Williams v. Planet Motor Car, Inc.

190 Misc. 2d 22, 47 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 1000, 738 N.Y.S.2d 170, 2001 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 674
CourtCivil Court of the City of New York
DecidedDecember 14, 2001
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 190 Misc. 2d 22 (Williams v. Planet Motor Car, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Civil Court of the City of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Williams v. Planet Motor Car, Inc., 190 Misc. 2d 22, 47 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 1000, 738 N.Y.S.2d 170, 2001 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 674 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2001).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Jack M. Battaglia, J.

This case raises questions concerning the relationship between New York’s Used Car Lemon Law, General Business Law § 198-b, and article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code (Code) — specifically, whether a buyer who is awarded a refund after Lemon Law arbitration may also seek and receive damages for repair costs, and, if so, whether and how an arbitrator’s award is to be given preclusive effect in a later judicial action for damages.

Lenworth Williams is suing Planet Motor Car, Inc. (Planet) for repair costs and other loss resulting from the purchase of a 1996 model Mercedes from Planet in September 2000. At the April 23, 2001 trial, Mr. Williams appeared and testified, as did Planet’s Manager, Mandoh Eltopy. The court reserved decision, pending final resolution of arbitration proceedings instituted by Mr. Williams pursuant to the Used Car Lemon Law.

[24]*24Under the Lemon Law arbitration program, a hearing was held on March 31, 2001. The arbitrator rendered a decision in Mr. Williams’ favor on April 16, and the decision was mailed by the administrator on May 4. By order to show cause dated July 31, and returnable August 9, Planet sought to vacate the arbitrator’s award pursuant to CPLR 7511. In an order filed October 18, 2001, Justice Luther V. Dye denied Planet’s motion to vacate the award.

The Used Car Lemon Law was enacted in 1984, and is modeled on the New Car Lemon Law enacted the previous year, General Business Law § 198-a. The statute requires that a used car dealer give a consumer a written warranty that covers parts specified in the statute (§ 198-b [b] [1], [2]). The duration of the warranty varies according to the vehicle’s mileage at the time of the sale; in this case, because the mileage was 78,673, the warranty was for the earlier of 60 days or 3,000 miles (§ 198-b [b] [1] [b]).

The warranty must require that the dealer repair a covered part that has failed, or reimburse the consumer for the reasonable cost of repairing it (§ 198-b [b] [2]). Moreover, if the dealer “fails to correct a malfunction or defect as required by the warranty * * * which substantially impairs the value of the used motor vehicle to the consumer after a reasonable period of time, the dealer shall accept return of the used motor vehicle from the consumer and refund to the consumer the full purchase price * * * including sales * * * tax, less a reasonable allowance for any damage not attributable to normal wear or usage” (§ 198-b [c] [1]).

The consumer is given the option of submitting any dispute under the law to binding arbitration under a program administered by the Attorney General (§ 198-b [f] [3]).

“Such alternate arbitration shall be conducted by a professional arbitrator or arbitration firm appointed by and under regulations established by the attorney general. Such mechanism shall ensure the personal objectivity of its arbitrators and the right of each party to present its case, to be in attendance during any presentation made by the other party and to rebut or refute such presentation. In all other respects, such alternate arbitration mechanism shall be governed by article seventy-five of the civil practice law and rules.” (Id.)

The constitutionality of the similar arbitration provisions in the New Car Lemon Law, General Business Law § 198-a (k), [25]*25was upheld in Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Assn. v State of New York (75 NY2d 175 [1990]; see also Matter of State of New York v Ford Motor Co., 74 NY2d 495, 502-503 [19893; Lyeth v Chrysler Corp., 929 F2d 891 [2d Cir 1991]; Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Assn. v Abrams, 899 F2d 1315 [2d Cir 1990]).

The Attorney General has promulgated extensive regulations to govern arbitration proceedings under the two Lemon Laws. (13 NYCRR ch VIII, part 300.) The regulations provide for limited discovery, 13 NYCRR 300.9, and representation by counsel (id. § 300.10). The hearing must “afford each party a full and equal opportunity to represent his/her case.” (Id. § 300.12 [a], [b], [c].) Time periods are specified for written submissions, the scheduling of the hearing, and the administrator’s review. (Id. §§ 300.7, 300.16.)

In the matter of Mr. Williams and Planet Motor Car, it appears from the arbitrator’s award that Planet was represented by counsel at the hearing. The award summarizes the evidence introduced by Mr. Williams and by Planet, and states several findings, including: “The problem is one covered by the used car warranty”; “at least one problem still exists * * * the vehicle vibrates strongly and increasingly as vehicle gets warmer”; “[t]he problem(s) which still exist(s) substantially impairs the value of the car to the consumer”; “[t]he problem(s) is/are not a result of the consumer’s abuse, neglect or unreasonable modification or alteration of the car.” Planet was directed to refund the purchase price of the vehicle.

“It is settled that the doctrine of res judicata is applicable to arbitration awards and may serve to bar the subsequent relitigation of a single issue or an entire claim * * * ‘Claim preclusion’ refers to the bar against relitigating a claim or a cause of action * * * ‘Issue preclusion’ is more limited, barring only the relitigation of a discrete factual or legal issue.” (Matter of Ranni [Ross], 58 NY2d 715, 717 [1982].)
“The question of whether to accord preclusive effect to a prior determination depends generally on a number of factors that we shall consider, including the identity of issues, the fullness and fairness of the parties’ opportunity to litigate the issue at bar, the realities of the arbitral proceedings, including the incentive to proceed to arbitration, and actual scope of the arbitration, as well as the presence and participation of counsel, the foreseeability of [26]*26future litigation, the extent to which a matter was necessarily or implicitly decided in the arbitral forum (even if not actually litigated), the likelihood of inconsistent results, and the opportunity to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses * * *
“By its very nature, however, an arbitration hearing is not conducted with the formalities and records of legal proceedings.” (Altamore v Friedman, 193 AD2d 240, 245-246 [2d Dept 1993].)

“The doctrine of election of remedies is related to res judicata, but more by affinity than by blood.” (David D. Siegel, NY Prac § 218, at 343 [3d ed].) The doctrine is relevant here because of the rule at common law that “[a] buyer cannot * * * recover both damages and purchase price when a case has been tried on the basis of rescission.” (Weigel v Cook, 237 NY 136, 142 [1923].) This general rule was codified as to the sale of goods in the old Sale of Goods Act (former Personal Property Law art 5, added by L 1911, ch 571, amending L 1909, ch 45, art 5, §§ 80, 81), providing the buyer with remedies for breach of warranty “at his election” of either damages or rescission but not both (former Personal Property Law § 150 [1], [2]). As will appear, the doctrine has since been modified by the CPLR and the Uniform Commercial Code.

Three questions present themselves: may Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
190 Misc. 2d 22, 47 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 1000, 738 N.Y.S.2d 170, 2001 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 674, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/williams-v-planet-motor-car-inc-nycivct-2001.