James v. Global Tellink — civil / arbitration — affirmance — Hardiman

Global Tel-Link contracts with prisons to provide phone service to inmates. They have been accused by the FCC, at least six state attorney generals, and many many many many others of charging inmates excessive rates, reportedly up to $14 a minute!  (Not to be outdone, the other major prison-phone-service provider reportedly has been sued repeatedly for recording attorney-client legal calls.)

In New Jersey, a group of inmates and family members sued Global Tel-Link for charging rates it alleged were “unconscionable.” GTL sought to dismiss some of the claims based on an arbitration clause in the terms of service it posted online. But at least some of the plaintiffs never saw or assented to the terms of service because they signed up by phone.

Today, the Third Circuit affirmed the district court’s order denying the GTL’s motion to compel arbitration. GTL can’t force the plaintiffs to arbitrate their claims just by telling users that using their service constituted acceptance of their terms, without actually informing them of the terms nor eliciting assent to them.

Joining Hardiman were Chagares and Scirica. The case was decided without argument.