Class Action suits nixed by Highest Court.
Posted on May 3, 2011 12:05am PDT
Big business has gained the upper hand from the United States Supreme Court on class actions lawsuits. In a decision which came down to a vote of 5-4, the court laid down it's decision last week that gave business the ability to force consumers to comply with an agreement that they can not bring a class action lawsuit against the business. Have you ever looked over your cellular bill that seems it is as long as the new Health care bill? Well, if you haven't the next time you get the chance it will probably be even longer now. There really isn't doubt that companies will be jumping on the band wagon to put in legal provisions that will make it mandatory to go through arbitration instead on using a class action lawsuit. The majority of states have long found that contracts such as this are illegal and not enforceable, to mention one would be California. In one such case a California couple who brought forth a lawsuit for themselves and others that had been charged a little over $30 dollars in sales tax. The suit was brought on because they were suppose to get a free phone when they signed up for AT&T Mobility services. If the people who brought on the class-action lawsuit had been victorious, they could have possibly have won millions compared to the tiny amount of possibly only a little over $30 dollars that each individual would of received if it went to arbitration. Also, it just doesn't end there, if you work for a fast-food chain or a huge retailer, or signing up for a cell phone or credit card you will mostly likely be giving away your rights to be able to bring a class-action lawsuit when you sign their contract. Just one more right taken away for us.
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