Consumer Groups Win Suit Over Used Vehicle Database

Last February, we blogged about a suit filed by Public Citizen, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, and Consumer Action against the Department of Justice over its 15-year unlawful delay in establishing a used vehicle database. The purpose of the database is to enable consumers to check the validity of a car's title and odometer reading and learn whether the car has been stolen or severely damaged. Yesterday, the consumer groups won!

We will provide more details later, but basically federal district judge Marilyn Hall Patel ordered DOJ to finalize rules fully implementing the database by the end of January, and she rejected all of DOJ's defenses. KGO TV in San Francisco (where the case was filed) has a nice story on the victory, as does the New York Times.  To read the briefs and other filings in the case, go here.