Driving the news: An Ohio car buyer is suing Taylor Kia of Lima after registering the dealership's lapsed trade name to herself following a car repossession dispute.
For context: Tiah McCreary bought a 2022 Kia K5 in February 2024, but when the lender backed out of her loan a month later, the dealership repossessed her car while she was at work, reports Court News Ohio.
Then, McCreary discovered Taylor Kia had let its trade name registration expire and quickly claimed it with Ohio's Secretary of State.
She's now suing for fraud and consumer violations while trying to block the dealership from using what she says is now legally her business name.
Why it matters: While the dealership tried to force McCreary into private arbitration based on her purchase contract, an appeals court ruled that trademark disputes fall outside those agreements and belong in public court instead.
What we’re watching: It's hard to imagine there's ever been a repossession case quite like this one, and Ohio courts will have to figure out how this very unusual situation gets resolved.
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