Retailer That Levied Bad Review Fee is No-Show in Court

KlearGear, an online retailer that gained notoriety after charging a married couple $3,500 for writing a bad review, failed to appear in court to defend itself on allegations that it violated fair credit laws. As a result, a federal judge found the retailer had "defaulted." That order paves the way for the couple to ask the judge to order KlearGear to pay damages. Their lawyer, Scott Michelman of the advocacy group Public Citizen, says he intends to do so. The default finding marks the latest chapter in a saga that began in 2008.