Class Actions
Consumer Law lends itself nicely to class action treatment.Many such claims involve the use of preprinted contracts with identical language which may be unlawful or overreaching. Or the conduct alleged to be unlawful is the same over and over. Many individual consumer claimsinvolve amounts of money not large enough to neither justify the time nor expense necessary to bring such claims in Court. Nevertheless, these claims involve important legal issues which benefit consumers and which need to be addressed. Such claims brought on an individual basis provide little or no incentive for change where the wrongdoers simply pay small amounts which they consider as the cost of doing business. However, when similarly situated individuals combine their claims in a single lawsuit or action it can become a powerful force and incentive for change. Fortunately, many of the consumer statutes themselves expressly authorize and allow for class treatment for violations such as the federal truth-in-lending act, the fair debt collection practices act and many state consumer statutes as well.
Some of Our Class Action Cases
Our firm has been involved in numerous class action lawsuits over the years and they are listed below.
- Mueller vs. Provident Bank
- Ridner vs. Cardinal Federal Savings & Loan
- Matthews vs. City Loan
- Schoen vs. Globe Furniture
- Smythe vs. National City Credit
- Deal vs. Bank One
- Crisp vs. City of Portsmouth
- Kochensparger vs. Eastgate Financial Services
- Mowery vs. Village of Coal Grove
- Ritchie vs. City of Ironton
- Davis vs. First Check
- Piskula vs. National Check Exchange
- Wilkerson vs. Central Hardware
- Hook vs. Del’s Auto Sales
- Izenburg vs. Vernon Motors
- Blevins vs. Hudson &Keyse
- Hartman vs. Asset Acceptance
- Mann vs. Acclaim Financial Services
- Kalcheck vs. Bazely
- Payne vs. Auto Now
- Kistner vs. Law Offices of Michael Margelefsky
- Tedrow vs. Cowles
- Salvagne vs. Fairfield Ford
- Adkins vs. Weltman, Weinberg & Reis
- Wayt vs. Town of Crothersville
- Allen-Gregory vs. Town of Fortville
- Massey vs. Town of Fortville
- Folchi vs. Autovest
Recent Notices & Settlement Agreements
Recent & Current Class Settlement Agreements &Class Notices
Reserved forKilburn-Winnie vs. Town of Fortville, case no. 1:15cv1784]
The above case is currently on appeal to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. We fully expect the lower court’s decision to be reversed and the case reinstated where ultimately we will be reporting this as a class judgment or settlement. You can read the complaint while we’re waiting. If you are a resident of this Town whose government is a serial violator of the Civil Rights of its citizens, who had his or her water service suspended and who had to pay a reconnection fee for reinstatement, please call us.
Allen-Gregory vs. Town of Fortville, case no. 1:14cv1148 (S.D. Indiana)
Note: The above settlement includes only disconnections between July 9, 2012 and October 31, 2014. For disconnections after October 31, 2014 you have the option to consult with your own attorney.