THOMAS S. ZILLY, District Judge.
This MATTER comes before the Court on Defendant Jane Doe Nguyen's Motion to Dismiss and Alternative Motion for More Definite Statement, docket no. 26. For the reasons stated in this order, the Court GRANTS in PART, DENIES in PART, and STRIKES as MOOT in PART Defendant's motion.
Plaintiff Dri-Eaz Products, Inc. ("Dri-Eaz"), a corporation which produces restoration, remediation, and environmental control products, formerly employed defendant Dan Duc Nguyen as Vice President of Global Supply Management. First Am. Compl. ¶¶ 1-2 (docket no. 24). Dri-Eaz brought its original Complaint against Mr. Nguyen for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and misappropriation of trade secrets, alleging that Mr. Nguyen used Dri-Eaz resources to promote the business interests of a third party. Compl. at ¶¶ 7.1, 10-18 (docket no. 1). In its original Complaint, Dri-Eaz included Jane Doe Nguyen and indicated she was domiciled in Florida. Id. at ¶ 2. Finding that there were no allegations that Mrs. Nguyen herself participated in the alleged bad acts of Mr. Nguyen, and that "the factual content alleged in the Complaint does not allow the Court to draw the reasonable interference that Mrs. Nguyen is liable as part of a marital community in Washington for the misconduct alleged against Mr. Nguyen," the Court granted Mrs. Nguyen's first motion to dismiss. See Order at 4 (docket no. 21).
Dri-Eaz amended its Complaint, and now states that Mrs. Nguyen is currently a member of a marital community domiciled in Florida, and that Mr. Nguyen relocated from Florida to Washington during the time at question. First Am. Compl. at ¶ 2, 6. Mrs. Nguyen again moves to dismiss, and moves in the alternative for a more definite statement. She moves additionally for an award of attorney's fees as the prevailing party on a claim for breach of fiduciary duty and under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, RCW 19.108.040.
To survive a motion to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to state a claim for relief that is plausible on its face.
Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(e), "[a] party may move for a more definite statement of a pleading . . . which is so vague or ambiguous that the party cannot reasonably prepare a response." However, motions for a more definite statement are disfavored, and "ordinarily restricted to situations where a pleading suffers from unintelligibility rather than want of detail."
Although the First Amended Complaint now states that Mrs. Nguyen is currently a member of a marital community domiciled in Florida, and that Mr. Nguyen relocated from Florida to Washington during the time at question, it fails to allege that (1) Mr. and Mrs. Nguyen were married at all relevant times; (2) their marriage constituted a marital community in Washington; and (3) the acts of Mr. Nguyen were taken on behalf of the marital community. Lacking such allegations, and lacking any allegations that Mrs. Nguyen herself participated in the alleged bad acts, the First Amended Complaint again fails to show that Dri-Eaz is entitled to relief.
(1) The Court GRANTS in PART, DENIES in PART, and STRIKES in PART as MOOT Defendant's motion, docket no. 26. Defendant's motion to dismiss is GRANTED. Plaintiff's claims against Jane Doe Nguyen are DISMISSED without prejudice. Defendant's motion for attorney's fees is DENIED without prejudice. Defendant's motion for a more definite statement is STRICKEN as MOOT.
(2) The Court DIRECTS Plaintiff to file any revised amended complaint, consistent with the Court's Order, within thirty (30) days.
IT IS SO ORDERED.