MBNA America Bank, N. A. v. Garcia

Defendant’s former wife obtained credit cards from plaintiff, unbeknownst to defendant and in his name, and then incurred substantial debt. When defendant failed to make payments, plaintiff submitted the matter to arbitration as provided in the credit card contract. On the recommendation of his former wife, defendant retained a man who falsely represented that he was an attorney and who, in the arbitration and in several federal court cases, raised a number of obviously bogus claims and defenses, the result of which was an arbitration award against defendant, duly confirmed by a judgment in…