Author: calmediation

Arbitration, Deadlines, FAA Preemption: California: Friend Or Foe Of Arbitration?

Our Article In The Daily Journal Examines Hohenshelt v. The Superior Court.         Our article in the April 10, 2024 Daily Journal begins: "The majority and minority opinions in a recent California appellate decision highlight the conflict between California and federal attitudes about arbitration. The case is Dana Hohenshelt v. The The Superior Court of […]

Arbitration, Public Injunctive Relief: Predispute Arbitration Provision Cannot Make Claimant Waive Right To Public Injunctive Relief

McGill Lives.          California's McGill case, about which we have posted before1, holds a predispute arbitration provision waiving a plaintiff’s right to seek public injunctive relief is “contrary to California public policy and is thus unenforceable under California law.” The McGill holding is enforced again in Ramsey v. Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, H049949 […]

Arbitration, Civil Rights: “Predispute” Arbitration Agreement Relates To Date Of Dispute, Not Injury

February 12, 2024 · Arbitration: Civil Rights

The Date Of A Dispute And An Injury May Not Be The Same.         The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act invalidates predispute arbitration agreements in certain circumstances. In Kader v. Southern California Medical Center, Inc., B326830 (2/5  1/29/24) (Moor, Rubin, Kim), the key issue was whether the arbitration agreement executed […]

Arbitration, Deadlines: Once Again, Requirement In Employment And Consumer Arbitration To Pay Fees In 30 Days Is Strictly Interpreted

California Courts Have Posted Plenty Of Warnings About The 30-Day Deadline To Pay The Arbitration Fees Or Lose The Right To Arbitrate.         And we have posted plenty of times about those warnings about this particular deadline. The latest warning that the 30-day deadline found in Cal. Code of Civ. Proc. § 1281.97 will be […]

Arbitration, Enforceability: Minor’s Right To Disaffirm Contract Makes Arbitration Delegation Provision Unenforceable

February 11, 2024 · Arbitration: Enforceability

Defendant Electronic Arts (EA) Fails To Shoot Down Plaintiff J.R.          J.R., a minor, sued video game producer EA. J.R. "alleged that EA deceptively induced players of Apex Legends, 'especially impressionable minors,' to purchase digital game-specific currency in order 'to purchase cosmetic items, characters, lootboxes, and other items within the Apex Legends virtual world.'” The […]

Arbitration, Unconscionability: 3rd District Agrees That American Automobile Association Arbitration Agreement Is Unconscionable

February 11, 2024 · Arbitration: Unconscionability

Court Affirms Order Denying Motion To Compel Arbitration.         "On a sliding scale, the procedural and substantive unconscionability as to this arbitration agreement is high." Hasty v. American Automobile Assn. of Northern Cal., Nev. & Utah , C097674 (3rd Dist.  pub. 1/6/24) (Robie, Mauro, Krause). The order denying the AAA's  petition to compel arbitration is […]

Arbitration, PAGA, Waiver: First District, Div. 3 Holds Employee’s Waiver Of Representative PAGA Claims Is Ineffective

February 11, 2024 · Arbitration: PAGA

California Courts of Appeal Continue To Side With California Supreme Court Regarding Standing To Bring Representative PAGA Claims.         Affirming the trial court's denial of an employer's motion to compel arbitration, the Court of Appeal holds that the employees' waiver of a right to bring representative PAGA claims is unenforceable. Nicole DeMarinis et al. v. […]

Arbitration, Service: 9th Circuit Accepts Service On Foreign Party By Mail — Under The Circumstances

District Court Was Right, But For The Wrong Reasons.         The Court of Appeals decided three issues in Voltage Pictures, LLC v. Gussi, S.A., No. 23-55123 (9th Cir. 2/5/24) (M. Smith, Lee, Vandyke): subject matter jurisdiction, service, and comity. The underlying dispute, concerning rights under a Distribution and License Agreement, resulted in an arbitration award […]

Delegation: Ninth Circuit Addresses How To State A Challenge To Delegation Of The Issue Of Arbitrability And How To Analyze Issue

Judge Eric D. Miller Agrees Majority's Analysis, But Disagrees That The Ninth Circuit Rule Is Any Different From The Rule In Other Circuits.         Abraham Bielski has already made law in his case against Coinbase, Inc., a cryptocurrency exchange. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court held in Bielski's case that a district court must stay […]