Today the Supreme Court of the United States is hearing a case about consumer contracts and specifically, arbitration agreements.
Dan and I have written about arbitration agreements at length in both the employment and health care context.
Here is an article about nursing homes and arbitration.
Here is another article about employment contracts and arbitration provisions.
They exist in most nursing home and assisted living contracts, many employment contracts, and virtually any kind of consumer transaction you can imagine. The center of today’s Supreme Court argument is the use of these agreements in cell phone contracts.
But really, what is an arbitration agreement and or why should you care?
I ran across this great blog / podcast this morning by LEGAL LAD and I recommend you take a few minutes and listen. While I disagree with at least one statement the Legal Lad makes (when he says arbitration is usually cheaper than litigation), it is a useful summary of what an arbitration agreement is, and whether they are enforceable.
As a consumer, employee, and person who participates in commerce, you should know what it is you are signing.