Washington Supreme Court Prohibits Class Action Waivers

Washington’s Supreme Court gave consumers a victory this month by ruling that companies may not disclaim class action liability.

In a significant victory for consumers, the Washington Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the former Cingular Wireless, now AT&T, cannot enforce a waiver in its contract that prohibits customers from pursuing a class action.

The Supreme Court ruled that the waiver language in Cingular’s standard contract disclaiming class action liability was unconscionable–meaning far too one-sided to be enforced. This is a big step in protecting the rights of Washington consumers.