ProfessorMelissa A. Hale
CaseCast™ – "What you need to know"
Brief Fact Summary. The underlying facts are similar to those in Hill v. Gateway. Herein, the Plaintiffs, Klocek and others (Plaintiffs), were given five (5) days to return their computer or submit to an arbitration clause, to which they disagreed.
Synopsis of Rule of Law. This case stands for the proposition that the vendor is not necessarily the master of the offer and that a consumer should not be held to a vendor’s level of knowledge when entering into a contract.
A court lacking jurisdiction must dismiss the cause at any stage of the proceedings in which it becomes apparent that jurisdiction is lacking.
View Full Point of LawIssue. The court revisits the issues of consumer fairness and packaged terms, in considering this matter.
Held. This Court holds that a vendor is not always the master of its offer and that consumers ought to be afforded some degree of protection when dealing with in-the-box contracts. Additionally, the court found that Gateway had a burden of proof, to show evidence that plaintiff agreed to the arbitration provision, and that Gateway had not met its burden. The Court also hints at the notion of unconscionability, maintaining that because Plaintiff is not a merchant, additional terms are not necessarily agreed to under U.C.C. Section:2-207.
Discussion. Consider these cases carefully because this area is still being highly litigated.