June 29, 2005 We wrote to Judge Chirlin to bring to her attention a very recent ( June 27, 2005 ) decision of the California Supreme Court involving contracts that expressly prohibit persons from participating in class actions. In Discover Bank v. Superior Court, the Supreme Court held that such contract provisions are unconscionable and unenforceable because they effectively insulate companies from class action lawsuits.
We have suggested to Judge Chirlin that if a company cannot expressly prohibit persons from participating in class actions, a contract that is silent on the issue (such as the dealer contracts) certainly cannot be read to prohibit such participation.
June 16, 2005 Hearing in California state court (Los Angeles county) on DirecTV's petition to vacate the First Amended Clause Construction Award.
June 16, 2005 A hearing was held in California state court (Los Angeles county) on DirecTV's petition to vacate the First Amended Clause Construction Award.
June 10, 2005 DirecTV filed a reply memorandum of law in further support of its petition to vacate the First Amended Clause Construction Award.
May 16, 2005 Claimants filed a memorandum of points and authorities in California state court opposing DirecTV's petition to vacate the First Amended Clause Construction Award.
April 27, 2005
Arbitration panel granted DirecTV's request to stay further proceedings pending a decision by the California state court on DirecTV's petition to vacate the First Amended Clause Construction Award.
March 10, 2005
Arbitration panel granted (two to one) Claimants' clause construction motion and construed the arbitration provision in the Sales Agency Agreement to permit class wide arbitration.
January 4, 2005
Hearing held on the parties' motions to construe the arbitration provisions in the governing agreements between the dealers and DirecTV.
December 14, 2004 DirecTV filed a reply memorandum of law opposing Claimants' motion to permit class arbitration.
November 24, 2004
Claimants filed a motion seeking to have the arbitration clauses in the Residential Dealer Agreement and the Sales Agency Agreement construed to permit class arbitration.