Law360, Los Angeles (August 31, 2011) -- A California state judge on Wednesday delayed DirecTV Inc.’s bid to toss a class action alleging inadequate disclosure of early termination fees, waiting on the appeal of a ruling in a similar suit whose claims were found to be immune to waivers.
At a hearing on Wednesday, April 6, 2011, DIRECTV customers who were charged cancellation fees of as much as $480 – even if the service was never installed in...
California consumers have taken DirecTV to court, saying the El
Segundo-based satellite television company's "early cancellation
penalty" unlawfully removes funds from customer bank accounts and
charges their credit cards without prior knowledge or consent. DirecTV denies the allegations, which have been brewing in state courts
for a year. The company has more than 18 million subscribers nationwide
but does not break out subscriptions for individual states or metro
markets. The latest action came Monday, when Santa Monica-based Consumer
Watchdog joined plaintiffs in a motion asking the court to block
DirecTV from collecting the disputed fees until the class-action suit
is resolved.
Satellite TV Company Charged Unlawful “Early Cancellation”
Santa Monica, CA — Consumers who are being charged an “early cancellation penalty” by satellite television company DIRECTV asked the Los Angeles Superior Court to block the company from automatically removing the fees from customers’ bank accounts or charging their credit card accounts without their prior knowledge and written consent until the lawsuit is resolved.
Satellite TV Company Charges Unlawful "Early Cancellation" Fee, Consumer Advocates Contend
Santa Monica, CA -- A class action lawsuit charging that DIRECTV, the satellite entertainment company, imposes unlawful early cancellation fees of up to $480, often taking the money directly out of a consumer’s credit card or bank account without the customer’s permission, may proceed, a California Superior Court judge has ruled.
