Court Opinion

ID: 9575780
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:17:08.443177+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:50:03.403115
License: Public Domain

Justice WEBB
concurring.
I concur with the result reached by the majority, but I believe the majority has said too much. N.C.G.S. § 20-288(e) provides in pertinent part:
Any purchaser of a motor vehicle who shall have suffered any loss or damage by any act of a motor vehicle dealer that constitutes a violation of this Article [Article 12] or Article 15 shall have the right to institute an action to recover against such motor vehicle dealer and the surety.
*82The surety in this case has conceded the dealer violated Article 12 and that the surety is liable for damages under this Article. The surety does not concede it is liable for treble damages under Chapter 75 of the General Statutes and I believe the surety is right.
N.C.G.S. § 20-288(e) makes the surety liable for claims under Article 12. Article 12 does not provide for treble damages and the surety is not liable for them. In this case, the plaintiff has sued the dealer under Chapter 75 and procured a default judgment. N.C.G.S. § 20-288(e) does not make the surety liable on this claim. She should be limited in her remedy against the surety to her Article 12 claim.
I believe it is a mistake on the part of the majority to create and discuss a hypothetical case in which the majority says treble damages might be appropriate. I do not believe they would be appropriate in any Article 12 action because the statute does not provide for treble damages. More importantly, however, I do not believe we should decide something that is not before us.
Justice MEYER joins in this concurring opinion.