Samsung Escapes Arbitration Claims in Illinois Privacy Law Case

Samsung Electronics America Inc. won’t have to arbitrate claims for almost36,000 Illinois consumers who alleged their Samsung phones and tablets violated state privacy law, the Seventh Circuit said Monday, reversing a lower court’s decision.

The consumers failed to provide enough evidence to show they entered into an arbitration agreement with Samsung, and the company shouldn’t have to pay the associated $4.1 million in arbitration fees, a three-judge panel for the appeals court said.

And even if there was an enforceable agreement, the American Arbitration Association had already terminated the arbitration on its own authority, the panel for the US ...