TANYA WALTON PRATT, District Judge.
This matter is before the Court on a Motion for More Definite Statement Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(e) filed by Third-Party Defendant Crump Life Insurance Services, Inc. ("Crump"). (
Plaintiff Christopher A. Compton ("Dr. Compton") worked as a dentist and owned his own dental practice. In November 2010, Dr. Compton met with Third-Party Defendant David M. Hajduch ("Mr. Hajduch") to apply for disability insurance coverage and business overhead expense coverage. Dr. Compton alleges in his complaint that Mr. Hajduch is believed to be an insurance agent that works exclusively with Crump in procuring insurance policies for his clients, and that Crump assisted in obtaining Dr. Compton's disability insurance with Plaintiff Metropolitan Life Insurance Company ("MetLife"). Dr. Compton alleges that Mr. Hajduch changed the information provided by him in the application, and submitted the revised application to MetLife. As a result, Dr. Compton's insurance policy approved by MetLife did not include business overhead expense coverage as represented by Mr. Hajduch. Dr. Compton subsequently developed a disability that affected his ability to work full-time as a dentist. He requested that Mr. Hajduch submit a disability insurance claim and business overhead expense claim on Dr. Compton's behalf to MetLife in October 2012. Dr. Compton alleges that in January 2013, he learned from MetLife that no claims for disability were submitted on his behalf and that he did not have business overhead expense coverage under his policy. MetLife denied Dr. Compton's claim for disability insurance and business overhead expenses and provided Dr. Compton a check for the total amount of premiums paid.
Dr. Compton filed a Third-Party Complaint against Mr. Hajduch and Crump in this action. Crump argues that the complaint fails to satisfy the pleading requirements of Rule 8(a) and moves for a more definite statement under Rule 12(e). "If a pleading fails to specify the allegations in a manner that provides sufficient notice, a defendant can move for a more definite statement under Rule 12(e) before responding." Swierkiewicz v. Sorema N. A., 534 U.S. 506, 514 (2002). Rule 12(e) provides:
Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(e). "Rule 12(e) motions are generally disfavored, and courts should grant such motions only if the complaint is so unintelligible that the defendant cannot draft a responsive pleading." Moore v. Fid. Fin. Servs., Inc., 869 F.Supp. 557, 559-60 (N.D. Ill. 1994) (citing U.S. for Use of Argyle Cut Stone Co., Inc. v. Paschen Contractors, Inc., 664 F.Supp. 298, 303 (N.D. Ill. 1987)). "[A] Rule 12(e) motion may be appropriate when a complaint fails to put a defendant on notice as to which of the claims apply to what parties." Welton v. Anderson, No. 1:13-CV-00355-JMS, 2013 WL 2244178, at *1 (S.D. Ind. May 21, 2013) (quoting Coleman v. Majestic Star Casino, LLC, No. 2:11-cv-391-PPS-PRC, 2012 WL 1424396, at *1 (N.D. Ind. Apr. 24, 2012)).
Crump has not shown that Dr. Compton's Third-Party Complaint is so vague or ambiguous that it does not provide notice as to which claims apply to Crump. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a)(2) provides that a complaint must include only "a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief." Such a statement must simply "give the defendant fair notice of what the plaintiff's claim is and the grounds upon which it rests." Swierkiewicz, 534 U.S. at 512 (quoting Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 47 (1957)). Dr. Compton's complaint satisfies this standard. Contrary to Crump's argument, the complaint sets forth the relationship between Crump and Mr. Hajduch, as well as Crump's involvement in the events giving rise to this action. (
The Court concludes that Mr. Compton's Third-Party Complaint satisfies the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a), and that no additional facts are required in the pleading. Therefore, Crump's Motion for a More Definite Statement (
SO ORDERED.