Crown Central Petroleum Corp. v. Hill

Pursuant to our Rule 5:42, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division, certified to this Court a question of Virginia law involving the application of the Virginia Petroleum Products Franchise Act, Code §§ 59.1-21.8 through 59.1-21.18:1 (the Act). The district court stated that the answer to the question will be determinative of a proceeding pending before it. We accepted the certification by order entered January 15, 1997.

The following facts are set forth in the district court’s certification order. Crown Central Petroleum Corporation (Crown) is a…