Blankenship v. CFMOTO Powersports, Inc.

2011 Ohio 948, 161 Ohio Misc. 2d 5
CourtClermont County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedJanuary 24, 2011
DocketNo. 2009 CVH 1340
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 2011 Ohio 948 (Blankenship v. CFMOTO Powersports, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Clermont County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Blankenship v. CFMOTO Powersports, Inc., 2011 Ohio 948, 161 Ohio Misc. 2d 5 (Ohio Super. Ct. 2011).

Opinion

Haddad, Judge.

{¶ 1} This matter came before the court pursuant to a partial motion for judgment on the pleadings, filed by the defendants, CFMOTO Powersports, Inc., HH Motor Sports, L.L.C., and Zhejiang CFMOTO Power Co., Ltd., on April 2, 2010. The defendants renewed their motion on June 17, 2010, after the plaintiff filed a second amended complaint on June 10, 2010. The court held a hearing on the matter on August 16, 2010.

{¶ 2} The court would note that pursuant to an agreement discussed on the record in a separate hearing, held on May 18, 2010, the parties stipulated that the plaintiff, in his individual capacity, is the prevailing party on Counts One through Four of the First Amended Complaint. The parties further stipulated that the only issue to be determined by the court at a later date on these claims is damages, including reasonable attorney fees. Additionally, on July 14, 2010, the plaintiff filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of the Class Claims Seven through Thirteen, without prejudice. Therefore, the only claims remaining that are subject to the defendants’ motion for partial judgment on the pleadings are Counts Five and Six. As to Count Five, there is pending before the court a motion to certify the fifth claim as a class action, filed by the plaintiff on April 6, 2010. This motion shall remain pending until the current motion for partial judgment on the pleadings is resolved.

{¶ 3} Having heard oral arguments on the defendants’ motion for partial judgment on the pleadings, the court took' the matter under advisement and now renders the following decision.

FINDINGS OF FACT

{¶ 4} For purposes of this decision, the court will address only the facts relevant to Counts Five and Six of the second amended complaint, since those are the only claims that remain.

{¶ 5} This case involves a 2008 CFMOTO CF250T-Y5 motorcycle that was manufactured, warranted, and/or distributed by Zhejiang CFMOTO Power Co., Ltd. and CFMOTO Powersports, Inc. This product was sold retail and repaired under warranty by HH Motor Sports, L.L.C. The plaintiff alleges that the motorcycles were equipped with a rear-brake system designed, intended, and/or used on the lower-powered and lower-speed scooters that the company also manufactures. Essentially, the motorcycle was equipped with a hand-brake [9]*9rather than a foot-brake. It is alleged that this braking system violates federally mandated rear-brake safety standards for motorcycles. The plaintiff alleges that when he purchased this motorcycle from the dealer, he thought he was getting a safe and reliable vehicle; however, the motorcycle is unsafe to drive. It is also alleged that the defendants failed to distribute with the motorcycles the mandatory Ohio Lemon Law Rights written notice that is required by Ohio law.

{¶ 6} In relation to Count Five, the Consumer Sales Practices Act (“CSPA”), the plaintiff alleges that (1) the Chinese manufacturer failed to build any motorcycles in this entire line that would comply with U.S. federal rear-brake safety standards for a properly functioning rear-brake system, including the sub-issues of a vehicle recall, false representations and marketing, and so forth, and (2) the Chinese manufacturer failed to comply with Ohio’s CSPA when it distributed the motorcycles without the Ohio Lemon Law Rights notice. The plaintiff is pursuing these claims in a class-action suit. The plaintiff alleges that this conduct constitutes unfair and/or deceptive consumer sales practices in violation of R.C. 1345.02 because the defendants represented through advertising and other marketing communications that the vehicles were new and free from defects and could be driven safely in normal operation. It is alleged that instead, the vehicles were not of the “standard, quality, or grade” that they were represented and/or advertised to be. Therefore, the plaintiff is seeking relief on behalf of himself and the class pursuant to R.C. 1345.02(B)(1), 1345.02(B)(2), 1345.02(B)(5), 1345.02(B)(9), and 1345.02(B)(10). Further, in support of this claim, the plaintiff cites Pearn v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., 148 Ohio App.3d 228, 2002-Ohio-3197, 772 N.E.2d 712; Brown v. Lyons (1974), 43 Ohio Misc. 14, 72 O.O.2d 216, 332 N.E.2d 380; Layne v. McGowen (Nov. 14, 1997), Montgomery App. No. 16400, 1997 WL 705480, and Fribourg v. Vandemark (July 29, 1999), Clermont App. No. CA99-02-017, 1999 WL 552741. The plaintiff is pursuing this claim as a class action.

{¶ 7} The plaintiff specifically does not allege a claim for violation of R.C. 1345.72.

{¶ 8} In relation to Count Six, the Ohio Deceptive Trade Practices Act (“DTPA”), the plaintiff alleges that the defendants’ conduct violated R.C. 4165 because the defendants made false statements of fact concerning the vehicles that the plaintiff purchased. It is alleged that the plaintiff would not have purchased the vehicle had he otherwise known of the “unreasonably dangerous violative rear brake system” used on the motorcycles. It is alleged that the defendants did one or more of the following: (1) caused likelihood of confusion or misunderstanding as to the approval or certification of goods; (2) represented that goods had approval, characteristics, uses, or benefits that they did not have; (3) represented that goods were of a particular standard, quality, or grade, or that goods were of [10]*10a particular style or model if they are of another; and (4) advertised goods with intent not to sell them as advertised. Again, the plaintiff is pursuing this claim as a class action.

{¶ 9} The defendants filed a motion for partial judgment on the pleadings on April 2, 2010. They then filed a renewed motion for partial judgment on the pleadings on June 17, 2010, after the plaintiff filed his second amended complaint. The motion addresses Counts Five through Thirteen; however, since Counts Seven through Thirteen have been dismissed, the court will consider the defendants’ motion as it relates to Counts Five and Six only.

THE LEGAL STANDARD

{¶ 10} “A Civ.R. 12(C) motion for judgment on the pleadings presents only questions of law.” Landwehr v. Batavia, 173 Ohio App.3d 599, 2007-Ohio-6035, 879 N.E.2d 824, ¶ 6, citing Fontbank, Inc. v. CompuServe, Inc. (2000), 138 Ohio App.3d 801, 807, 742 N.E.2d 674. In determining a motion under Civ.R. 12(C), the court must construe all material allegations in the complaint and draw all reasonable inferences therefrom in favor of the nonmoving party. Landwehr at ¶ 6, citing State ex rel. Midwest Pride IV, Inc. v. Pontious (1996), 75 Ohio St.3d 565, 570, 664 N.E.2d 931. The court must then find “beyond doubt that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of the claim that would entitle him or her to relief.” Feagin v. Mansfield Corr. Inst., Franklin App. No. 07AP-182, 2007-Ohio-4862, 2007 WL 2729421, ¶ 6, citing Walk v. Ohio Supreme Court, Franklin App. No. 03AP-205, 2003-Ohio-5343, 2003 WL 22290209, ¶ 5. “When the face of a complaint indicates that it is statutorily barred, judgment on the pleadings is properly entered.” Feagin at ¶ 12, citing Peterson v. Teodosio

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Blankenship v. CFMOTO Powersports, Inc.
2011 Ohio 6946 (Clermont County Court of Common Pleas, 2011)

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Bluebook (online)
2011 Ohio 948, 161 Ohio Misc. 2d 5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/blankenship-v-cfmoto-powersports-inc-ohctcomplclermo-2011.