Consumers' right to file class actions is in danger

[laughingliberal]

If AT&T has its way before the Supreme Court, any business that issues a contract to customers would be able to prevent them from joining class-action lawsuits, taking away arguably the most powerful legal tool available to the little guy.

It hasn't gotten a lot of press, but a case involving AT&T that goes before the U.S. Supreme Court next week has sweeping ramifications for potentially millions of consumers.

If a majority of the nine justices vote the telecom giant's way, any business that issues a contract to customers — such as for credit cards, cellphones or cable TV — would be able to prevent them from joining class-action lawsuits.

This would take away in such cases arguably the most powerful legal tool available to the little guy, particularly in cases involving relatively small amounts of money. Class-action suits allow plaintiffs to band together in seeking compensation or redress, thus giving substantially more heft to their claims.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20101105,0,639054.column

BOHICA

[Newsjock]

1. Guess who supports AT&T on this

On the opposing side — that is, backing AT&T's case — are other telecom companies, as well as such well-heeled corporate interests as the American Bankers Assn., the Financial Services Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Shocking.

[laughingliberal]

2. Well, seeing as how the Chamber of Commerce owns this court, I think we know how it will go. nt

[Sonoman]

3. AT&T has a lot at stake, here.

• AT&T was the top contributor — with a whopping $351,500 — to members of the House Tea Party Caucus, led by the extremist Michele Bachmann, according to July totals from OpenSecrets.org.(1)

• AT&T contributed to the Senate Conservatives Fund, which raised money for Christine O'Donnell, Joe Miller, Ken Buck, Sharron Angle, and Rand Paul — all backed by the Tea Party.(2)

• AT&T's political action committee was recently ranked by Opensecrets.org as one of the biggest political contributors in the 2009-2010 cycle.(3)

[laughingliberal]

4. During the Bush years, I called & cancelled service with them. When they asked why, I told them...

it was due to the large contributions they made to the Bush campaign. I had LD with them and switched to Working Assets (now CREDO).

[Sonoman]

5. I am switching tomorrow.

I just found out about this CREDO.

Is reception thru Sprint?

I take it that you are satisfied with CREDO.

Do I begin 75% of my sentences with the letter "I"?

Sonoman

[laughingliberal]

13. We don't have a land line anymore but we were very happy with CREDO & had them for years.

I believe they were through Sprint, yes.

[Roma]

6. The problem I've had with class actions

is that a bunch of lawyers get a lot of dough and the "consumer" gets a 1.98 or a coupon for a free month of the service that was crappy to begin with and was the reason for the suit.

[laughingliberal]

9. Well, I was automatically entered in one against a cell phone company...

and I got an email a while back saying my rate, formerly $80/mo would now be $50/mo for as long as I had the account. I was happy.

Regardless, giving up the ability to file suit removes one more right from citizens and one more deterrent for corps who want to screw them.

[truedelphi]

17. That does tend to be the case. It really needs some legal fix.

Of course, the Republicans vow to end any sort of tort law cases involving malpractice.

They even cite the fact that in Europe, such malpractice cases are not allowed.

Of course, in Europe, people have National Health Program that they can rely on, without any caps, so if a doctor's erroneous decision costs you your legs, you don't have to worry about how to pay for the years of help you'll need.

[bullwinkle428]

7. There's your "Republican Tort Reform"!

[nashville_brook]

8. holy crap.

[laughingliberal]

10. Are we there, yet? nm

[leftstreet]

11. K&R

[Canuckistanian]

12. Seems to me they tried this before

Sometime during Clinton's presidency, IIRC.

[laughingliberal]

14. I'm betting the Robert's Court rules with AT&T. nt

[some guy]

15. k n r

[Hannah Bell]

16. knr