West Marine Wage and Hour Class Belongs in California: 9th Cir.

A class action against West Marine Products Inc. over allegations that it violated California wage and hour laws belongs in state court, the Ninth Circuit affirmed Wednesday.

There is ample evidence in the district court record to support the finding that at least one-third of the proposed class lives in California, and thus that the court was well within its authority to remand the case under the Class Action Fairness Act’s home state exception, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said.

CAFA’s discretionary home state exception allows a district court to remand a ...