Pioneer Electronics (USA), Inc. v. Superior Court

Opinion

CHIN, J.

Purchasers of possibly defective DVD players communicated with the seller, expressing their discontent and relating their identifying information (names, addresses, etc,). We consider here the extent to which California’s right to privacy provision (Cal. Const., art. I, § 1) protects these purchasers from having their identifying information disclosed to plaintiff during civil discovery proceedings in a consumers’ rights class action against the seller. The named plaintiff in the action assertedly needs this information from the seller to facilitate communication with potential…