Ostrander v. Andrew, Unpublished Decision (5-31-2000)
Ostrander v. Andrew, Unpublished Decision (5-31-2000)
Opinion of the Court
Construing the facts in a light most favorable to the non-moving party, Ms. Ostrander brought a computer to Michael Andrew, doing business as Mac Exchange, appellee, for repair. Mr. Andrew estimated that it would be prohibitively expensive to repair the computer, costing several thousand dollars. Ms. Ostrander then sold the broken computer to Mr. Andrew for $200. On April 15, 1999, Ms. Ostrander purchased a computer from Mr. Andrew, which Mr. Andrew represented to be new. She purchased the computer using a check drawn on the account of Old Forge Services Company ("Old Forge"), which was listed as the purchaser on the sales receipt. Thereafter, Ms. Ostrander learned that the computer was used and that the old computer could have been fixed for $200, substantially less than Mr. Andrew had said repairs would cost. A letter was sent by an attorney representing Old Forge to Mr. Andrew, complaining of his actions. Furthermore, Ms. Ostrander alleges that Mr. Andrew falsely represented himself to Ms. Ostrander as an authorized retailer of Macintosh Computers.
On April 28, 1999, Ms. Ostrander filed suit seeking damages under R.C. 1345 et seq. for the unconscionable, unfair, and deceptive acts committed by Mr. Andrew and alleging that Mr. Andrew's acts caused $12,000 in actual damages. She also sought treble damages pursuant to R.C.
Ms. Ostrander asserts one assignment of error:
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN GRANTING SUMMARY JUDGMENT.
Ms. Ostrander avers that the trial court erred in entering summary judgment in favor of Mr. Andrew because there are material issues of fact remaining to be litigated with regard to whether the computer was purchased primarily for consumer or personal use, and hence, whether the transaction is covered by the Consumer Sales Practices Act. We disagree.
Pursuant to Civ.R. 56(C), summary judgment is proper if:
(1) No genuine issue as to any material fact remains to be litigated; (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law; and (3) it appears from the evidence that reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion, and viewing such evidence most strongly in favor of the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made, that conclusion is adverse to that party.
Temple v. Wean United, Inc. (1977),
The Consumer Sales Practices Act prohibits unfair or deceptive acts, R.C.
"A consumer transaction typically involves a natural person who obtains or is solicited to obtain an item of goods, a service, or an intangible primarily for personal, family, or household purposes. Also included are certain analogous transactions in which a natural person obtains or is solicited to obtain a business opportunity in which he has not been previously engaged."
Heritage Hills, Ltd. v. Deacon (1990),
In the present case, the computer was purchased using a check drawn from the account of Old Forge. Moreover, that company is listed as the purchaser of the computer on the sales receipt from Mac Exchange. Also, in a letter dated April 23, 1999, it was an attorney representing Old Forge who complained of Mr. Andrew's conduct regarding the sale of a computer to Old Forge. Ms. Ostrander avers in her affidavit that the malfunctioning computer, which she originally brought to Mr. Andrew for service, was given to her as a bonus by Old Forge. Although, in her affidavit, Ms. Ostrander states that the malfunctioning computer was used by her for at least some personal purposes, she does not aver what the new computer was purchased for or whether it was purchased for her by Old Forge or whether it was purchased by Old Forge for itself as a replacement for the malfunctioning computer which was given to her. Hence, we conclude that no genuine issue of material fact remains in dispute as to whether the Consumer Sales Practices Act applies to the transaction in question because: (1) the sale of the malfunctioning computer was to Mr. Andrew where, to be a consumer transaction, the sale must be "to an individual for purposes that are primarily personal," (Emphasis added.) R.C.
Ms. Ostrander's assignment of error is overruled. The judgment of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed.
Judgment affirmed.
The Court finds that there were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
We order that a special mandate issue out of this Court, directing the Court of Common Pleas, County of Summit, to carry this judgment into execution. A certified copy of this journal entry shall constitute the mandate, pursuant to App.R. 27.
Immediately upon the filing hereof, this document shall constitute the journal entry of judgment, and it shall be file stamped by the Clerk of the Court of Appeals at which time the period for review shall begin to run. App.R. 22(E).
Costs taxed to Appellant. Exceptions.
_____________________________________ WILLIAM G. BATCHELDER, FOR THE COURT.
WHITMORE, J. CONCURS.
Dissenting Opinion
In the absence of evidence that Old Forge was something other than Ostrander doing business as Old Forge, and in the presence of her affidavit that the item in question was used for personal purposes, it seems to me that there is a question of fact as to whether this transaction is covered by the Consumer Sales Practices Act. Under such circumstances, summary judgment would not be appropriate; accordingly, I would reverse the judgment of the trial court.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.