Conn Law, PC

The majority of California's consumer protection statutes were enacted in the 1970s, if not earlier. While the world has changed dramatically since then, and we are now facing issues stemming from innovations unthinkable at the time these laws were written, such as self-driving cars and robust digital databases, these laws do provide us with a strong base.

California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, also known as the "Lemon Law" requires manufacturers and other warrantors to honor their own warranties. This means that if a vehicle or other consumer product is defective and covered under an express warranty, then they have to repair. And if they cannot repair it after a reasonable number of attempts, then they have to either replace it or give you your money back.

In 1890, Samuel Warren and Louis Brandeis defined the right to privacy as "the right to be left alone." This very precise definition is still in use today. But with advances in technology and our increasing use of digital data, "the right to be left alone" has taken on an expanded meaning. The conveniences of modern day life unfortunately create new opportunity for privacy invasions.

It seems like every innovative leap forward creates a new opportunity for financial abuse. But while the products may be new, many of the old tricks remain the same. For example, much of the fraud that we are seeing today with the door-to-door sales of solar panels and solar energy mirrors the tactics used with door-to-door home insulation sales in the 1980s.

For most of us, buying a car is still the biggest consumer purchase (other than buy a home) that we will make in our lifetime. Whether you buy a new or used car in California, you still have rights. And the dealership may try to take advantage of you. Undisclosed Damage/Sale of Unsafe Vehicle: You still have some rights even if you bought a used car.