Oregon Legal Research Blog
If you haven’t seen these 2 articles in your news feeds then you’re not doing your consumer law education reading:
New York Times articles, by Jessica Silver-Greenberg and Michael Corkery, November 2015:
Beware the Fine Print, Part I: Arbitration Everywhere, Stacking the Deck of Justice
Beware the Fine Print, Part 2: In Arbitration, a ‘Privatization of the Justice System
When you read these articles, and their critics and supporters, you would also be hard pressed not to think:
I need better civics lessons or maybe even a law school education to understand and discuss these issues intelligently, let alone be a smart consumer!
Binding arbitration, Shifting burdens of proof, Consumer responsibility, Consumer protection, Judicial fairness, Collusion, Competition & monopoly, Constitutional rights, Jury trials, Swindles and scams, Contract law, Oh-My: All Lead to this Timeless Warning: Buyer Beware
So, get smart: a few among many consumer education research resources:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB):
1) Resources for Libraries, Parents, and others
2) “CFPB Study Finds That Arbitration Agreements Limit Relief for Consumers,” March 2015
From SCOTUSblog: an article and links to recent U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) cases on arbitration agreements:
“Opinion analysis: A class action waiver in an arbitration agreement will be strictly enforced under the Federal Arbitration Act,” by David Garcia and Leo Caseria Guest, June 21st, 2013
Be a smart consumer:
1) Oregon: Department of Justice, Oregon Law Help
2) U.S.: Federal Trade Commission
And always, stop and look both ways before signing or buying.