Honda Civic Small Claims Court ruling

The own­er of a Honda Civic hy­brid won an un­usu­al Small Claims Court law­suit Wed­nes­day against the auto­maker that some leg­al ex­perts be­lieve could change strategies for both Small Claims Court and class-ac­tion lit­ig­a­tion. A Los Angeles County court com­mis­sion­er ruled that Amer­ic­an Honda Mo­tor Co. neg­li­gently misled Civic own­er Heath­er Peters when it claimed the hy­brid’s gas mileage could be as much as 50 miles per gal­lon.