Author: calmediation

Arbitration, Celebrities: Trump v. Omarosa Celebrity Wrestling Match, Round 1, Arbitration?

August 14, 2018 · Celebrities

Celebrity Wrestling Match/Cat Fight.             I have received a confidential television script from a disloyal former staff member of the White House.  In episode 571 of the long-running reality show, “Raging Dumpster Fires At 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,” the courtly, urbane and impeccably mannered DJT and the villainous Omarosa Manigault Newman (OMN) grease up for a wrestling […]

Arbitration: Disclosures, Section 1286.2 (Vacatur): 2/7 DCA Orders Vacatur Of Adverse Award Against Plaintiff/Claimant Because Arbitrator Had Actual Awareness Of And Failed To Disclose Other Pending Arbitrations Involving Defendant/Respondent

Plaintiff Waived Vacatur Right As To Ethics Standard 12(b), But Did Not Waive Rights To Vacate Based On Arbitrator’s Failure To Make Required Disclosures Under Ethics Standard 7(d).             Here is the ending quotation before the “Disposition” paragraph in Honeycutt v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Case No. B281982 (2d Dist., Div. 7 Aug. 2, 2018) […]

Arbitration: Sanctions: N.D. Cal. District Judge Has Decided To Issue Sanctions Against Fitbit And Its Attorneys For Failure To Pursue Arbitration After Compelling It In Consumer Action

July 26, 2018 · Arbitration: Sanctions

Moral Here Is To Pursue Arbitration If You Elect To Do So.             Mike Hensley, my co-contributor on the calattorneysfees.com website, has done a recent post about N.D. Cal. U.S. District James Donato’s July 24, 2018 order in which he will be imposing yet-to-be-sought sanctions against Fitbit and its defense counsel in a consumer action. […]

Arbitration: Burden Of Proof, FAA: Ninth Circuit Determines That USC Employment Arbitration Clause Did Not Encompass Plaintiff Employees’ Claims On Behalf Of ERISA Plans

However, Ninth Circuit Panel Did Indicate In A Footnote That It Might Have Been Wrong To Say Certain ERISA Claims Inarbitrable As A Matter Of Law.        In Munro v. University of Southern California (USC), No. 17-55550 (9th Cir. July 24, 2018) (published) (Thomas, Chief Judge, author; Friedland, Circuit Judge; and Zilly, W.D. Wash. District […]

Review: Creative Mediation Solutions

July 24, 2018 · Reviews

Mediator Paul Fisher's Article Describing Varieties of Mediation Is Available On-Line.         A classic summary of "Creative Mediation Options" (August 2000) authored by California mediator Paul Fisher is available on-line at this link.  Paul Fisher describes, and summarizes advantages and disadvantages of: baseball mediation, golf mediation, pocket golf mediation, binding mediation [perhaps an oxymoron], […]

Arbitration: Discovery, FAA: Contributor Marc Has Published A Recent Article On Suggested Legislative Fixes To Ninth Circuit’s Holding In CVS Health Corp. That District Judges Have No Power To Compel Third Party Document Production Before The Schedule

His Article Appears in The July 2018 Edition Of The Orange County Lawyer.              On December 25, 2017, contributor Marc posted on CVS Health Corp. v. Vividus, LLC, 878 F.3d 703 (9th Cir. 2017), where the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held, based on a reading of the "plain meaning" of the Federal Arbitration Act, […]

Arbitration: Construction Of Agreement; Employment; PAGA; Severability: 2/6 DCA Decides PAGA Waiver Is Unenforceable And PAGA Waiver Was Not Severable From Remainder Of Agreement Due To Differences Between English And Spanish Versions Signed By Employee

Different Handbook Versions Seen As Negligent Or, At Worse, Deceptive.             This case involved interesting PAGA waiver and severability issues under a very specific factual setting fraught with confusion.             The situation went this way: Employer, during the employment of plaintiff hourly employee in Ventura, adopted a policy requiring arbitration of legal claims arising from […]

Arbitration: Existence Of Agreement; Nonsignatories; Section 1281.2: 2/6 DCA Reverses Denial Of Motion To Compel Arbitration Based On Integration Clause Being Found Dispositive

However, Wife’s Loss Of Consortium Claim Not Subject To Arbitration And Trial Court On Remand Had To Consider Third Litigation Exception As Basis To Deny Motion To Compel.             In Williams v. Atria Las Posas, Case No. B282513 (2d Dist., Div. 6 June 27, 2018) (published; Tangeman, J., author, concurred in by Gilbert, P.J. and […]

Mediation: Condition Precedent; Arbitration: Unconscionability: 4/3 DCA Reverses Denial Of Motion To Compel Arbitration Based On Employee’s Failure To Follow Dispute Resolution Hierarchy And Rejects Unconscionability Challenges

Employee Was Required To Have Informal Meeting With Employer First, Formal Mediation Next, And Then Arbitration, With Employer Paying Costs Of ADR Remedies.             Justice Bedsworth, in his distinctively colorful writing style, reversed a denial of a motion to compel arbitration in line with an ADR agreement between employee and employer in Barati v. Ottno, Inc., […]