Carey
A class action suit against Sanford Brown College and its corporate parent is headed to the Fifth District Appellate Court.
The appellate court notified Madison County Jan. 3 that it had received a plea for leave to appeal in the suit along with the supporting record on Dec. 28.
The Sanford Brown class action was certified by former Madison County Circuit Judge Daniel Stack shortly before his Dec. 3 retirement.
The suit, led by lead plaintiffs Jenna and Jessica Lilley among others, claims that students at the school's Collinsville campus were misled about the career paths and job outcomes of Sanford Brown's medical assistants program.
Sanford Brown and its parent, Career Education Corp., deny the claims.
The defense sought to dismiss the suit claiming that the plaintiffs' claims were too individual to merit a class action and that they were attempting to sue the school for "educational malpractice."
Stack threw out common law fraud claims but let other claims including those made under the state's Private Business and Vocational Schools Act to stand.
The class Stack certified includes up to 2,400 students.
Sanford Brown has faced other similar suits in recent years including individual cases and class actions.
Many of those suits were brought in Missouri by attorneys including the Klamann Law Firm.
The Klamann firm of Kansas City, Mo. and John Carey of St. Louis represent the lead plaintiffs and the class.
James Monafo, John Richmond and others represent the defendants.
The case is currently part of the docket assigned to Madison County Circuit Judge William Mudge. Mudge was elected to the seat left vacant by Stack's retirement.
The case is Madison case number 08-L-113.