Court Declines to Enforce Website's Arbitration Clause

The 9th Circuit yesterday declined to enforce an arbitration agreement contained in Barnes & Noble’s website’s Terms of Use.

The appellate court said “We agree with the district court that Barnes & Noble did not provide reasonable notice of its Terms of Use, and that Nguyen therefore did not unambiguously manifest assent to the arbitration provision contained therein.”

Good commentary by Technology & Marketing Law Blog.

 

10th Circuit Holds Unsigned Arbitration Agreement Unenforceable

Bellman v. i3Carbon, LLC, 2014 WL 2210739 (10th Cir. May 29, 2014), discussed by Liz Kramer

The court writes "Defendants argue that Plaintiffs manifested their acceptance of the
Operating Agreement, and specifically the arbitration provision, when they
invested in i3Carbon following receipt of the approximately 200-page
Investment Binder. However, the Operating Agreement included in the
Investment Binder did not have Plaintiffs’ names on it and did not indicate that
Plaintiffs were expected to sign it. Moreover, Plaintiffs have submitted
uncontroverted evidence that (1) i3Carbon never requested that they sign the
Operating Agreement or agree to its provisions, and (2) Plaintiffs, in fact, did
not sign the Operating Agreement."