Federal Court Throws Out More Hot Fuel Cases

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- A Kansas federal court overseeing multidistrict legislation awarded summary judgment yesterday to 7-Eleven Inc., Circle K Stores Inc. and other gas stations in three separate "hot fuel" class-action lawsuits, according to Law360. 

Hot fuel refers to the practice of selling gasoline above the industry standard of 60 degrees Fahrenheit without adjusting the volume of a gallon of fuel.

As CSNews Online previously reported, 7-Eleven, QuikTrip Corp. and Kum & Go LC were absolved of any wrongdoing in another hot fuel case in September. More recently, on July 24, U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil granted Chevron Corp. summary judgment on three class-action hot fuel claims.

These three rulings are among more than 30 such cases nationwide. Several oil companies and convenience store retailers have already agreed to settle multi-state hot fuel cases. Among them were ConocoPhillips Inc., ExxonMobil Corp., Shell Oil Products US, CITGO Petroleum Corp., Valero Energy Corp., and BP plc subsidiaries BP Products North America Inc. and BP West Coast Products LLC.

Circle K Stores Inc. is a division of Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.