| Volume 127 Number 12 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Many courts look closely at and rely on any document you sign. Read and understand any contract or legal document you are asked to sign. Make sure there are no blank spaces. Insist that any extras you are promised be put in writing. Click here for more.
Wells Fargo Fined Again for Illegal Practices Against Service Members
Wells Fargo has been fined $20 million by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for illegally denying members of the military certain banking protections, including capping their interest rates at 6%. This is unrelated to the bank's fake accounts scandal earlier this month. Wells Fargo will also pay $4.1 million to settle Justice Department charges of seizing 413 cars owned by service members without a court order. The Justice Department said the illegal repossessions took place from 2008 to 2015. The first complaint concerned an Army National Guardsman in North Carolina who said the bank seized his car before his deployment to Afghanistan. Wells Fargo then auctioned his car and tried to collect a balance of $10,000 from his family. The bank will pay $10,000 to each of the affected service members, plus lost equity in the cars with interest, and repair their credit. Click here for more.
Your Money
For-profit colleges have been in the news lately for shady business practices. However, a for-profit college can be an option for a two-year degree in certain professions. You should take time to consider your options and read the fine print. Look for a college with regional accreditation, not just national accreditation. Some employers, such as police departments, want your degree to be from a school that's regionally accredited. If you are pursuing a nursing degree, make sure the school also has a program-specific nursing accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Also consider nearby community colleges that might have a similar program. Community colleges are usually cheaper. Additionally, you can find information about a college's graduation rate at the White House College Scorecard and how it compares to the national average. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Uber arbitration agreement is valid and enforceable. The Ninth Circuit reversed the district court and ordered Uber drivers to individually arbitrate the claims. The court found that the agreements were not unconscionable, particularly given that drivers were provided with the option to opt out of the arbitration provision. Mohamed v. Uber Technologies, Inc (9th Cir. 2016). Click here for more.