DirecTV, Law Firm Appealing Rejected Motions to Compel in Fraud Litigation

U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton's denial of motions to compel arbitration in litigation alleging fraudulent direct broadcast satellite subscription terms was appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by defendants DirecTV and Lonstein Law Office (see here and here, in Pacer) this week. Doneyda Perez, a California beauty shop owner, alleged violations of the California Unfair Competition Law and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act by DirecTV selling small businesses satellite pay-TV service under residential accounts and then threatening litigation, with Lonstein representing the company. Staton, of Santa Ana, California, said (in Pacer) May 1 DirecTV "short-circuited" the traditional procedure of providing a customer agreement.