Patent Infringement: Successful Litigation Stays the "Course"
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently reversed the denial of a motion to compel arbitration after concluding, contrary to the district court’s decision, that a “sign-in wrap agreement” provided conspicuous notice of...more
Online retailers routinely include arbitration clauses in the terms of service for their website, seeking to send any consumer claims to arbitration and to eliminate a consumer’s right to file a class action lawsuit....more
A state appellate court in California reversed a superior court’s denial of a massage franchisor’s motion to compel arbitration. Jane Doe #1 (I.G.) v. Massage Envy Franchising, LLC, 2023 WL 8801517 (Cal. Ct. App. Dec. 20,...more
The Nevada Supreme Court recently reversed the denial of a motion to compel arbitration, explaining that the plaintiff’s arguments that the contract at issue was illegal were not a valid basis to deny arbitration because...more
In this edition, key themes include creators and consumers seeking more control and protection over how their content is used to train AI models (whether under copyright law or privacy laws), and governments grappling with...more
Overview - The District Court for the Northern District of California recently provided guidance in Alkutkar v. Bumble Inc., No. 22-CV-00422- PJH (N.D. Cal. Sept. 8, 2022), reconsideration denied, No. 22-CV-00422-PJH,...more
Last week, a California federal court granted Google’s motion to compel arbitration of claims asserted by customers who alleged that their Fitbit watches burned their skin. The opinion in Houtchens v. Google found that the...more
The Pennsylvania Superior Court recently invalidated Uber’s use of a mandatory arbitration clause in an online registration page for customers, ruling that the arbitration clause was unenforceable because it did not clearly...more
Online agreements are often favored by providers for their flexibility and for reducing friction in the customer contracting process. A particular benefit is the ability to update these agreements by providing notice to...more
When a litigant seeks to compel arbitration pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”), there are two issues that must be resolved: (1) whether there is an agreement to arbitrate; and, if so, (2) whether the dispute at...more
The Supreme Court of Maine has affirmed an order denying Uber’s motion to compel arbitration of claims that it and its subsidiary violated the Maine Human Rights Act. The action was filed after an Uber driver refused to drive...more
On Jan. 4, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued a ruling in Kauders v. Uber Technologies Inc. that has important implications for the enforceability of online and/or app contracts, and the arbitration agreements...more
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently held that Uber’s notification of its “terms and conditions” during the registration process for its app did not provide “reasonable notice” to users of Uber’s terms, that...more
The global pandemic has brought about countless changes, including, for many households, increased reliance on online retail and delivery services, such as Amazon. When consumers sign up for these services or place their...more
Many online services feature comprehensive terms of use intended to protect their business from various types of risks. While it is often the case that a great deal of thought goes into the creation of those terms, frequently...more
A California Court granted Defendant’s motion to compel arbitration based on a duly formed and consented arbitration clause via a “clickwrap” agreement, despite Plaintiff’s argument that no contract was ever formed because...more
A group of customers appealed the denial of a motion to compel arbitration and a declaratory judgment entered in an action brought by three internet providers. The customers subscribed to internet service in Georgia and...more
The Northern District of Illinois recently denied a motion to compel arbitration in a putative class action, and in doing so found that the defendants failed to show that the plaintiff had agreed to arbitrate the dispute when...more
Last month, a California district court granted a web-based service’s motion to compel arbitration of a putative class action brought by a user whose personal information was allegedly accessed in a massive 2016 data breach...more
The First Circuit recently held that an arbitration clause contained in the online contract of the ride sharing app, Uber Technologies, Inc., is unenforceable under Massachusetts law. ...more
Ruling in a class action brought against Uber Technologies, Inc., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit recently held that the company's arbitration clause could not be enforced because it was not "reasonably...more
Courts are increasingly taking a magnifying glass to electronic contracting processes, particularly how the presentation of the terms of service and call to action are displayed. As such, companies might take a second look at...more
How important is your businesses’ terms of service (TOS) agreement, usually presented to users of your business model through a process requiring them to click “I agree” before they can access your platform? A recent case...more
The Second Circuit has found that Spencer Meyer, a customer of Uber, was provided “reasonably conspicuous” notice of Uber’s Terms of Service to which he “unambiguously manifested assent” when he created an Uber account, such...more
In recent years, courts have issued varying rulings as to whether online or mobile users adequately consented to user agreements or terms of service when completing an online purchase or registering for a service. In each...more