Barrett v. Brian Bemis Auto World

408 F. Supp. 2d 539, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 39499, 2005 WL 3663716
District Court, N.D. Illinois·Decided November 29, 2005·No. 04 C 50149·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

COAR, District Judge.

I. BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Brandie Barrett purchased a used 1999 Jeep Cherokee from defendant Brian Bemis Auto World on March 20, 2003. The dealership arranged for financing for the vehicle purchase through defendant Amcore Bank, N.A. Barrett was shown an odometer disclosure statement which represented that the Jeep Cherokee had 56,356 miles on it at the time of sale. In addition, she purchased an extended service policy for the vehicle, credit life insurance, credit disability insurance, and GAP insurance. At the time of purchase, Barrett signed a service contract application that did not provide an expiration date for the extended service policy. Barrett signed a Retail Installment Contract to finance the purchase amount of $19,033.52, plus a finance charge of $4,472.68, for a total sale price of $23,506.20. Barrett put no money down. Brian Bemis Auto World did not disclose that the Jeep Cherokee’s title, dated July 29, 2002, bore a “not actual mileage” legend. Barrett drove the vehicle off the lot that day. When the Jeep’s certificate of title arrived at Brian Bemis Auto World, a title clerk for the dealer signed Brandie Barrett’s name on the title as- the Buyer in the First Reassignment section. Barrett had not given the dealer a power of attorney and had not authorized the dealer to sign her name to the title. On March 20, 2003, the day of purchase, Barrett took the Jeep to the Bemis Auto World service department about a vibration in the vehicle. The service records reflect an odometer reading of 56,371 at 10:39 a.m. On the evening of March 20 or March 21, 2003, however, the Jeep overheated and had to be towed back to the dealer for service. 1 According to the TriState Towing receipt, the Jeep had 56,911 miles on it at the time of towing. The Brian Bemis Auto World service department logs also reflect a mileage of 56,911 as of March 21, 2003. According to the Bemis service department logs, the Jeep had a mileage of 56,356 on March 13, 2003, when it was previously serviced. After purchasing the Jeep, Barrett experienced problems with the brakes, the air-conditioning and heating systems, and the panel instruments and lights. She took the vehicle to Brian Bemis Auto World for service and repairs on multiple occasions between March and October 2003.

*542 On October 17, 2003, Barrett, through counsel, sent a letter to Brian Bemis Auto World and Amcore Bank in which she notified them of her belief that the Jeep Cherokee was defective, her intention to revoke acceptance of the vehicle, and her demand for rescission of the purchase contract and return of all funds paid. In addition, she demanded $35,000 under Illinois’ consumer fraud statute. Barrett did not return the vehicle to the dealer. On March 24, 2004, she filed an eight-count complaint against Brian Bemis Auto World and Amcore Bank, N.A. in this court. Her complaint asserts three claims under federal law: Count I alleges a breach of written warranty against Brian Bemis Auto World under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2301; Count V alleges violation of the Federal Odometer Act, 49 U.S.C. § 32701, against Brian Bemis Auto World; and Count VIII seeks rescission of the Retail Installment Contract against assignee Amcore Bank, N.A. pursuant to the FTC Holder Rule, 16 C.F.R. § 433.2. Barrett also alleges breach of implied warranty of merchantability, 810 ILCS 5/2-314 and 15 U.S.C. § 2308 (count II); violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, 815 ILCS 505/1 (count III); common law fraud (count IV); violation of the Illinois Motor Vehicle Act, 625 ILCS 5/3-112.1 (count VI); and asserts a right to revoke acceptance' of the vehicle under 810 ILCS 5/2-608 (count VII).

Currently pending before this Court are Plaintiffs Motion for Partial Summary Judgment as to Count III (ICFA), and Defendant Amcore Bank, N.A.’s Motion for Summary Judgment on Count VIII (rescission).

II. LEGAL STANDARD

A party seeking summary judgment has the burden of showing, through “pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any,” that there are no genuine issues of material fact that would prevent judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R.Civ.P. 56(c). On a motion for summary judgment, courts “must construe all facts in the light most favorable to the non-moving party and draw all reasonable and justifiable inferences in favor of that party.” Allen v. Cedar Real Estate Group, LLP, 236 F.3d 374, 380 (7th Cir.2001). “If, however, the record as a whole ‘could not lead a rational trier of fact to find for the non-moving party, there is no genuine issue for trial.’ ” Id. Once a motion for summary judgment has been filed, “the burden shifts to the non-moving party to show through specific evidence that a triable issue of fact remains on issues on which the non-movant bears the burden of proof at trial.” Liu v. T & H Machine, Inc., 191 F.3d 790, 796 (7th Cir.1999) (citing Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 324, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986)). The non-movant must provide more than a “mere scintilla” of evidence to carry its burden under the summary judgment standard. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). However, weighing evidence, making credibility determinations, and drawing reasonable inferences are functions of a jury, not of a judge deciding a summary judgment motion. Id. at 255,106 S.Ct. 2505.

III. ANALYSIS

A. Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act Claim Dismissed On Court’s Own Motion

On its own motion, this Court dismisses Barrett’s Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act claim (Count I) for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Under applicable law in the Seventh Circuit, a plaintiff must plead an amount in controversy of more than $50,000 in order to assert a valid claim under the Magnuson-Moss Warran *543 ty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2301. See Schimmer v. Jaguar Cars, Inc.,

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Barrett v. Brian Bemis Auto World, 408 F. Supp. 2d 539, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 39499, 2005 WL 3663716 (N.D. Ill. 2005).

408 F. Supp. 2d 539 (Barrett v. Brian Bemis Auto World) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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