Case Law Index
federal2013
Additional Highlights:ArbitrationClass Action WaiverFederal Arbitration Act
American Express Co. v. Italian Colors Restaurant
United States Supreme Court
Key Holding
Courts must enforce class action waivers in arbitration agreements even if individual arbitration would be prohibitively expensive for the plaintiff.
Case Summary
American Express v. Italian Colors held that the Federal Arbitration Act requires courts to enforce class action waivers in arbitration agreements, even where the practical effect is that the costs of individual arbitration exceed any possible recovery, eliminating a judicial exception for effective vindication of statutory rights.