AKIA LESTER VS. RAYMOND ZOLA (L-0432-18, GLOUCESTER COUNTY AND STATEWIDE)

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT THE
APPROVAL OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION
This opinion shall not "constitute precedent or be binding upon any court ." Although it is posted on the
internet, this opinion is binding only on the parties in the case and its use in other cases is limited. R. 1:36-3.
SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY
APPELLATE DIVISION
DOCKET NO. A-2595-18T3
AKIA LESTER and
BRUCE LESTER,
Plaintiffs-Respondents,
v.
RAYMOND ZOLA and
CORNERSTONE II, LLC,
Respondents-Appellants.
__________________________
Argued February 3, 2020 – Decided February 24, 2020
Before Judges Sabatino, Geiger and Natali.
On appeal from the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law
Division, Gloucester County, Docket No. L-0432-18.
Jo-Leo Wade Carney-Waterton argued the cause for
appellants.
Stephen Wayne Guice argued the cause for
respondents.
PER CURIAM
Plaintiffs paid defendants, a car repair shop and its owner, to obtain and
install a replacement engine for their car. After receiving plaintiffs' payment,
defendant obtained a used engine from a supplier and placed it in plaintiffs'
vehicle. The replacement engine quickly failed. Defendants did not repair or
replace the engine. They claimed their warranty printed on the back of the
customer's unsigned receipt did not cover the situation and that plaintiffs instead
had to seek recourse from the engine supplier. Plaintiffs consequently sued
defendants for relief under the Consumer Fraud Act, N.J.S.A. 56:8-1 to -198.
After a non-jury trial, the trial court ruled that defendants violated several
consumer regulations. The violations included non-compliance with a
regulation that requires material terms of a car repair warranty and the
warrantor's identity and address to be specified in writing to the customer at the
time of the transaction. The court awarded plaintiffs $3,500 in damages, trebled
to $10,500, plus reasonable attorneys' fees.
Defendants appeal, principally contending that plaintiffs failed to prove
the violations of the consumer regulations caused them a compensable
"ascertainable loss." Defendants further contend the record should be reopened
to admit evidence they uncovered concerning plaintiffs' disposition of the
damaged car. For the reasons that follow, we affirm.
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I.
The Factual Background
In December 2016, plaintiff Akia Lester, accompanied by her grandfather,
co-plaintiff Bruce Lester, brought Akia's car, a 2012 Kia Sportage, to the
Cornerstone II auto repair shop. The shop was owned and operated by defendant
Raymond Zola.1 Bruce Lester had a twenty-year relationship with Zola, who
performed "oil changes and small things" for him at another service shop he
owned.
Akia Lester complained of a "ticking sound" in the Kia and problems
starting her engine. Zola testified there was "a hole the size of a softball . . . in
the back of the engine" and told the Lesters they would need a replacement.
The parties reached an agreement on or about December 14, 2016 to
replace the engine. Zola told the Lesters he had located a replacement engine
and that the job would cost $3,500. 2 The Lesters paid defendants a $2,500 down
payment on the engine.
The Lesters testified that it took about six weeks from the down payment
until the engine was replaced. When they picked up the car, Zola apparently
1
Zola testified that he dissolved the business in 2017.
2
Bruce Lester testified that Zola orally agreed to reduce the price to $3,400.
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3
informed the Lesters that he was unable to secure the first selected replacement
engine and could only find another engine that was slightly more expensive.
Zola obtained the engine from a supplier named LKQ Penn-Mar, Inc. ("LKQ").
The name and address of LKQ as the engine supplier was not disclosed to
plaintiffs.3
The Lesters testified that they paid $1,100 at the time they received the
car, for a total cost of $3,600. Zola testified that they paid him a total of $3,500,
a figure the trial court adopted.
Akia Lester testified that the only document she received from the repair
shop was a receipt upon her making a final and full payment to Zola. She never
received an itemized list of repairs with a listed price for each repair, and never
signed any documents authorizing Zola to perform repair work on the car.
Zola submitted a "work order/receipt" for the replacement engine into
evidence without objection. The receipt, dated December 14, 2016, named
Bruce Lester as the recipient and described the job as an "engine replacement."
3
Zola disputes the timing of this conversation, arguing the Lesters did not give
him the deposit in time to buy one engine, which was then sold. He testified
that he then found "an engine that was even better than the first" and the Lesters
made their deposit on that second engine.
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It listed a $2,500 deposit for a new motor and $900 remaining on the balance. 4
There was no signature on the receipt. Zola acknowledged in his testimony that
there was no signature, explaining that he did not attempt to get one because he
had a long-standing informal relationship with Bruce Lester.
The Lesters each testified about alleged warranties on the engine. Bruce
Lester stated that Zola told him there was a "one-year warranty" on the
replacement motor, and that if they had any problems with the engine, they could
take it back and have it replaced. He testified that this was an oral warranty,
and that he trusted Zola based on their twenty-year relationship.
Akia Lester testified that when the Lesters paid for the engine, they were
told there was a "one year or 10,000-mile" warranty on the engine issued by
"whoever he got the engine from." She testified that, apart from a handwritten
statement that there was a one-year warranty, with no details, she received no
other information regarding the warranty, and no information about any third-
party warranties. She did not recall seeing another warranty.
Zola testified at trial that there was a form warranty on the back side of
the receipt for the purchased engine. The full text of the warranty is as follows:
Warranty Disclaimer Template
4
It listed $3,600 as the full, final price for the job.
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Warranty
Thank you for your interest in the products and services
of Corner Stone II.
This Limited Warranty applies to physical goods, and
only for physical goods, purchased from Corner Stone
II (the "Physical Goods".)
What does this limited warrant cover?
This Limited Warranty covers any defects in material
or workmanship under normal use during the Warranty
Period.
During the Warranty Period, Corner Stone II will repair
or replace, at no charge, products or parts of a product
that proves defective because of improper material or
workmanship, under normal use and maintenance.
What will we do to correct problems?
Corner Stone II will either repair the Product at no
charge, using new or refurbished replacement parts.
How long does that coverage last?
The Warranty Period for Physical Goods purchased
from Corner Stone II is 180 days from the date of
purchase.
A replacement Physical Good or part assumes the
remaining warranty of the original Physical Good or
180 days from the date of replacement or repair,
whichever is longer.
What does the limited warranty not cover?
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This Limited Warranty does not cover any problem that
is caused by:
• conditions, malfunctions or damage not resulting
from defects in material or workmanship
What do you have to do?
To obtain warranty service, you must first contact us to
determine the problem and the most appropriate
solution for you.
As noted above, the warranty states that it covers any "physical goods"
that are "purchased from" Cornerstone II, lasts for 180 days from the date of
replacement or repair, and warrants that "Cornerstone II will repair or replace,
at no charge, products or parts that proves [sic] defective because of improper
material or workmanship, under normal use and maintenance." The warranty
document does not mention any third parties, or third-party warranties. During
the trial, he appeared to agree that the warranty covered the purchased engi ne,
although the defense's legal position disputes such coverage.5
According to the Lesters, when they agreed to the replacement, they were
unaware that the engine would be procured from LKQ. They emphasized that
5
When asked whether the engine was covered by Cornerstone's warranty, Zola
stated, "It's covered under any physical goods through my warranty and
[through] the people I bought the engine, LKQ, who Mr. Lester was well aware
that I was doing through to get the engine." (emphasis added.)
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any warranties they received did not mention LKQ or other third parties. During
the defense case, the trial judge questioned Zola on the stand and confirmed Zola
told the Lesters that they would be receiving a used engine. Zola also
acknowledged that the receipt and warranty he provided to the Lesters did not
disclose that LKQ was the seller of the used engine and responsible for the
warranty.
Zola admitted into evidence a copy of the receipt for the engine from LKQ
under the business records hearsay exception. The receipt was for the sale of a
used engine for $2,240. The receipt noted the buyer of the engine was "Corner
Stone II" and that there was a "standard six month/6K [i.e., 6,000 mile]
warranty" on the engine. The Lesters' names do not appear on the document.
Akia Lester testified that about a week after receiving the replacement
engine, it began to make a "ticking" sound and "driving a little bit funny." She
returned the car to Cornerstone II, and the car was evaluated again.
The only information the Lesters received for several weeks was that Zola
was attempting to contact the company which had sold him the motor, and which
had it under warranty. The Lesters both testified that Zola never disclosed to
them at the time the name of the company that had sold him the engine.
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Zola testified that he did not want to repair the engine himself because it
allegedly would void the warranty with LKQ, and that he never received
permission from LKQ to make a repair. He asserted that the engine was not
defective but that it had a defective part, specifically a faulty "camshaft actuator"
that was supposed to allow oil flow but did not, causing a "knocking" sound.
Zola testified that he contacted LKQ and that an LKQ representative had visited
his shop, but that there was "no time limit" to how long it might take to get a
company like LKQ to honor the warranty and replace the second engine. Zola
did not detail in his testimony what LKQ said or did during this time, or exactly
how he tried to set it to honor the warranty.6
At some point, Zola allegedly told the Lesters he could not find an engine
on the market because there was a recall in effect for various Kia models,
including hers, and that the Lesters would need to take the car to a Kia dealership
to resolve this engine problem. The Lesters thereafter visited a Kia dealership,
and learned that the car was not part of the recall. After Akia Lester allegedly
6
Before the defense case at trial began, Zola also attempted to submit a
"warranty inspection report" allegedly provided by LKQ on January 7, 2019.
The trial court declined to admit the document into evidence for several reasons.
First, defendants had repeatedly failed to produce discovery and was submitting
it for the first time after the close of the Lesters' case. Second, the court
concluded the document was inadmissible hearsay. Defendants do not seek
reversal of this evidential ruling.
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conveyed this information to Zola, he apparently again told her the engine
problem was Kia's responsibility. She took the car from Cornerstone II and took
it to a Kia dealership, where she was told the replacement engine would need to
be replaced.
According to the Lesters, Zola refused to replace the faulty replacement
engine, or to refund their money at any time. Zola testified that he was willing
to replace the second engine with the car's original (albeit faulty) engine while
waiting for a response from LKQ.
The Lesters allege that the car with the faulty replacement engine could
not drive more than ten miles per hour, and that Zola told them if they drove it
faster the engine "could blow up or something like that." Akia Lester testified
that she did not drive it after taking it to the Kia dealership, was unable to use
the car, and eventually purchased a new vehicle in 2018.
The Trial Court's Rulings on the Merits
Following the close of their proofs, the Lesters moved for a directed
verdict on the per se violations of the CFA regulations. The trial court concluded
it was clear that the replacement engine was unusable, and that the Lesters had
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paid Zola several thousand dollars but received "no meaningful use of their
vehicle."7
The trial court noted that Zola conceded that he did not obtain a written
signature authorizing the work before it began, as required by the regulations.
The court also found the warranty provided to plaintiffs on the back o f the
receipt "does not make it clear that there was a third party that was weighing
in," nor "what the terms of any warranty would be to a third party." The court
noted that neither LKQ or Kia were named parties to the litigation and suggested
that Zola should have impleaded them as third-party defendants because "his
[Zola's] damage is caused by them supplying a defective engine."
The trial court concluded the purpose of the CFA regulations was "to
prevent this type of confusion" through onerous disclosure requirements. The
court found there were per se violations of the signature and warranty
regulations. The court awarded the Lesters treble damages, with further
proceedings to determine the extent of those damages.
7
The trial court inappropriately relied upon Rule 4:40-1 in granting a partial
"directed verdict" to plaintiffs on these issues at the close of plaintiffs' own case.
That Rule only authorizes a motion by an opposing party, not the party that had
presented a case-in-chief. In any event, this procedural deviation was
inconsequential, as defendants thereafter did present their own evidence, and the
trial court reaffirmed its decision upon hearing all the evidence. Moreover, the
procedural deviation was not raised as an issue on appeal.
A-2595-18T3
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At the close of the defense case, the trial court reiterated these findings of
per se violations of the CFA regulations. The court further noted that Zola had
committed an unconscionable act by orally promising a one-year warranty for
the repair of the vehicle, which he then disavowed.
The court found defendants had committed per se CFA violations of
N.J.A.C. 13:45A-26C.2(a)(3(i)(2), for failure to "provid[e] the customer with a
written estimated price quoted as a detailed breakdown of parts and labor
necessary to complete the repair," and N.J.A.C. 13:45A-26C.2(a)(5), for
"making deceptive or misleading statements or false promises of a character
likely to influence, persuade or induce a customer."
The court concluded that, even accepting Zola's testimony as true, there
was a six-month warranty on the engine based on the Cornerstone II document
and that such a warranty was never honored. The court observed that a third-
party warranty with LKQ through Cornerstone II would be acceptable had those
terms been disclosed in writing to the Lesters. The absence of such advance
written disclosure "went to the essence of the agreement of the parties." The
court also found Zola's testimony about his efforts to contact LKQ "less than
credible" and "self-contradicting."
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The court determined that the Lesters had paid $3,500 to Zola for a
replacement engine, and that this out-of-pocket expense was a clear
"ascertainable loss" under the CFA. It concluded this loss was causally linked
to Zola's failure to provide clear warranty terms, which would have established
responsibility for the engine.
The court rejected the Lesters' other claimed expenses, including ongoing
auto insurance and car payments. The court reasoned there was always an
inherent risk that a car may break down, and that, regardless of the reason for a
breakdown, these costs would have continued to accrue anyway.
Since the CFA requirements were met, the Lesters were awarded treble
damages, or $10,500. The trial court also awarded plaintiffs a modified sum of
$11,772.50 in counsel fees.
II.
On appeal, defendants principally argue that plaintiffs failed to establish
a causal connection between the "technical" violations of the consumer
regulations and their claimed damages. Defendants further contend plaintiffs
failed to prove an "ascertainable loss" as required to collect damages under the
CFA. Lastly, defendants argue that this court should consider newly discovered
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evidence they have marshalled concerning the vehicle, which allegedly
disproves plaintiffs' contentions about the financial loss they claimed.
We consider defendants' arguments guided by well-settled principles of
appellate review applicable to non-jury trials. An appellate court shall "'not
disturb the factual findings and legal conclusions of the trial judge unless [it is]
convinced that they are so manifestly unsupported by or inconsistent with the
competent, relevant and reasonably credible evidence as to offend the interests
of justice[.]'" Seidman v. Clifton Sav. Bank, 205 N.J. 150, 169 (2011) (quoting
In re Trust Created by Agreement Dated December 20, 1961, 194 N.J. 276, 284
(2008)); Rova Farms Resort, Inc. v. Investors Ins. Co. of Am., 65 N.J. 474, 484
(1974). To the extent a trial judge's decision implicates legal principles, we
independently evaluate those legal assessments de novo. See Manalapan Realty,
L.P. v. Twp. Comm. of Manalapan, 140 N.J. 366, 378 (1995); Finderne Mgmt.
Co. v. Barrett, 402 N.J. Super. 546, 573 (App. Div. 2008).
The applicable substantive law is clear. The CFA makes the following
acts unlawful, in connection with sale or advertisement of merchandise or real
estate:
The act, use or employment by any person of any
unconscionable commercial practice, deception, fraud,
false pretense, false promise, misrepresentation, or the
knowing, concealment, suppression, or omission of any
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material fact with intent that others rely upon such
concealment, suppression or omission, in connection
with the sale or advertisement of any merchandise or
real estate, or with the subsequent performance of such
person as aforesaid, whether or not any person has in
fact been misled, deceived or damaged thereby, is
declared to be an unlawful practice.
[N.J.S.A. 56:8-2.]
As used in the statute, "[t]he term 'merchandise' shall include any objects, wares,
goods, commodities, services or anything offered, directly or indirectly to the
public for sale." N.J.S.A. 56:8-1(c).
Violations of the CFA can arise under three different categories: (1) "[a]n
affirmative misrepresentation, even if unaccompanied by knowledge of its
falsity or an intention to deceive"; (2) "[a]n omission or failure to disclose a
material fact, if accompanied by knowledge and intent"; and (3) "'violations of
specific regulations promulgated under the [CFA],'" which are reviewed under
strict liability. Monogram Credit Card Bank of Georgia v. Tennesen, 390 N.J.
Super. 123, 133 (App. Div. 2007) (citations omitted). "To fully advance the
Act's remedial purposes, courts construe its provisions broadly and liberally in
favor of consumers." Heyert v. Taddese, 431 N.J. Super. 388, 411 (App. Div.
2013).
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The CFA allows private causes of action in instances where a plaintiff can
establish each of three elements: (1) unlawful conduct by the defendant; (2) an
ascertainable loss on the part of the plaintiff; and (3) a causal relationship
between the defendant's unlawful conduct and the plaintiff's ascertainable loss.
Dabush v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, 378 N.J. Super. 105, 114 (App. Div.
2005) (citing N.J. Citizen Action v. Schering-Plough Corp., 367 N.J. Super. 8,
12-13 (App. Div. 2003).
Defendants concede in their appellate brief that they violated sections of
N.J.A.C. 13:45A-26C.2, within the automotive repair regulations promulgated
under the CFA. Specifically, they concede a violation of N.J.A.C. 13:45A-
26C.2(a)(2)(i), which prohibits:
Commencing work for compensation without securing
one of the following . . . Specific written authorization
from the customer, signed by the customer, which states
the nature of the repair requested or problem presented
and the odometer reading of the vehicle.
[N.J.A.C. 13:45A-26C.2(a)(a)(i) (emphasis added).]
Defendants also admit a violation of N.J.A.C. 13:45A-26C.2(a)(9), which
declares unlawful:
The failure to deliver to the customer, with the invoice,
a legible written copy of all guarantees, itemizing the
parts, components and labor represented to be covered
by such guaranty, or in the alternative, delivery to the
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customer of a guaranty covering all parts, components
and labor supplied pursuant to a particular repair order.
A guaranty shall be deemed false and misleading unless
it conspicuously and clearly discloses in writing the
following:
i. The nature and extent of the guaranty including a
description of all parts, characteristics or properties
covered by or excluded from the guaranty, the duration
of the guaranty and what must be done by a claimant
before the guarantor will fulfill his obligation (such as
returning the product and paying service or labor
charges);
ii. The manner in which the guarantor will perform. The
guarantor shall state all conditions and limitations and
exactly what the guarantor will do under the guaranty,
such as repair, replacement or refund. If the guarantor
or recipient has an option as to what may satisfy the
guaranty, this must be clearly stated;
iii. The guarantor's identity and address shall be clearly
revealed in any documents evidencing the guaranty.
[N.J.A.C. 13:45A-26C.2(a)(9) (Emphasis added).]
A defendant is strictly liable for violations of the CFA's regulations,
regardless of whether it acted in good faith. Scibek v. Longette, 339 N.J. Super.
72, 80 (App. Div. 2001) ("Even actions taken in good faith may subject the
person violating the regulatory provisions to liability for consumer fraud."). A
plaintiff does not need to have actually relied on a defendant's unlawful practice
to establish liability under the statute. See Lee v. Carter-Reed Co., 203 N.J. 496,
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522 (2010) (noting the CFA "essentially replaces reliance" with proof of any
ascertainable loss caused by the unlawful act).
If a plaintiff adequately pleads ascertainable loss, he or she may recover
attorney's fees and costs even if he or she ultimately fails to prove that loss at
trial. See Weinberg v. Sprint Corp., 173 N.J. 233, 253 (2002) (awarding
attorney's fees and costs so long as a plaintiff raises a "bona fide claim of
ascertainable loss that raises a genuine issue of fact requiring resolution by the
factfinder"); Defendants are therefore liable for the Lesters' reasonable counsel
fees and costs, even if, hypothetically, the Lesters had been unable to show
causation and ascertainable loss at trial.
Turning to the disputed question of causation, defendants on appeal
contend that it should have been obvious to plaintiffs that the Cornerstone II
warranty printed on the back of the form receipt did not cover defects in the
replacement engine and that oral representations that the engine was provided
by a third party were sufficient notice to plaintiffs of those terms. The trial court
was not persuaded by this contention, and neither are we.
We reject defendants' argument that a reasonable consumer in plaintiffs'
shoes would understand that the form warranty's phrase "physical goods,
purchased from Cornerstone II" would not apply to the replacement engine
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defendant obtained and installed in their car. Plaintiffs paid defendants for both
the engine and the labor involved in installing it. The engine was already part
of the transaction. In fact, defendants' crabbed interpretation of the warranty is
contradicted by the provision in which Cornerstone II promised to "repair or
replace, at no charge, products or parts if a product that proves defective because
of improper material or workmanship . . . ." (Emphasis added).
Moreover, the duration of the warranty for a "replacement physical good
or part assumes the remaining warranty of the original Physical Good or 180
days from the date of replacement or repair, which is longer." (Emphasis added).
This latter provision further illustrates that defendants' warranty reasonably
would have been understood to cover more than physical goods, if any,
fabricated by the repair shop, but also would cover goods and replacement goods
the shop obtained from third-party suppliers.
In any event, defendants' own warranty was not honored, and plaintiffs
were clearly deprived of its promised benefits. This alone is a violation of the
CFA's statutory prohibition on deceptive practices in the sale of merchandise,
N.J.S.A. 56:8-2, and of N.J.A.C. 13:45A-26C.2(a)(5) ("Making deceptive or
misleading statements or false promises of a character likely to influence,
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persuade or induce a customer to authorize the repair, service or maintenance of
a motor vehicle.").
Defendants claim that plaintiffs' sole recourse should have been through
the warranty set forth in LKQ's invoice form. The trial court soundly rejected
that contention. The LKQ warranty was never given to plaintiffs at the time of
their transaction and payment to defendants. The LKQ form makes no mention
of plaintiffs. Plaintiffs had a reasonable basis to expect satisfaction from the
repair shop they dealt with, and not from some unidentified vendor. To the
extent defendants argue they attempted to make LKQ honor its warranty, the
trial court found Zola's testimony not credible, and we see no basis to challenge
that finding here. See Rova Farms, 65 N.J. at 484 ("Findings by the trial judge
are considered binding on appeal when supported by adequate, substantial and
credible evidence.").
Plaintiffs presented more than significant evidence of causation. But for
defendants' non-compliance with the consumer laws, plaintiffs might have
declined to go forward with the transaction if they knew some third-party
supplier, and not defendants—who Bruce Lester had dealt with for many years—
would be the actual guarantor of any defects with the engine. The terms of the
warranty and the identity of the guarantor were material aspects of the
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transaction. As the trial judge aptly recognized, this is precisely why the
regulations exist: to provide a customer with important information before
making a payment and proceeding with the transaction.
We are also satisfied that plaintiffs presented sufficient evidence of a
compensable "ascertainable loss." In Thiedmann v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC,
138 N.J. 234, 238 (2005), the Supreme Court explained that the element of
ascertainable loss under the CFA may be established by "either out-of-pocket
loss or as a demonstration of loss in value" in cases of breach of contract or
misrepresentation. (Emphasis added). Here, the Lesters clearly sustained an
out-of-pocket loss of $3,500 for the money they paid defendants for the engine
replacement. That sum was never refunded to them after the engine failed. The
judge did not err in awarding that amount, given the credible trial testimony that
plaintiffs presented.
We reject defendants' belated attempt to undo the final judgment with
supplemental documents allegedly reflecting that plaintiff Akia Lester was paid
money by her insurer for the loss of the car. Although such evidence arguably
is relevant to plaintiffs' credibility about the disposition of the car and mitigation
of damages, defendants have failed to demonstrate why such evidence could not
have been obtained through the exercise of due diligence, pre-trial, during the
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discovery period. The pendency of defendants' motion to dismiss the amended
complaint is no excuse for not timely exchanging all discovery during the
prescribed period.
"To obtain relief from a judgment based on newly discovered evidenc e,
the party seeking relief must demonstrate 'that the evidence would probably have
changed the result, that it was unobtainable by the exercise of due diligence for
use at the trial, and that the evidence was not merely cumulative.'" DEG, LLC
v. Twp. of Fairfield, 198 N.J. 242, 264 (2009) (quoting Quick Chek Food Stores
v. Twp. of Springfield, 83 N.J. 438, 445 (1980)) (emphasis added). These
requirements are not met here. The supplemental proofs are simply too little
and too late.
We have considered all remaining points and sub-points presented by
defendants, and conclude they lack sufficient merit to warrant discussion. R.
2:11-3(e)(1)(E).
Affirmed.
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