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Released: October 18, 2011

Bill aims to restore consumers’ right to sue

Source: David Lazarus, Los Angeles Times (Free Registration)

Thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court, you may not have the right to sue a company you think has wronged you.

Instead, if the company prefers, you could have to arbitrate the dispute — a process that consumer advocates say tips the scales of justice in favor of businesses.

That imbalance would be remedied with passage of the Arbitration Fairness Act, a bill under consideration in Congress that would supersede the Supreme Court’s ruling and reestablish consumers’ right to sue and to join with others in class-action lawsuits.

“These forced arbitration clauses in contracts deny consumers their right to hold companies accountable when something is wrong,” said Christine Hines, an attorney with the advocacy group Public Citizen. “They basically let companies off the hook.”

Read Full Article: Bill aims to restore consumers’ right to sue