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Consumer Credit--The Department Store Revolving Charge Account--Usury Resurrected--State V. J.C. Penney Company, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

The Attorney General of Wisconsin recently brought an action against the J.C. Penney retailing chain for an injunction against any further charges of 1½% per month on the declining balances of its revolving charge accounts. The state alleged that anything in excess of I% per month was a violation of the $12 per $100 per annum usury ceiling established by its legislature as the maximum chargeable for a loan or forbearance of money. Penney admitted that its monthly charge frequently exceeded the allowable rate but argued that its charge was a "time-price differential," exempt from statutory control under the time-price …