Carrier Defective Air Conditioner Suit Booted from Federal Court

A consumer accusing Carrier Corp. of manufacturing defective air conditioners can’t press federal warranty claims in federal court, because the price of his air conditioner was far less than the relevant $50,000 threshold, the Ninth Circuit ruled Thursday.

Nicholas Shoner can’t use the anticipated attorneys’ fees he could receive in a successful lawsuit to meet the $50,000 threshold for bringing a Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act claim in federal court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said. That’s because Shoner’s Magnuson-Moss claims are premised on Carrier’s alleged violations of Michigan consumer protection laws, which don’t grant attorneys’ fees to ...