Paley v. Coca Cola Company

Complaint by Lloyd S. Paley, for himself and as a representative of a class, against Coca Cola Company and Glendinning Companies, Inc. for damages for unfair methods of competition, breach of contract, and fraud. Action dismissed on defendants' motions. Plaintiffs appealed to the Court of Appeals. Reversed and remanded. Defendants appeal. Despite the millions of dollars involved in this case and the general struggle to guarantee to the people the right to bring the potentially powerful consumer class action suit in the state's court best equipped with discovery, injunction and other powers, the legal issue in this case is narrow and relatively simple. The legal issue boils down to whether or not the Legislature in its wisdom divested the circuit courts of original jurisdiction in class action suits in setting up district court jurisdiction. With the aid of excellent briefs and arguments pro and con, this opinion concludes that the Legislature did not intend to divest the circuit courts of jurisdiction over class action suits whatever the amount in controversy.