Janet Livingston, et al v. Fast Cash USA, Inc.

IN THE INDIANA SUPREME COURT LIVINGSTON, Janet, et al., ) Supreme Court case no. ) 94S00-0010-CQ-609 plaintiffs, ) ) v. ) ) FAST CASH USA, INC., ) ) defendant, ) ) U.S. District Court case no. ) IP 99-1226-C (B/S ), and all other District Court ) cases consolidated into it, including: ) ) IP 99-1887-C (B/S ) ) IP 00-45-C (D/S ) ) IP 00-46-C (T/S ) ) IP 00-60-C (B/S ) ) IP 00-121-C (H/S ) ) IP 00-122-C (Y/S ) ) IP 00-137-C (H/S ) ) IP 00-138-C (B/S ) ) IP 00-163-C (M/S ) ) IP 00-165-C (T/S ) ) IP 00-166 C (H/S ) ) IP 00-339-C (H/S ) ) IP 00-676-C (H/S ) ) IP 00-902-C (H/S ) ) IP 00-903-C (H/S ) ) IP 00-957-C (B/S ) ) IP 00-964-C (B/S ) ) IP 00-1001-C (H/S ) ) IP 00-1101-C (H/S ) ) TH 00-32-C (M/S ) )

                And
WALLACE, Kelli R., et al.,                ) Supreme Court case no.
                            ) 94S00-0010-CQ-610
        plaintiffs,                )
                            )
        v.                    )
                            )
ADVANCE AMERICA CASH            )
ADVANCE CENTERS OF INDIANA,        )
                            )
        defendants,                )
                            )
U.S. District Court case no.                )
2:00cv0123AS, and all others consolidated        )
into it, including:                    )
                            )
        2:00cv0179AS            )
        2:00cv0189AS            )
        2:00cv0313AS            )
        2:00cv0388AS            )
        3:00cv0070AS            )
        3:00cv0072AS            )
        3:00cv0077AS            )
        3:00cv0259AS            )
        3:00cv0274AS            )
        1:00cv0101AS            )
        1:00cv0102AS            )
        1:00cv0181AS            )
        1:00cv0276AS            )
        1:00cv0314AS            )
 
ORDER
 
    The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis and Terre Haute Divisions, and for the Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division, have certified a question of Indiana state law for this Court's consideration pursuant to Indiana Appellate Rule 15(O). The question arises in numerous cases pending in the courts, the "lead" case from the Southern District being Livingston v. Fast Cash USA, Inc., no. IP 99-1226-C (B/S), and from the Northern District being Wallace v. Advance America Cash Advance Centers of Indiana, no. 2:00cv0123AS. The question, as framed by the federal district courts, is:
 
Is the minimum loan finance charge permitted by Ind. Code 24-4.5-3-508(7), when charged by a licensed supervised lender, limited by Ind. Code 24-4.5-3-508(2) or Ind. Code 35-45-7-2?
 
    The Court ACCEPTS the certified question pursuant to Appellate Rule 15(O) and orders briefing on the question as follows.

    There being a single question certified to the Court and the pertinent facts apparently having been stipulated, the Court directs that the cases be consolidated for purposes of briefing. Therefore, the plaintiffs in the federal actions are allowed a single main brief and a single response brief. These two briefs shall be bound with a blue cover. Likewise, the defendants in the federal actions are allowed to file a single main brief and a single response brief. These two briefs shall be bound with a red cover. Except to the extent this order directs otherwise, the four briefs shall conform to the provisions of Appellate Rule 8.2 to the greatest extent reasonably possible. In addition, each side may file one appendix containing certified copies of documents from the District Court, which the parties believe are necessary or helpful for deciding the question. The cover of the appendix shall be the same color as the main brief. An original and eight copies of each brief and appendix are to be filed with the Clerk.

The two main briefs must be filed by December 18, 2000. These briefs shall, to the extent reasonably practical, conform to the provisions of Appellate Rule 8.3(A). These briefs may not exceed 8400 words, exclusive of the items listed in Appellate Rule 8.3(A)(1), and shall be accompanied by the verified statement of word count referred to in Appellate Rule 8.2(A)(4)(b). The two response briefs must be filed by January 12, 2001. These briefs may not exceed 2400 words exclusive of the items listed in Appellate Rule 8.3(A)(1), and shall be accompanied by the verified statement of word count referred to in Appellate Rule 8.2(A)(4)(b). Any appendix must be filed by January 12, 2001.

    Extensions of time will be granted only under extraordinary circumstances. Once the matter is fully briefed, the Court will take it under advisement and issue an opinion in due course.

    West Publishing Company is directed to publish this order.

    The clerk is directed to send a copy of this order to Judge Allen Sharp, United States District Court, Northern District of Indiana, 124 Robert A. Grant Courthouse, 204 S. Main Street, South Bend, IN 46601; to Judge Sarah Evans Barker, Chief Judge, United States District Court, Southern District of Indiana, 210 U.S. Courthouse, 46 E. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204; to S. Hugh Dillin, Senior Judge, United States District Court, Southern District of Indiana, 255 U.S. Courthouse, 46 E. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204; to Judge Larry J. McKinney, 204 U.S. Courthouse, 46 E. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204; to Judge John D. Tinder, 304 U.S. Courthouse, 46 E. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204; to Judge David F. Hamilton, 330 U.S. Courthouse, 46 E. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204; to Judge Richard L. Young, 310 U.S. Courthouse, 46 E. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204; and to the attorneys listed on the attached pages.

    Done at Indianapolis, Indiana this ________ day of November, 2000.

                            __________________________
                            Randall T. Shepard
                            Chief Justice of Indiana
All Justices concur.
Lemuel Stiger
Chapel Plaza
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Daniel A. Edelman
Cathleen M. Combs
Charles H. Lee
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Patrick D. Murphy
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Mark J. Dinsmore
Anne N. DePrez
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Henry Alex Efroymson
Michael J. Lewinski
Adel James Chareq
Ice Miller Donadio and Ryan
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James A. Greco, Sr.
Greco Pera and Bishop
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Randy Harmon Wyllie
Wieser and Sterba
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Clifford W. Shepard
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Cathleen M. Combs
Michelle R. Teggelaar
KeyBank Building
P.O. Box 4757
Suite 200
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Thomas S. Botkin
Andrea E., Halpin
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Suite 400
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Mark J. Ruehlmann
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Amy L. Brown
P.O. Box 407
1207 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20044-0407

Timothy J. Abeska
Jeanine M. Gozdecki
Brien P. Crotty
Key Bank Building
P.O. Box 4757
Suite 200
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Richard A. Nussbaum, II
Adrian Mendoza, Jr.
Matthew J. Egan
Craig W. Church
P.O. Box 300
210 S. Michigan Street
Suite 500
South Bend, IN 46624

James A. Greco, Sr.
2115 W. Lincoln Highway
Merrillville, IN 46410

Adrian Mendoza, Jr.
Matthew J. Egan
Craig W. Church
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Suite 2500
Chicago IL 606064673

G. Ronald Heath
Ronald G. Sentman
One Indiana Square
Suite 1800
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David K. Hawk
Jeffrey P. Smith
Fourth Floor Courtside Building
803 S. Calhoun Street
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Judy L. Woods
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135 N. Pennsylvania Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204

James P. Posey
Laura L. Reuss
110 W. Berry Street
Suite 1214
Fort Wayne, IN 46802