Lecture notes: In addition to the reading assignments below,
there are lecture notes, linked from the course home page, for each
topic.
Cases: You can access the cases (indicated below in italics)
using the links. If a link is not working, please let me know as soon
as possible.
Reserve Reading: You can access the reserve reading through
the UVM online reserves, linked below, or, if you're on campus, you can
use the reserve desk at Bailey-Howe.
Statutes and Regulations: Assigned statutes and regulations
are mentioned below but to access them, use the links in the lecture
notes. Any reading mentioned below not
linked below is linked from the lecture notes in the section where it
is referred to.
Schedule of Topics, Reading Assignments, Discussions and Assignments
| Date | Topic | Reading | Discussion/Assignment |
| May 22 |
Introduction to Law and the Court System | 44
Liquormart v. Rhode Island |
Practice Discussion #1:
Post to the discussion board: your name; your class, your major, why you are taking this course, and whether you've taken an online course before. Practice Discussion #2: Liquor Advertising--go to Introduction to Law & the Court System lecture outline section 4 |
| May 23 |
The Law of Contracts | Contracts: Part I (Online reserves) | |
| May 24 |
The Law of Torts | “Torts and Strict Liability” (Online reserves) | Discussion
#1: shotgun traps--go to Torts lecture outline section 1 |
| May 25 |
The Common Law Prohibition of Deception and Misrepresentation | Cushman
v. Kirby Swinton v. Whitinsville Savings Bank Lindberg Cadillac v. Aron Johnson v. Davis |
|
| May 26 |
The Statutory Approach: Federal Regulation | FTC v. Sterling Drug Standard Oil of California v. FTC FTC v. Colgate Palmolive |
Assignment
#1: Puffing--go to Federal Regulation lecture outline section 5 |
| May 29 |
Memorial Day Holiday |
||
| May 30 |
The Statutory Approach: State Regulation | Pennington v.
Singleton State v. Bissonnette Poulin v. Ford Motor Co. Peabody v. P.J.'s Auto Village The Vermont Consumer Fraud Act The Vermont False Pretenses Act |
Assignment
#2: deception--go to State Regulation lecture outline section 5 |
| May 31 |
Exam #1 | ||
| June 1 |
Abuses at the Formation of the Contract: Bait Advertising | State v.
American TV & Appliance of Madison, Inc. Vermont Consumer Fraud Rule CF103 |
Assignment
#3: limitations on offers--go to Bait Advertising lecture
outline section 2 |
| June 2 |
Abuses, cont.: Deceptive Pricing | Spiegel,
Inc. v. Federal Trade Commission Vermont Consumer Fraud Rule CF 110 FTC Guide on Deceptive Pricing |
Assignment
#4: deceptive pricing--go to Deceptive Pricing lecture outline
section 2 |
| June 5 |
Abuses, cont.: Home Solicitation Sales and Telemarketing | Cole v. Lovett Vermont Home Solicitation Sales Act Bruntaeger v. Zeller |
Assignment
#5: telemarketing--go to Home Solicitation & Telemarketing
lecture outline section 8 |
| June 6 |
Claims of Vermont Origin | Vermont Consumer Fraud Rule CF 117 Proposed Final Rule CF 120, FAQ's and CRS Study |
Assignment
#6: Vermont origin claims--go to Claims of Vermont Origin
lecture outline section 4 Discussion #2: Vermont origin claims--go to Claims of Vermont Origin lecture outline section 4 |
| June 7 |
Landlord and Tenant Law | Hilder
v. St. Peter Vermont’s Landlord-Tenant Act |
Assignment
#7: lease analysis--go to Landlord & Tenant Law lecture
outline section 2 |
| June 8 |
Warranties: Creation and Limitation | Tracy
v. Vinton Motors Taterka v. Ford Motor Co. Vermont's warranty law |
|
| June 9 |
The Lemon Law | The Vermont Lemon Law Fact Sheet on the Lemon Law from the AG's web site Pecor v. General Motors Muzzy v. Chevrolet |
Discussion
#3: Muzzy decision--go to Lemon Law lecture outline |
| June 12 |
Exam #2 | ||
| June 13 |
Credit: Disclosure Requirements | Ford v. FTC Remco Enterprises v. Houston Truth-in-Lending--Reg. Z section 226.18 only Vermont Consumer Fraud Rule CF 115 |
|
| June 14 |
Credit: Security Interests | Williams v.
Walker-Thomas Furniture Company FTC Credit Practices Rule |
Assignment #8: co-signer provision--go to Credit Security Interersts lecture notes section 7 Discussion #4: unconscionability--go to Credit Security Interersts lecture notes section 2 |
| June 15 |
Access to Credit: Credit Reports | Pinner v.
Schmidt Vermont's Fair Credit Reporting Act |
|
| June 16 |
Access to Credit: Discrimination | Markham v. Colonial Mortgage Service Miller v. American Express Equal Credit Opportunity Act Regulations--Reg. B |
Assignment
#9: credit scoring--go to Credit Discrimination lecture notes
section section 8 |
| June 19 |
Credit Card Problems | Gray v. American Express Israelewitz v. Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co. Reg. Z--Sections 226.12 and 226.13 only |
Discussion
#5: liability for seller wrongdoing--go to Credit Card Problems
lecture notes section 5 |
| June 20 |
Credit: Rights Against Holders in Due Course | Tinker v.
DeMaria Porsche Audi Unico v. Owen State v. Custom Pools FTC Holder-in-Due Course Rule |
|
| June 21 |
Credit: Repossession | Williams v.
Ford Mortor Credit Chrysler Credit v. McKinney Vermont's repossession law |
|
| June 22 |
Credit: Debt Collection | The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act [Sections 1692-1692o] Vermont Consumer Fraud Rule CF 104 Fact sheet on debt collection (from the Vermont AG's web site) Carbajal v. Capitol One Joseph v. MacIntyre Companies |
|
| June 23 |
Exam #3 |