Washington Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, November 9, 2010; 8:17 PM

The Supreme Court is hearing a case that could have an affect on consumer's rights, including the use of contractual arbitration.

"Vincent and Liza Concepcion were looking for a phone, not a lawsuit, when they decided in 2002 to go with AT&T Mobility. At a California
store, they got a deal for a Motorola and a "free" Nokia - and,
according to AT&T, signed away their right to initiate a
class-action suit against the company.

In the fine print of the service agreement, the couple said they would settle disputes through arbitration and as individuals, not as part of a
class of complaining customers. Such arbitration agreements are common
for "transactional" contracts, such as those for credit cards and
cellphones, and increasingly for employers and their workers.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court took up the Concepcions' complaint that they were charged $30.32 for a phone that was supposed to be free.

The case has been billed as one of the court's most important on consumer rights in years, with civil rights organizations and consumer
groups on one side and, on the other, businesses worried about the costs
of lawyer-driven class-action suits."

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