Learn About the Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Kathryn M. ROBINSON, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. ONSTAR, LLC, Defendant-Appellee.
MEMORANDUM *
Kathryn Robinson appeals the district court’s dismissal of her complaint pursuant to an arbitration clause that the district court concluded was enforceable. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. Reviewing de novo, see Davidson v. Kimberly-Clark Corp., 873 F.3d 1103, 1109 (9th Cir. 2017), we reverse and remand for further proceedings.
The parties agree that Robinson and OnStar formed an agreement when she called OnStar to activate her one-year trial subscription. At that time, Robinson was unaware that OnStar intended to send her additional terms and conditions, including the arbitration provision. “[A] consumer [must] be on notice of the existence of a term before he or she can be legally held to have assented to it.” Norcia v. Samsung Telecomms. Am., LLC, 845 F.3d 1279, 1289 (9th Cir. 2017) (quoting Schnabel v. Trilegiant Corp., 697 F.3d 110, 124 (2d Cir. 2012) ).
That the terms and conditions were “available” to Robinson in some sense is irrelevant when she had neither actual nor constructive notice of their existence at the time of her agreement with OnStar. Likewise, California Civil Code section 1589 obligated Robinson only “so far as the facts [were] known, or ought to [have been] known” to her.
REVERSED and REMANDED.
Thank you for your feedback!
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.
Docket No: No. 16-56412
Decided: March 15, 2018
Court: United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)
Harness the power of our directory with your own profile. Select the button below to sign up.
Learn more about FindLaw’s newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)