Appeal in Multimillion-Dollar Franchisee Litigation against Nissan North America

Nissan North America's practice of providing millions of dollars in support to select dealers is at the heart of a court case in Florida.

In an appeal filed Feb. 11 in the First District Court of Appeal in Florida, South Motors Infiniti of Palmetto Bay, Fla., south of Miami, said Nissan must offer other Florida dealers the same cash the automaker is giving dealer Bernie Moreno to open an Infiniti point in Coral Gables, Fla.

Anything less violates Florida franchise law, the appeal said.

If the court agrees, it would conflict with Nissan's notion of providing money and help to select dealers and not others. The case could attract attention in other states where Nissan has been aggressively remaking its dealer network.

The appeal seeks to overturn a lower-court ruling by the State of Florida Division of Administrative Hearings that approved Nissan's awarding an open Infiniti point in Coral Gables, Fla., to Moreno.

...Continued at Automotive News (Click Here)

From Automotive News (by Jamie LaReau)