| Volume 93 Number 5 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Texas has a lemon law. It applies to new cars, and gives you substantial legal rights against the manufacturer. A car is a lemon if it has been in the shop four or more times for the same problems, or two or more times if the problem is a safety defect.
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Teen Gets Probation After Killing Four
A Texas teen received probation after killing four pedestrians while driving drunk. Prosecutors wanted a maximum twenty years, but the defense argued that the teen suffered from "affluenza." Essentially, the defense sought to persuade the judge that teen suffered from sense of entitlement and engaged in irresponsible behavior due to his wealthy upbringing.
The judge agreed with the defense and ordered the teen to treatment and ten years probation.
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Congress Completes Bipartisan Budget
House Republican Paul Ryan and Senate Democrat Patty Murray surprised the nation this week when they came to an agreement that would fund the government into 2015. The House of Representatives approved the measure on Thursday.
If it passes the Senate and makes it past the President's desk, the deal would prevent another government shutdown.
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Spotify Now Free for Mobile Users
Do you subscribe to Spotify in order to listen to music on your mobile device?
If you can tolerate a few ads, you can save yourself some money. Spotify just announced that it will offer a limited accessibility for mobile app users.
Find out how!
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Your Money
How can you restructure your debt for an accelerated payoff?
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For the Lawyers
Fifth Circuit overturns NLRB’s ruling that class-action bans are unfair labor practices.
The Fifth Circuit held that the National Labor Relations Board overstepped its authority when it ruled that an employer violated federal labor law by requiring its employees to sign an arbitration agreement containing a class-action ban.
The National Labor Relations Board held that D.R. Horton, Inc. had violated the National Labor Relations Act by requiring its employees to sign an arbitration agreement that, among other things, prohibited an employee from pursuing claims in a collective or class action.
The court disagreed and concluded that the Board’s decision did not give proper weight to the Federal Arbitration Act. The court held that the NLRB's ruling could not be reconciled with the Supreme Court's decision in AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion: "Like the statute in Concepcion, the Board’s interpretation prohibits class- action waivers." As to the second point, the court held that nothing in the text or legislative history of the NLRA "contains a congressional command to override the FAA."
Judge Grave dissented.
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