Title: Southwest Starving Artists Group v. State, Etc.
Citation: 364 So. 2d 1128
Docket Number: 50773
State: Mississippi
Issuer: Mississippi Supreme Court
Date: November 29, 1978

364 So. 2d 1128 (1978) SOUTHWEST STARVING ARTISTS GROUP, INC. et al. v. STATE of Mississippi ex rel. A.F. SUMMER, Attorney General. No. 50773. Supreme Court of Mississippi. November 29, 1978. *1129 Watkins, Pyle, Ludlam, Winter &amp; Stennis, L. Arnold Pyle, Walker W. Jones, III, Ross F. Bass, Jr., Jackson, for appellants. A.F. Summer, Atty. Gen. by Marshall G. Bennett, Asst. Atty. Gen. and Thomas M. Bryson, Sp. Asst. Atty. Gen., Jackson, for appellee. Before ROBERTSON, P.J., and LEE and COFER, JJ. ROBERTSON, Presiding Justice, for the Court: The Defendants, Southwest Starving Artists Group, Inc., James Edward McNabb, Individually, James Edward McNabb d/b/a Southwest Starving Artist Group, and James Edward McNabb d/b/a McNabb Advertising Agency, have appealed from a Decree of the Chancery Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County, affirming the issuance of a Modified Writ of Injunction by the County Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County permanently enjoining the defendants and ordering the payment of $1500 civil penalties for deceitful and unfair advertising in violation of Mississippi law. Defendants complain of these provisions of the writ of injunction: The proof showed that various radio and television advertisements were made on radio and television stations in Jackson, Mississippi, prior to art sales on or about Sunday, December 19, 1976, Sunday, January 9, 1977, and Sunday, February 6, 1977. The advertisements and posted notices complained of generally followed this format: Mississippi Code Annotated section 75-24-5 (1978 Supp.), provides: Among other things, James E. McNabb, president of Southwest Starving Artists Group, Inc., who owned and operated this and his other businesses as sole proprietorships, testified that 90% of the paintings came from Hong Kong and 8% to 9% from other countries outside of the United States (Italy, France, Spain and other Pacific Countries). McNabb stated that he had no contract with local artists but purchased from major art agents who would not disclose the names of the local artists for fear that McNabb would deal directly with them and bypass the agents. McNabb further testified that only 1 to 2% of the paintings came from American artists. Witnesses testified that the advertisements did persuade them to attend the "Art Sales" and if they had known the true facts they probably would not have attended the sales. The Chancery Court found that the County Court was well within its discretion in finding that the advertising through posted notices and on radio and television was deceptive and violated Mississippi law. The Chancellor further found: In our opinion, the Chancellor was justified in making these findings from the evidence adduced in the County Court. The proof adduced clearly showed a violation of Mississippi Code Annotated section 75-24-5, (b), (c), (d), and (e), (1978 Supp.). The decree of the Chancery Court is, therefore, affirmed as to the issuance of a writ of injunction and the imposition of a $1500 civil penalty against the defendants. However, we do feel that subparagraph "c" of the Modified Writ of Injunction is overly broad. Subparagraph "c" is amended to read: The following language is deleted from the Modified Writ of Injunction: As thus modified, the decree of the Chancery Court is affirmed. AFFIRMED AS MODIFIED. PATTERSON, C.J., SMITH, P.J., and SUGG, WALKER, BROOM, LEE, BOWLING and COFER, JJ., concur.