In Pedregon v. Titlemax of N.M., No. A-1-CA-39466, 2023 N.M. App. Unpub. LEXIS 24, at *3-6 (Ct. App. Jan. 23, 2023), the New Mexico Court of Appeal refused to enforce an automobile title lender's arbitration clause. We first review the district court's determination that the arbitration agreement was presumptively unconscionable—on its face—based upon the unfairness of the terms contained therein.… Read More
In Eileen J. Dalton v. Santander Consumer Usa, Inc., 2016 WL 5266621, at *6 (N.M., 2016), the New Mexico Supreme Court rejected an unconscionability challenge to an arbitration clause in the standard form RISC. "The self-help and small claims carve-out provisions in the arbitration clause of the finance contracts are not substantively unconscionable. Therefore, Dalton did not satisfy her burden… Read More
Today, the CFPB issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking with regard to consumer arbitration, here: CFPB_Arbitration_Agreements_Notice_of_Proposed_Rulemaking. The CFPB's press release is here: CFPB Press Release. The CFPB proposal is seeking comment on a proposal to prohibit companies from putting mandatory arbitration clauses in new contracts that prevent class action lawsuits. The proposal would open up the legal system to consumers… Read More
In Goodridge v. KDF Automotive Group, Inc., 2016 WL 142216, at *9-10 (Cal.App. 4 Dist., 2016) (unpublished), the Court of Appeal addressed Plaintiff's continued post-Sanchez fight against arbitration, finding that the standard form RISC was not unconscionable. The Court of Appeal also found that that the Defendant's litigation conduct did not waive the right to assert it. We conclude Goodridge has not… 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In Trabert v. Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc., 2015 WL 9271437, at *6-8 (Cal.App. 4 Dist. 2015) (unpublished), the Court of Appeal addressed for the third time whether an arbitration clause in a standard form RISC was unconscionable.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In Vargas v. SAI Monrovia B, Inc., 2015 WL 7301781, at *5 (Cal.App. 2 Dist., 2015) (unpublished), the Court of Appeal found the RISC arb.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 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
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
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 Hernandez v. W.R. Thomas, Inc., 2015 WL 112799 (Cal.App. 4 Dist. 2015), the Court of Appeal found in an unpublished decision that a consumer failed to meet its burden of demonstrating that the arbitration clause found in the standard for automobile RISC was unconscionable. After considering these submissions, the court issued an order scheduling an evidentiary hearing “on the limited issue… Read More
In Dalton v. Santander Consumer USA, Inc., --- P.3d ----, 2014 WL 7463867 (N.M.App. 2015), the New Mexico Court of Appeal found that an arbitration clause an automobile RISC was unconscionable, and that the unconscionability analysis was not preempted by the FAA. A recent decision of a federal court applying California's unconscionability doctrine to an arbitration scheme identical to that in this… Read More
In Inetianbor v. CashCall, Inc., --- F.3d ----, 2014 WL 4922225 (11th Cir. 2014), the Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit found that an arbitration clause requiring a consumer to submit his claim to an authorized tribal arbitrator could not be enforced when the Tribe refused to authorize a tribal leader to arbitrate. To decide whether the forum selection… Read More
In Gillespie v. Svale Del Grande, Inc., 2014 WL 1509813 (Cal.App. 6 Dist. 2014), the Sixth District Court of Appeal found that Concepcion trumped the CLRA’s anti-class action waiver, but remanded the matter to the superior court to determine whether other unconscionable provisions could be severed. In this case, pursuant to Concepcion, supra, 131 S.Ct. 1740, we determine that the… Read More
In Greene v. Alliance Automotive, Inc., --- S.W.3d ----, 2014 WL 928859 (Mo.App. W.D. 2014), the Missouri Court of Appeal affirmed in an unpublished decision a trial court’s striking down of an arbitration clause in an automobile retail installment sales contract. The court reviewed a videotape of the closing of the sale by the dealer, and found that the Customer… Read More
A copy of Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye's order is here. Read More
In Mendoza v. Ad Astra Recovery Services Inc., 2014 WL 47777 (C.D.Cal. 2014), Judge Snyder ordered a TCPA class action to arbitration. The facts were as follows: On September 9, 2013, plaintiff Miguel Mendoza filed this putative class action against defendant Ad Astra Recovery Services, Inc. (“Ad Astra”) on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated. Plaintiff asserts claims… Read More
