Major appliance manufacturer prevails in Third Circuit on misrepresentation claims

Client(s) Major appliance manufacturer

On appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Jones Day successfully defended a major appliance manufacturer in a class action alleging that the appliance manufacturer had misrepresented the energy savings from three models of its washing machines. The certified class claimed that the appliance manufacturer had appended Energy Star logos onto the washers when the washers were not, in fact, Energy Star qualified. After helping to secure summary judgment at the district court on the class's warranty and consumer-protection claims, Jones Day handled the case on appeal. In a published opinion, the Third Circuit handed the appliance manufacturer a complete victory, holding that the appliance manufacturer was authorized by the government to use the Energy Star logos and that the washers delivered substantial energy savings as compared to non-Energy Star washers.