California Court of Appeal

In actions challenging the early termination fee charged to cellular telephone service subscribers and challenging the practice of selling locked handsets that a subscriber cannot use when switching carriers, an order denying T-Mobile's motion to compel arbitration of the actions is affirmed where: 1) the adhesive nature of the service agreement established a minimal degree of procedural unconscionability notwithstanding the availability of market alternatives; and 2) the high degree of substantive unconscionability arising from a class action waiver rendered the arbitration provision unenforceable.

Appellate Information

• Decided 06/22/2007
• Published 06/24/2007

Judges

• GEMELLO, J.

Court

• California Court of Appeal

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Franklin & Franklin and J. David Franklin, San Diego;  Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins and Jacqueline E. Mottek, San Francisco;  Bramson, Plutzki, Mahler & Birkheuser, Alan R. Plutzik, Walnut Creek, and Lawrence Timothy Fisher for Plaintiffs and Respondents., Bingham McCutchen, Christopher B. Hockett, Thomas S. Hixson and Tanya King Dumas, San Francisco, for Defendant and Appellant.