On April 24, 2019, in a 5-4 opinion written by Chief Justice Roberts, the U.S. Supreme Court held that even if an arbitration agreement is ambiguous as to whether classwide arbitration is permitted, that is insufficient to find that the parties consented to class arbitration. Lamps Plus, Inc. v. Varela, No. 17–988 (2019). In doing so, the Court emphasized that there is a fundamental difference between class arbitration and the individualized form of arbitration envisioned by the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). The Court’s decision firmly reinforces decades of precedent that arbitration is a matter of consent and aligns with its recent trend of pro-arbitration opinions.
Home > Federal Law Articles > Class Actions > General (Class Actions) > Supreme Court Confirms Class Arbitration May Not Proceed Unless Expressly Permitted by the Arbitration Agreement