Blogging for Justice

Change.org prides itself on “empowering people everywhere to create the change they want to see,” and now it’s leading by example. 

The popular online petition website has just dropped its forced arbitration clause from its terms and conditions.  This means that if a user has legal dispute with the company, Change.org will answer for itself in court rather than in a rigged forced arbitration system. 

According to the message on its website:

The civil justice system plays a vital role in our country as it provides people with an avenue to seek accountability. But when access to the civil justice system is denied or limited through legislation such as arbitrary caps on damages, we all suffer.

Every year, the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) releases a new edition of its “Judicial Hellholes” report. As you can see below, this has been widely ridiculed and debunked.

Since the devastating 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BP has orchestrated a campaign to avoid accountability and delay justice for Gulf Coast small business owners by trying to backpedal on an agreement it wrote, signed, and asked the Court to approve.  BP continues to throw hundreds of thousands of dollars in an attempt to halt payments to Gulf Coast businesses it harmed.

As Forbes reported this week, “Forget Cyber Monday, It's Cyber Week.” Many companies are extending their online sales all week long, with new deals being introduced every day. But Even the best cyber deals can come with a shockingly hefty price – your constitutional right to hold the retailer accountable in court if it cheats you, delivers a bad product, or loses your personal information in a data breach.  

The Ohio Association for Justice (OAJ) just released a new video in connection with their ongoing #RespectOhio #RespectforJuries campaign that advocates for the need for a strong civil justice system. 

GM’s fatal ignition switch scandal continues to keep the issue of automobile safety in the forefront. Like so many previous cases, a lawsuit has uncovered what is an unfortunately recognizable pattern: an automobile manufacturer discovers a defective design, but refuses to fix it or even warn regulators because it puts profits before people.

Most of the Nation’s Biggest Banks Are Using Forced Arbitration to Block Ripped-Off Consumers From Their Day in Court; CFPB Can Write a Rule

This Veterans Day, we honor the service and sacrifice of the brave men and women of the U. S. Armed Forces by issuing a call to preserve and strengthen laws promoting their financial security by stopping forced arbitration. Take Action 

While not every race has been called and some ballots are still being counted, one thing is abundantly clear: the U.S. Chamber knows exactly what it wants from a Republican controlled Senate and the focus of its agenda is eliminating your legal rights.

The U.S. Chamber is not known for being transparent or consistent. That's a gross understatement.