THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Supreme Court

South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs, Petitioner,

v.

Rent-A-Center, Inc., a/k/a Thorn Americas, Inc., Respondent.

ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF APPEALS

Appeal From Richland County
James W. Johnson, Jr., Circuit Court Judge

Opinion No. 25565
Heard November 20, 2002 - Filed December 9, 2002

AS IMPROVIDENTLY GRANTED

Helen Fennell and Danny R. Collins, of South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs, of Columbia, for Petitioner.

Thomas H. Pope, III, of Pope and Hudgens, P.A., of Newberry, for Respondent.

PER CURIAM: This Court granted the petition for a writ of certiorari to review the Court of Appeals opinion in South Carolina Dept of Consumer Affairs v. Rent-A-Center, Inc., 345 S.C. 251, 547 S.E.2d 881 (Ct. App. 2001). After careful consideration, we now dismiss certiorari as improvidently granted.

DISMISSED.

TOAL, C.J., WALLER, BURNETT and PLEICONES, JJ., and Acting Justice Henry F. Floyd concur.