Welcome to the Stickles versus Ford Motor Credit Company settlement website established and maintained by Class Counsel. If you received the Notice of Class Action and Proposed Settlement, you have been identified as a potential member of the settlement class. Please read the notice in its entirety.   

The class consists of customers who entered into a motor vehicle lease with Ford Credit between September 24, 1992 and March 1, 2002 for which Ford Credit either directly or by assignment from a dealer provided retail lease financing and the customer 1) made one or more required lease payments after the payment due date; 2) the customer was charged a late fee; 3) the customer paid those late fees; and 4) does not owe Ford Credit money on any terminated lease. Please note that the class excludes persons who reside in Maine and Oklahoma. 

Additionally, a class has been certified consisting of those former Primus Automotive Financial Services, Inc. customers who paid late fees to Ford Credit between August 1, 1999 and March 1, 2002, and do not owe Ford Credit any money on any terminated lease.

Update (12/23/02):

There was one objection filed with the Court. Counsel believes it is meritless, but this will delay refunds of checks as planned for the first quarter of next year.

Update (05/02/03):

A response was filed in relation to the objection filed with the Court.  The appeal is still pending.

Update (08/19/03):

The Court has dismissed the appeal. The process of getting the refunds disbursed will begin as soon as possible.

Update (04/22/04):

Over the past several months, Ford Motor Credit and Gilardi & Co., the claims administrator, produced three databases of class members and late charges that upon review, Class Counsel contends, appeared to be incomplete. Class Counsel has therefore asked the settlement judge to set a hearing to determine whether an independent audit should be conducted so that an accurate list of payments can be compiled. In order to compensate class members for the delay, Class Counsel has asked Ford Motor Credit to pay an additional 5% per annum from November 30, 2003 to the date the settlement checks are mailed.

Update (10/14/04):

On August 20, 2004, Class Counsel and counsel for Ford Motor Credit met with the settlement judge to determine the issues discussed in our April 22 update. As a result of that meeting, the settlement judge ordered:    1) that the Settlement Administrator, Gilardi & Co., issue settlement checks at the earliest possible date; 2) that interest at the rate of 3.150680% per annum, but not to exceed a total aggregate amount of $200,000, be paid from April 4, 2004 to September 1, 2004, to each eligible settlement class member identified on the list of eligible claims presented at the hearing; 3) that class members with more than one eligible lease will receive a separate check for each lease and that the calculation used to arrive at the check amount will be printed on the check stub; 4) that cashing the settlement check will not preclude an eligible class member from asserting an objection that the refund calculation was in error or that there were additional eligible leases for which refunds were not issued. Ford Motor Credit is to promptly investigate the claim and either authorize the settlement administrator to issue an additional settlement check or if the objection is invalid, provide a statement of the reason(s) to class counsel. Gilardi & Co. is preparing the data for the checks, and we expect them to be mailed shortly. As soon as we know the projected mailing date, we will post it on this website.

Update (10/27/04):

The claims administrator expects to begin mailing settlement checks on or shortly after October 28 2004. A separate check will be mailed for each eligible lease. Please allow at least three weeks for your check to reach you. If you have questions about your check, please call the claims administrator at 1-800-414-8129.

Click here to receive a Claim Form.

Click here to read Frequently Asked Questions.

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