Deutsch v. Long Island Carpet Cleaning Co.

The arbitration clause included among the conditions set forth on the reversed side of the receipt given by this carpet-cleaning company to the customer is lacking in mutuality. While the customer’s claims are required to be arbitrated, the company’s claim for money due is at its sole option litigable in the courts. Parties may, of course, expressly agree that only certain types of controversies between them shall be arbitrated. Here, however, we have a company engaged in furnishing services to retail customers unilaterally inserting an arbitration clause on the reversed side of a receipt.…