Bess v. DirecTV, Inc.

This appeal arises from an order of the circuit court of St. Clair County denying the motion of DirecTV Inc. (DirecTV), to stay proceedings in a class action suit and to compel arbitration. The motion was based upon the DirecTV “Customer Agreement” with plaintiff, Charlotte Bess. That agreement recites that any claim asserted by either party against the other, if not resolved informally, “will be resolved only by binding arbitration,” to be conducted under the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association. The court found the arbitration provision to be “substantively…