Westlake Financial Loses Award Judgment

A Sacramento jury awarded $3.1 million in damages to a car-rental franchise in a dispute with Los Angeles automotive lender Westlake Financial Services.

After a three-week trial in Sacramento County Superior Court, the jurors awarded $402,000 on July 28 to JVMCM Inc., which did business in the Sacramento area as Dollar Rent-a-Car. The jury added $2.7 million in punitive damages against Westlake Financial on Aug. 1.

The jury found that Westlake induced the rental franchise to enter into contracts by making false representations, Dollar’s attorney, Jeffrey H. Ochrach, said Tuesday. The jurors also found that Westlake overcharged interest, assessed unwarranted late charges, and failed to give credit for many monthly payments, Ochrach said.

Westlake had countersued the Dollar franchise but was awarded no damages. Westlake executives and the company’s attorney at the trial, Steven R. Berardino of Molino & Associates in Los Angeles, did not respond to requests for comment.