Appeals court declines to revive SC lawsuit

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court in Virginia has refused to reinstate a lawsuit against several South Carolina lawyers who obtained car buyers’ personal information from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The lawyers obtained the information after receiving complaints about dealers charging hidden fees. They used the names and addresses obtained from DMV to send buyers letters about possibly joining in a lawsuit against the dealers. Three buyers sued, claiming the disclosure of their information for what amounted to a solicitation violated the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act.

U.S. District Judge Henry Herlong Jr. dismissed the lawsuit, and a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that decision Wednesday. The court said a provision of the privacy law allows disclosure of drivers’ information for use in litigation.