Category: Uncategorized

Arbitration, Nonsignatories: First Dist. Div. 5 Holds Plaintiff Using Third Party To Exchange Cryptocurrency Is Not Bound By Arbitration Agreement Between Third Party And Cryptocurrency Exchange Platform

May 31, 2021 · Uncategorized

Just One More Thing To Worry About With Cryptocurrency.         There are a number of ways in which a nonsignatory to an arbitration agreement can nevertheless find itself bound to arbitrate. Affirming the trial court, the Court of Appeal shoots down each of those ways in Pillar Project AG v. Payward Ventures, Inc., A160731 (1/5  […]

Arbitration, Disclosures: Fourth Dist. Div. 3 Distinguishes Monster Energy Case And Concludes Arbitrator’s And JAMS’ Disclosures Were Sufficient

April 29, 2021 · Uncategorized

Disclosure Of Extent Of JAMS's "Business Relationship" With O'Melveny & Myers And Arbitrator's Ownership Interest In JAMS Were At Issue.         A former investment fund manager sued the investment funds and successfully compelled arbitration. Steven M. Speier v. The Advantage Fund, LLC, et al. G059216 (4/3  4/19/21) (Fybel, Bedsworth, Goethals). JAMS and the arbitrator made […]

Arbitration, Employment, Burden of Proof, Nonsignatories: Fourth District, Div. 1 Rules Employer Failed To Prove Employee Electronically Signed Arbitration Agreement

December 13, 2019 · Uncategorized

Authentication Of Electronic Signatures Continues To Generate Case Law And Stymie Employers.     We have blogged before about the problems employers have had authenticating employees' electronic signatures on arbitration agreement. On January 4, 2015, we blogged about Ruiz v. Moss Bros. Auto Group, Inc., 232 Cal.App.4th 836 (2014), a leading case highlighting the pitfalls of electronic […]

Settlement Agreements: On Second Thought, Trial Judge’s Speculation About Rekindled Romantic Relationship Is Removed From Modified Appellate Opinion

September 30, 2019 · Uncategorized

The Case Held That Judgment Creditor's Release Of Judgment Debtor Does Not Preclude Creditor's Attorney From Pursuing Contingency Fee And Costs From Judgment Debtor.     We posted about Mancini & Associates v. Jason Schwetz, B290498 (2nd Dist. Div. 6) (Gilbert, J.) on September 5, 2019. This is an unusual case in which the judgment […]

Mediation/Attendance: Fifth District Holds That Agricultural Employees Do Not Have Right Of Access To On-The-Record Mandatory Mediation And Conciliation

September 25, 2019 · Uncategorized

California's Labor Code Provides For A Mandatory Mediation And Conciliation  (MMC) Process To Promote The Collective Bargaining Process In Agricultural Labor Relations.     When collective bargaining between the United Farm Workers Union and Gerawan Farming, Inc. reached an impasse, the UFW requested, and the California's Agricultural Labor Relations Board ordered the parties to mandatory mediation and […]

Arbitration, Nonsignatories, Unconscionability, Standard Of Review: 4th District, Division 3 Affirms Order Denying Nursing Home’s Petition To Compel Arbitration

August 29, 2019 · Uncategorized

Daughter's Signature Did Not Bind Her Individually Or As Successor In Interest.         Nursing home arbitration agreements continue to generate plenty of cases. In fact, we have posted about arbitration and nursing homes a number of times. See, for example, our posts of 3/27/2012, 5/21/2012, 11/5/2013, 8/5/2016, 11/1/2016, 2/23/2017, and 7/25/2019. Why are […]

Arbitration, Burden Of Proof, Nonsignatory: 6th Appellate District Holds Realtor’s Custom And Practice Was Not Enough Here To Show It Agreed To Arbitrate

March 11, 2019 · Uncategorized

Evidence Of A Policy Is Not Evidence Of Adherence To The Policy.     Plaintiff Juen engaged Alain Pinel Realtors, Inc. (Pinel) to sell his house. Later, Juen sued Pinel, Pinel unsuccessfully moved to compel arbitration, and Pinel appealed. Juen v. Alain Pinel Realtors, Inc., H043230 (6th Dist.  2/6/19) (Grover, Greenwood, Bamattre-Manoukian).     The […]

Mediation, Miscellaneous: A Century After The Neutral Conference For Continuous Mediation And Henry Ford’s “Peace Ship”

February 19, 2019 · Uncategorized

A Century After A Failed Attempt At International Mediation . . .  1916, February? "Photograph shows members of the neutral European nations who met with the Henry Ford Peace Expedition in Stockholm, Sweden probably in February, 1916 and formed the Neutral Conference for Continuous Mediation." Library of Congress.     Without a case to post about today, […]

Arbitration, Burden of Proof, Authentication, Employment: Trial Court Found By Preponderance Of Evidence That Employer Failed To Prove Employee Signed Arbitration Agreement

January 25, 2019 · Uncategorized

Arbitration Agreement Had Signature With Employee's Name, But Employer Failed To Carry Burden Of Authentication.     Tropicale appealed the denial of its motion to compel arbitration against employee Garcia. Ana Garcia v. Tropicale Foods, Inc., E069024 (4/2  1/22/19) (Raphael, Miller, Slough) (not certified for publication). The issue was whether Tropicale failed to prove by […]

Arbitration, Gateway Issues, Delegation: USCA 4th Circuit Holds That Incorporation Of JAMS Rules Delegates Questions Of Arbitrability To Arbitrator

December 21, 2017 · Uncategorized

But There Is A Dissent . . .          Simply Wireless Inc. v. Mobile US Inc ., Nos. 16-1123, 16-1166 (4th Cir.  12/13/17) resulted in an interesting majority opinion authored by Judge Wynn, with Judge Harris, joining, and a dissent by Judge Floyd.  As a result, I have strayed beyond my usual beat of covering […]