Southern Texas in Houston denied “without prejudice to being reasserted at trial” the cross-motions for summary judgment filed in May by defendant Scott Shapiro and the plaintiffs in the seven-state Telephone Consumer Protection Act robocalling case, said an order he signed Tuesday (docket 4:20-cv-02021). Shapiro’s motion asserted the states couldn’t establish one or more essential elements in each of their claims against him. The states maintain Shapiro was responsible for nearly 40% of the 742.3 million calls made to consumers whose numbers were on the national do not call registry. Hanks indicated during a Jan. 31 status conference he's ready for the case to proceed to trial (see 2302010027).