Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 514: Listen and Learn -- Discovery (Civ Pro)
eDiscovery Case Law Podcast: How Failing to Meet and Confer Effectively Can Lead to Sanctions
Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 302: Listen and Learn -- More on Discovery (Civ Pro)
Podcast: Are Legal Holds Protected by Privilege? Insights from the FTC's Battle with Amazon
Patent Infringement: Successful Litigation Stays the "Course"
After a debt collector filed suit to collect an expired debt, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that the debt collector could not later compel arbitration of the debtor’s class action because arbitration...more
In Barnett v. American Express National Bank, 24-CA-60391 (5th Cir. 7/29/2025), the U.S. Fifth Circuit reaffirmed that a waiver of the right to arbitrate by “substantially invoking the judicial process” requires a showing...more
How can a company ensure that its clickwrap agreements for services are worth more than just the pixels they’re displayed on? In a recent ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the answer may be as...more
June 2025 saw opinions from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals addressing issues including the authority of a court to dismiss a case that had been stayed pending an arbitration and the sequence of decision-making when a...more
The Eighth Circuit partially reversed a district court ruling denying OptumRx, Inc. (“OptumRx”)’s motion to compel arbitration of Lackie Drug Store, Inc. (“Lackie”)’s putative class action, concluding OptumRx waived...more
As we have reported time and again, California courts have applied extra scrutiny to employee arbitration agreements in recent years, and have not hesitated to deny arbitration where there is a reasonable basis for doing so. ...more
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court’s decision to deny the plaintiff’s motion to compel arbitration, finding that the plaintiff was not an “aggrieved” party within the meaning of the Federal...more
On March 11, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court’s denial of a motion to compel arbitration in two class-action lawsuits. The decision potentially has far-reaching implications for the...more
Proponents of arbitration received a victory in federal court this past Tuesday when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued its published decision in Dhruva v. CuriosityStream, Inc. ...more
On February 28, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court’s denial of a petition to compel individual arbitration against Starz Entertainment, LLC. The court held that the plaintiff, who...more
It happens every so often: someone signs an agreement to arbitrate legal claims, the agreement has a solid clause delegating arbitrability issues to an arbitrator, and then a member of that person’s family files a claim in...more
A federal court in California recently granted franchisor Spiffy Franchising, LLC’s motion to compel arbitration of a franchisee’s claims, but found the North Carolina forum selection and choice of law provisions in the...more
The plaintiff sued the trustee of his retirement plan, his former employer, and others for breach of fiduciary duties in connection with the plan’s purchase of shares of the employer’s parent company for more than fair market...more
A recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirming a decision compelling arbitration provides a “how to” guideline for using online terms and conditions to form a binding agreement....more
As reported in Public Citizen’s Consumer Law & Policy Blog, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently agreed to review Chilutti v. Uber Technologies, Inc., in which a divided panel of the Pennsylvania Superior Court (and later...more
On August 14, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania decided an arbitration provision was valid and enforceable in a class action regarding interest rates against a lender. The plaintiffs had filed a...more
A California appellate court recently denied a motion to compel arbitration, finding the agreement unconscionable in part because it (1) applied to all claims rather than just those arising from employment, (2) was unlimited...more
The Risk of Litigating Before Moving to Arbitrate - Many employers in California ask or require their employees to execute arbitration agreements. When a claim arises, the employer has a choice—proceed with litigation...more
Courts are finding more workers who do not physically transport goods or people across state lines to be transportation workers exempt from arbitrating their claims under the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). The U.S. Court of...more
Recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court in Smith v. Spizzirri, 601 U.S. 472 (2024) and Coinbase, Inc. v. Suski, 144 S. Ct. 1186 (2024) provide important guidance for companies utilizing arbitration clauses in their...more
Garcia v. Stoneledge Furniture LLC, 102 Cal. App. 5th 41 (2024) - Summary: Although parties may delegate questions regarding the validity of an arbitration agreement to the arbitrator, the delegation presupposes the existence...more
On May 16, 2024, the United States Supreme Court unanimously held that, when enforcing an arbitration clause subject to the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), if any party requests a stay, the district court lacks discretion to...more
On May 16, 2024, in Smith v. Spizzirri, the Supreme Court of the United States resolved a long-standing circuit split that affects motions to compel arbitration in federal court. Specifically, the Court answered whether...more
On May 16, 2024, the United States Supreme Court resolved a circuit split regarding whether Section 3 of the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”) provides trial courts the discretion to dismiss a lawsuit when all claims are...more
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Smith v. Spizzirri holding that § 3 of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) requires district courts to issue an order staying a federal case pending the outcome...more