Cooper
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) -- Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper has sued the owners of two companies for allegedly using false advertising to sell nursery goods.
The lawsuit against Samuel Evins Womack and Melinda Ramsey, the owners and operators of both Autumn Ridge Nursery and Summerstone Nursery, was filed on behalf of Mary Clement, director of the state Commerce and Insurance Department's Division of Consumer Affairs.
"The state is seeking a permanent injunction against the defendants to stop these alleged unfair and deceptive practices and to provide customer refunds and other relief," Cooper said.
According to the petition, the pair displayed photographs of healthy, viable plants. The plants shipped out by the companies arrive to customers in a dormant state, however, and some even arrived dead.
The petition also alleges that the pair failed to deliver ordered goods within promised time frames, failed to deliver complete orders and did not refund orders made by consumers who were unhappy with the products.
Cooper said that, to date, more than 400 customers have filed complaints against the nurseries through the state's Division of Consumer Affairs or through the Better Business Bureau.