Case ID: so2d_539/html/0207-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "BEATTY, Justice. JONES, Justice", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Marie J. NORRIS and Annie Echols v. STEEL CITY OLDSMOBILE GMC TRUCK, INC., et al.
    87-159.
    Supreme Court of Alabama.
    Dec. 16, 1988.
    Rehearing Denied Jan. 13, 1989.
    Robert T. Wilson, Sr., and Garve Ivey, Jr., of Wilson & King, Jasper, for appellants.
    J. Fred Wood, Jr., and Terry McElheny of Dominick, Fletcher, Yeilding, Wood & Lloyd, Birmingham, for appellees Steel City Oldsmobile GMC Truck, Inc., and Dural Weathers.
    William B. Fernambucq of Huie, Femam-bucq & Stewart, Birmingham, for appellee General Motors Acceptance Corp.
    Dennis G. Pantazis and Claudia H. Pearson of Gordon, Silberman, Wiggins & Childs, Birmingham, for amicus curiae Alabama Consumer Finance Ass’n, Inc.
    H. Hampton Boles and John P. Scott, Jr., of Balch & Bingham, Birmingham, for ami-cus curiae Alabama Bankers Ass’n.
    Robert A. Huffaker and Lloyd V. Crawford of Rushton, Stakely, Johnston & Garrett, Montgomery, for amicus curiae The Automobile Dealers Ass’n of Alabama, Inc.
   BEATTY, Justice.

Affirmed on the authority of Casey v. Travelers Ins. Co., 531 So.2d 846 (Ala.1988).

AFFIRMED.

TORBERT, C.J., and MADDOX, HOUSTON and STEAGALL, JJ., concur.

JONES, J., dissents.

ALMON, SHORES and ADAMS, JJ., not sittini-

JONES, Justice

(dissenting):

I respectfully dissent. To affirm summarily on the authority of Casey overlooks this Court’s authority and duty to review the issue here presented: Whether an annual interest rate of 39% on the balance of the purchase price of a used automobile — a consumer product — is illegal under the test of unconscionability. Lessons of history should not be so cavalierly ignored. Every known civilized society has found it necessary, in the public interest, to regulate the natural greed , of the money lender.