NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bronson Legal LLC (“Bronson Legal”) and Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PLLC (“Milberg”) are currently investigating allegations of patterns/practices of notary fee overcharges by The UPS Store, Inc. and its franchisees. The investigation is related to, and continuation of, investigations relating to class action litigation pending in the U. S. District Court in New Jersey (Barbara McLaren & Vincent Tripicchio v. The UPS Store, Inc., et. al., C. A. No. 3:21-cv-14424 (ESK) (MJS)) (“Mclaren/Tripicchio”)1, and in Cook County (Illinois) Circuit Court, Chancery Division (Shavers v. Gen. I, LCC, et al., Case No. 020-CH-05119) (Judge Thaddeus Wilson) (“Shavers”). Bronson Legal and Milberg are co-lead counsel in these cases.
If you have relevant information concerning the overcharging of notary fees at UPS Stores in violation of state law, including in New Jersey or Illinois, you are invited to contact Bronson Legal and/or Milberg, using information at the bottom of this release.
If you have used or plan to use notary services, you can also check the 2024 chart provided by the National Notary Association at this link to see your state’s limit:
https://www.nationalnotary.org/knowledge-center/about-notaries/notary-fees-by-state
In New Jersey, the Plaintiffs assert they were overcharged notary fees, one through direct fee and the other by use of an improper, fictitious “notary convenience” fee, and that Defendants use these and other means to overcharge notary consumers. A prior New Jersey Superior Court (Mercer County) opinion sustained causes of action, including for civil conspiracy, for charging fees in excess of State statutory price limits ($2.50) for non-real-estate notary transactions. In 2023, the Federal District Court also ruled that an amended complaint in an underlying case successfully pled claims for violating New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act (“CFA”) (N.J.S.A. 56:8-2 et. seq.) and Consumer Contract Warranty and Notice Act (“TCCWNA”) (N.J.S.A. 56:12-14 et. seq.).
In Illinois, Plaintiff alleges, among other things, that UPS overcharges notary fees by use of various means to, including, among others, improper “clerical” fees to exceed statutory price limits (previously $1.00; now $5.00) for non-real-estate notary transactions. Claims under the Illinois Notary Public Act (5 I.C.S.A. 312/3-101, et seq.); the Illinois Consumer Fraud & Deceptive Business Practices Act (“ICFA”) (816 I.L.C.S. 505/1); Unjust Enrichment; and Civil Conspiracy2 were upheld by the Court, which recently issued an opinion on class certification ruling, inter alia, that “the question at the heart of this matter is whether TUPPS and individual UPS stores throughout Illinois conspired to charge unlawful notary fees to UPS customers throughout Illinois,” and the “main questions to be resolved by the Court are the scope of services offered by each TUPPS store in Illinois and whether the store charged unlawful notary fees.”
About Bronson Legal: Bronson Legal LLC, principal Kent A. Bronson, Esq., has represented injured consumers, stockholders, small businesses, and others for over two decades in complex commercial, consumer fraud and class litigation, and been involved in cases recovering of hundreds of millions of dollars and other important benefits for injured plaintiffs.
About Milberg: For over 50 years, Milberg and its affiliates have been fighting to protect victims’ rights and have recovered over $50 billion for clients. A pioneer in class action litigation, Milberg is widely recognized as a leader in defending the rights of victims of corporate wrongdoing.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. PRIOR RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE A SIMILAR OUTCOME
1 This litigation was initially brought as two separate cases filed in New Jersey Superior Court.
2 Civil Conspiracy is the only existing claim against franchisor The UPS Store, Inc. in the Illinois case.