Johnson v. Sears Roebuck & Co.

This matter involves a consolidation of three class actions in which the plaintiffs, retail purchasers, challenged the revolving charge account arrangements of the defendants, retail sellers. Specifically, in identical amended complaints, plaintiffs asked (1) that defendants be enjoined from using the “previous balance” method of computing interest or finance charges, and (2) that they and each member of the class they purported to represent receive a refund of finance charges.

Motions to dismiss the amended complaints were sustained, and on appeal plaintiffs contend (I) that the Illinois…