Polk v. Crown Auto, Inc.

110 F. Supp. 2d 455, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22100, 1999 WL 33109676
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Virginia
DecidedNovember 16, 1999
Docket4:99CV0011
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 110 F. Supp. 2d 455 (Polk v. Crown Auto, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Polk v. Crown Auto, Inc., 110 F. Supp. 2d 455, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22100, 1999 WL 33109676 (W.D. Va. 1999).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

MOON, District Judge.

The plaintiff, Chrisom Polk, brought this action against the defendant, Crown Auto, Inc., alleging violations of the Truth in Lending Act as well as several state causes of action. The defendant filed a motion for summary judgment and the plaintiff filed an independent motion for partial summary judgment. Both parties have responded to the other’s motion.

Because there is no genuine issue of material fact that would entitle the plaintiff to judgment, the Court GRANTS the defendant’s motion with respect to the Truth in Lending Act claim and DENIES the plaintiffs motion accordingly. The remaining state law claims are dismissed without prejudice.

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The plaintiff purchased a 1987 Toyota truck from the defendant on February 16, 1999. Prior to consummating the transaction, the defendant made verbal disclo *456 sures of the transaction’s credit terms. On February 16, 1999, the plaintiff entered into two Retail Installment Sales Contracts (hereinafter “RISCs”) in order to purchase the truck. After the signing, the plaintiff was given copies of the RISCs.

The agreed payment schedule required the plaintiff to pay $118.05 per month for 30 months with the initial payments to begin on March 18, 1998. The plaintiff failed to make either the June 18, 1998 or the July 18, 1998 payment and the vehicle was repossessed on July 24,1998.

The plaintiff brought this action alleging the above and the following counts: 1

Count 1 alleges that the defendant violated the Truth in Lending Act by not giving the plaintiff copies of the RISCs in a form that he could keep before consummation of the credit transaction. 2

Count 2 seeks damages for creating an usurious loan.

Counts 3 alleges that the defendant engaged in the wrongful repossession of the 1987 Toyoto truck

Count 5 alleges violations of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, Va.Code § 69.1-198 et seq., by not registering the truck within 30 days, defrauding a retail buyer, fraudulently retaking the vehicle, fraudulently misrepresenting the plaintiffs balance at redemption, fraudulently increasing the amount required to redeem, employing servants who fraudulently induced the plaintiff to allow then to repossess the truck, falsely representing the mileage of the vehicle, concealing the plaintiffs right to process the title himself, and by charging two processing fees when it represented that it was only charging one.

Count 6 alleges that because the transaction violated laws designed to protect the public and because the transaction is imbued with fraud, it is unenforceable.

Count 8 alleges that the defendant breached its contract with the plaintiff.

Count 9 alleges that the defendant knowingly and intentionally misled the plaintiff.

II. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

Summary judgment should only be granted if, viewing the record as a whole in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, no genuine issue of material fact exists and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R.Civ.P. 56(c); see also Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-24, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Terry’s Floor Fashions, Inc. v. Burlington Industries, Inc., 763 F.2d 604, 610 (4th Cir.1985). In considering a motion for summary judgment, “the court is required to view the facts and draw reasonable inferences in a light most favorable to the non-moving party.” Shaw v. Stroud, 13 F.3d 791, 798 (4th Cir.1994) (citations omitted), cert, denied, 513 U.S. 813, 115 S.Ct. 67, 130 L.Ed.2d 24 (1994).

III. ANALYSIS

The Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”) (Title I of the Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq.), as implemented by Federal Reserve Board Regulation Z, 12 C.F.R. § 226, was designed by Congress as a tool “to assure a meaningful disclosure of credit terms so that the consumer will be able to compare more readily the various credit terms available to him ... and to protect the *457 consumer against inaccurate and unfair credit billing ... practices.” 15 U.S.C. § 1601(a). To that end, the TILA mandates that creditors make specific disclosures when extending credit to consumers. See 15 U.S.C. § 1638(a); Gilbert v. Wood Acceptance Co., 486 F.2d 627 (7th Cir.1973). These disclosures include the identity of the creditor, the amount financed, the finance charge, and the total number of payments. 15 U.S.C. § 1638(a). Because the TILA is to be broadly construed to provide protection for the consumer, any failure to disclose information as required by the TILA or Regulation Z results in a technical violation. See Walker v. College Toyota, Inc., 399 F.Supp. 778 (W.D.Va.1974) aff'd 519 F.2d 447 (4th Cir.1975); Riggs v. Government Emp. Financial Corp., 623 F.2d 68 (9th Cir.1980).

The defendant is a creditor as defined by 15 U.S.C. § 1602(f). The plaintiff is a consumer as defined by 15 U.S.C. § 1602(h). The plaintiff argues that the TILA requires a creditor to give TILA disclosures to a consumer in a form the latter can keep prior to the consummation of a credit transaction. Because the defendant did not provide the plaintiff with a copy of the TILA disclosures in a form that he could keep prior to the consummation of the transaction, the plaintiff contends that the defendant failed to make disclosures required by Regulation Z. This Court cannot, however, endorse the plaintiffs interpretation of the statute.

12 C.F.R. § 226

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
110 F. Supp. 2d 455, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22100, 1999 WL 33109676, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/polk-v-crown-auto-inc-vawd-1999.