WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1997

Chrysler Corp. vs Spiro Pitsirelos

No. 90,533

Pitsirelos bought a 1989 Dodge Daytona in Fort Pierce. He later complained of several defects and filed a "Lemon Law" complaint. An arbitration board ruled in favor of Pitsirelos on one issue. Chrysler took the case to Circuit Court but objected when the judge treated the case as an appeal rather than a new trial, which put the burden on Chrysler to prove the car was not a "lemon." The Fourth District Court affirmed. Chrysler and about 20 world-wide car manufacturers argue this is unconstitutional because it vests the arbitration board with the powers of a court, in violation of separation of powers.