District Court Rules An Agreement Purporting To Require Arbitration Of Any Dispute……

Mey v. DIRECTV, LLC, No. 5:17-CV-179-JPB-JPM (N.D. W. Va. Feb. 12, 2021) [click for opinion]

In 2012, Plaintiff Diana Mey, an ordinary wireless consumer, entered into a cell phone service contract with AT&T Mobility which included an agreement to arbitrate “all disputes and claims” with AT&T Mobility and its “affiliates.” In 2015, the parent company of AT&T Mobility—AT&T Inc.—acquired DIRECTV. DIRECTV does not provide cell phone service.

Some years later, Mey sued DIRECTV for making unwanted automated telemarketing calls. DIRECTV moved to compel arbitration, asserting that the dispute was covered by the arbitration agreement governing Mey’s cell phone plan with AT&T Mobility. The district court denied the motion, concluding that the dispute did not fall within the scope of the agreement and that any other construction of the agreement would be unconscionably overbroad. DIRECTV appealed. The Fourth Circuit vacated the district court’s order, finding that the dispute was within the scope of the agreement, but remanded the issue for further consideration of Mey’s unconscionability challenge……

Read the complete story here.

Featured Arbitrators

ad
View all

Read these next

Category

The Supreme Court’s Unanimous Ruling in Southwest Airlines v. Saxon: More Questions Left than Answers

Introduction and Unanswered Questions             Airplane cargo loaders and ramp supervisors are now able to bring a claim for overtime pay in court, rather than being forced into arbitration.  In...

By Brittany Munn
Category

Supreme Court of Canada finds Uber Arbitration Clause is Unconscionable

This article first appeared on Global Arbitration News by Baker McKenzie, here. In Uber Technologies Inc. v. Heller, 2020 SCC 16 (“Uber v. Heller“) the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the Ontario Court...

By Christina Doria, Brittany Shales
Category

The ICC’s 2021 Arbitration Rules Bring New Focus on Efficiencies and Streamlined Processes

This article first appeared on Allen & Overy LLP’s website on 25 November 2020, here.  The International Chamber of Commerce (the ICC) has published its revised 2021 Arbitration Rules (2021 Rules). The...

By Anna Massar

Find an Arbitrator