A Quick Look at the History of Lemon Laws
These days, consumers enjoy more protection than ever before. One of the most important protections are lemon laws. These laws protect consumers if they purchase a product that later fails to meet qualities of standard and performance. We’ll take a brief look at the history of lemon laws and how they came about.
Of course, we can’t cover everything, so if you have further questions, it’s smart to speak with a lawyer or other relevant expert in your jurisdiction. Using a search engine, you could type in lemon law attorney Georgia, for example. You can also find specifics by reviewing the lemon laws in your state.
The History of Lemon Laws
Lemon laws stem from problems people had when purchasing motor vehicles that failed. Of course, motor vehicles weren’t the first products to fail to live up to basic standards, but because they are so complex and expensive, and because the complaints over poorly manufactured cars grew so loud, it spurred governments into action.
Before lemon laws even came to be, state governments worked together to create uniform commercial laws. These laws were written to protect people both within and across state lines, helping to close jurisdictional loopholes and addressing other issues. In 1892, the Uniform Law Commission was set up to help come up with uniform laws to protect consumers.
Harmonizing laws, closing loopholes, and ensuring that consumers were amply protected took a long time. Over the years, various commercial laws were passed in pursuit of these goals, including Uniform Sales Act and Uniform Warehouse Receipts Act in 1906 and the Uniform Conditional Sales Act in 1918. These piecemeal laws encouraged commercial activity and protected consumers and businesses, but there were many gaps and many parties remained exposed to various risks.
Legal experts continued to work on frameworks, sourcing opinions from companies, lawmakers, consumers, and more. Still, it wasn’t until 1951 that the comprehensive Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) was put forward. This law aimed to cover the entire United States, but was not a federal law. Instead, states were encouraged to adopt it and the first one, Pennsylvania, did so in 1953. Other states began to sign up, but it took roughly 20 years for every state to join. The UCC greatly increased consumer protection and has provisions for things like non-conforming products (aka defective products). However, many risks remained and vehicles, in particular, were causing a lot of headaches.
Lemon Laws For Vehicles Emerge
Under performing, defective cars were called lemons, likely owing to the lemon’s bitter taste. In 1982, the first Lemon Law was introduced in Connecticut, focusing on vehicles. The law ensured that the manufacturer would honor their warranties, and that if the car kept breaking down, it would eventually be considered unrepairable and the purchaser would be compensated. Then as now, a vehicle is a major purchase for most families, and many will rely on their autos day in and day out. Repairing a car can be expensive, and if a vehicle is stuck in the shop, it can cause a lot of hardships for consumers.
Some states, like California, have set up wide-sweeping lemon law frameworks that cover things beyond vehicles. In California, electronics, boats, appliances, and other things may be covered. In some states, such as Georgia, lemon laws still focus on vehicles, but other consumer protection laws may provide coverage. Eligibility is often dependent on where you bought the vehicle (or other covered product). How long you owned the vehicle and how many miles you put on it may also impact eligibility. In Georgia, for example, the Lemon Law applies to vehicles purchased within the last 24 months or driven for 24,000 miles or less (whichever occurs first).
Of course, understanding laws can be very complex if you don’t have legal training. If you believe you have a lemon on your hands, it’s smart to get in touch with a lawyer. He or she can answer questions and help you determine if you’re protected by lemon laws or have any other recourse. Since dates and miles driven often play a crucial role, it’s wise to get in touch with a lawyer right away.