| Volume 43 Number 9 |
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Forward this news alert to your family and friends
Helpful Links
Texas Consumer Complaint Center
Credit Reports and Identity Theft
Your Guide to Small Claims Court
Contact Us
1-713-743-2168
This is the last Consumer News Alert of 2009. I wish all of you and your families a happy holiday and a great New Year. See you in 2010.
The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Buying a gift "all sales final" means the person you give it to cannot return it simply because he or she doesn't like it or it doesn't fit. But "all sales final" does not mean you are out of luck if it is broken or defective. Even in a final sale, the seller warrants the goods are not defective. Only when goods are sold "as is" should buyer beware. Click here for more.
Retailers Tighten Return Policies
Be careful with any last-minute shopping! Some major retailers are making returns a little more difficult. Before you make a purchase, be sure to read the return policy. A limited number of stores will take back merchandise for any reason, at any time. However, most stores limit returns 30 to 90 days from the date of purchase. Other retailers may only allow merchandise exchanges. This guide will help you understand the "art of the return" and how major retailers compare. Click here for more.
50 Million Window Coverings Recalled
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of fifty million Roman shades and roll-up blinds. According to the report, the window coverings pose a strangulation hazard to young children. Find out if your window coverings are covered by the recent recall. Click here for more.
Bank of America to Drop Binding Arbitration
Bank of America has tentatively agreed to drop a clause from its credit card agreements forcing consumers to mandatory binding arbitration. Other banks, including Chase, made a similar move last month. In mandatory binding arbitration arbitrators are not bound by rules or procedure or evidence, do not have to follow legal precedent, and there is no right to appeal. By removing the clause, cardholders will regain the right to take legal disputes to court. Click here for more.
Your Money
Are you ready for retirement, or is it still too early? This retirement shortfall calculator can help you make an informed decision. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Litigants have no immediate right to appeal an order to compel documents allegedly subject to the attorney-client privilege . The Supreme Court held that there is no immediate right to appeal and that “the collateral order doctrine does not extend to disclosure orders adverse to the attorney-client privilege. In an opinion authored by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the Court acknowledged the importance of the attorney-client privilege, but said that importance was outweighed by “the cost of allowing immediate appeal of the entire class of relevant orders. U.S. Supreme Court. Click here for more.