Arbitration

In McCormick v. Citibank, NA, 2016 WL 107911, at *5 (W.D.N.Y., 2016), Judge Curtin ordered a TCPA case to arbitration, holding that the TCPA itself did not preclude arbitration. Because plaintiff asserts a federal statutory claim, the court must consider “whether Congress evinced an intention to preclude a waiver of judicial remedies for the statutory rights at issue.” . .… Read More

In Trabert v. Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc., 2015 WL 9271437, at *6-8 (Cal.App. 4 Dist. 2015) (unpublished), the Court of Appeal addressed for the third time whether an arbitration clause in a standard form RISC was unconscionable.  The Court of Appeal addressed the consumer's argument that Sanchez was distinguishable where cheaper cars purchased by poorer consumers was involved.  The Court of Appeal… Read More

In Natalini v. Import Motors, Inc., 2015 WL 8772839, at *2-3 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., 2015) (unpublished), the Court of Appeal was called upon to determine post-Sanchez whether a car dealer's petition to arbitrate should still be denied once the unconscionability analysis is removed.  The Court of Appeal said that there was an insufficient evidentiary basis upon which the existence of a valid arbitration clause… Read More

In DIRECTV, Inc. v. Imburgia, 2015 WL 8546242, at *1-2 (U.S.Cal.,2015), the Supreme Court of the United States once again affirmed its preference for arbitration, and killed the "poison-pill" argument that had gathered fancy amongst the plaintiff's bar. Petitioner DIRECTV, Inc., and its customers entered into a service agreement that included a binding arbitration provision with a class-arbitration waiver. It specified… Read More

In Johnson v. Santander Consumer USA Inc., 2015 WL 7567483, at *2-3 (D.Ariz., 2015), Judge Rayes ordered an FDCPA case to arbitration under a standard Arizona Automobile RISC. Both the RISC and the Amendment contain arbitration provisions that clearly and unmistakably delegate questions of arbitrability to the arbitrator. The RISC requires arbitration for any disputes “in contract, tort, statute or otherwise… Read More

In Vargas v. SAI Monrovia B, Inc., 2015 WL 7301781, at *5 (Cal.App. 2 Dist., 2015) (unpublished), the Court of Appeal found the RISC arb. clause not to be unconscionable.  What's interesting about the opinion is what to do with the class action allegations in granting the petition to arbitration.  The Court of Appeal found that the trial court properly… Read More

In Gillespie v. Svale Del Grande, Inc., 2015 WL 7307139, at *5-6 (Cal.App. 6 Dist., 2015) (unpublished), the Court of Appeal issued a lengthy opinion after remand from the Supreme Court in Sanchez that the Arbitration clause was enforceable.  The Court rejected the argument that neither the Arbitration Clause's choice of law or poison-pill provisions negated FAA pre-emption. The California Supreme Court disagreed… Read More

In Brinkley v. Monterey Financial Services, Inc., 2015 WL 7302268 (Cal.App. 4 Dist., 2015), the California Court of Appeal found a TCPA/Call Recording case to be within the scope of an enforceable arbitration clause:= We conclude that Brinkley's claims fall within the scope of the arbitration agreement and that the arbitration agreement is enforceable, with the exception of one provision… Read More

In Ellin v. Credit One Bank, 2015 WL 7069660 (D.N.J. 2015), Judge Wolfson ordered a TCPA case to arbitration. Having concluded that a valid agreement between the parties exists, the Court must next determine whether the dispute at hand falls within the ambit of the Agreement's arbitration clause. In making this determination, “the Court should keep in mind federal policy favors… Read More

In Ramos v. Westlake Services LLC, 2015 WL 6605215, at *4 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., 2015), the Court of Appeal in an unpublished decision affirmed the denial of a petition to arbitrate because, apparently, the dealer gave the customer the wrong translated form of the RISC -- one without an arbitration clause.  "[T]he trial court found that while he had received a… Read More

In Salerno v. CreditOne Bank, N.A., 2015 WL 6554977 (W.D. N.Y. 2015), Judge Curtin sent a TCPA matter to arbitration, finding that the claim was within the scope of the arbitration clause and that the TCPA did not preclude arbitration. As set forth above, the arbitration clause of Credit One’s Cardholder Agreement is extremely broad, encompassing any dispute relating to… Read More

The CFPB fired another shot across the bow today, issuing a proposal for banning class-action waivers in consumer arbitration clause.  A copy of the proposal can be found here:  http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201510_cfpb_small-business-review-panel-packet-explaining-the-proposal-under-consideration.pdf The press release, found here (http://www.consumerfinance.gov/newsroom/cfpb-considers-proposal-to-ban-arbitration-clauses-that-allow-companies-to-avoid-accountability-to-their-customers/) stated: Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced it is considering proposing rules that would ban consumer financial companies from using “free pass”… Read More

In Craddock v. Beats Music, LLC, 2015 WL 4960041 (N.D.Ill., 2015), Judge Lefkow ordered a TCPA class action to arbitration arising from texts received by a consumer when she signed up for a Beats Music trial offer. Craddock's claims are based on her allegation that Beats Music sent her a text message, through AT & T Mobility, LLC, alerting her to… Read More

Today, the California Supreme Court handed car dealers and auto finance companies an important victory, upholding the arbitration clause in the standard form automobile purchase contract used by most dealers in the Golden State.  (Sanchez v. Valencia Holding Co., LLC. (S199119; Aug. 3, 2015).)  A copy of the California Supreme Court's decision can be found here.  The California Supreme Court… Read More

We have transcribed for our reader's perusal the oral argument in the Sanchez arbitration case. Sanchez - Transcription of Oral Argument 5-6-15 Read More

In Savage v. Citibank N.A., 2015 WL 2214229 (N.D. Cal. 2015), Judge Freeman denied a petition to compel arbitration of a TCPA lawsuit because the lawsuit did not fall within the terms of the arbitration clause. Defendants contend that Plaintiff’s claims in this lawsuit—premised upon collection activity in connection with a Macy’s card issued by DSNB—fall within the scope of… Read More

Yesterday, the California Supreme Court heard oral argument in Sanchez (Gil) v. Valencia Holding Co. LLC, S199119. (B228027; 201 Cal.App.4th 74; Superior Court of Los Angeles County; BC433634) on whether the Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. § 2), as interpreted in AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion (2011) 563 U. S. __, 131 S.Ct. 1740, preempts state law rules invalidating mandatory arbitration provisions… Read More

We received word that the Supreme Court (finally) scheduled oral argument in the Sanchez matter for May 5, 2015 at 9:00 in San Francisco.  We will report following oral argument. Read More

In Trabert v. Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc., --- Cal.Rptr.3d ----, 2015 WL 880949 (Cal.App. 4 Dist. 2015), the Court of Appeal previously had held that the three-arbitrator review provision of the standard Law Printing auto purchase contract's arbitration clause is unconscionably one-sided.  In this case, the Court of Appeal held that it can be, and must be, severed by striking… Read More

In Davis v. CACH, LLC, 2015 WL 913392 (N.D.Cal. 2015), Judge Freeman referred an FDCPA class action to arbitration, finding that the claim was within the scope of the Arbitration, that Arbitration was not inconsistent with the enforcement mechanisms of the FDCPA, and that the Defendant had not waived arbitration by filing a collection action in state court.  Judge Freeman… Read More