October Term 2009 · Docket 09-497
Who decides if an arbitration clause is unfair?
A customer claims a rental contract forced him to arbitrate. The company says a judge must enforce the clause.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
The company argued the agreement should be enforced as written.
The customer argued the clause waived his right to court.
justice_sotomayor_asked_if_unconscionability_means_coercion_or_process_unfairness.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-37 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 47-51 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 47-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-49 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-13
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests who decides if an arbitration clause is unfair. A customer claims the clause was coerced. The company says the clause is valid.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 15-15
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 26, 2010.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 47-51 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 47-51
What each side wants
The company wants the court to enforce the arbitration clause.
The customer wants the court to reject the arbitration clause.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 15-15
What each side says
The company argues the clause is valid and enforceable.
The customer argues the clause was unconscionable and coerced.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 15-15
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked if coercion proves the clause was unconscionable.
Chief Justice Roberts asked which parties agreed to arbitrate the dispute.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-37 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 47-51 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 47-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-49 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-13
Why it matters
This case defines who decides if arbitration clauses are fair. It affects consumer rights in rental contracts. It shapes the balance between courts and arbitrators.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 15-15
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-37 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 47-51 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 47-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-49 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-13
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 15-15
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.