Let's Face It: Mandatory Binding Arbitration Sucks

Supreme Court Sends "Judge Alex" Back To Arbitration

The 8-1 decision came in a lawsuit by Alex E. Ferrer, a former Florida Circuit Court judge who decides minor civil disputes as a form of TV entertainment.

Jordan Fogal was heartened to see our post on her story and read your comments. Here's her response to some of your questions.

Thank you Ben! Now how do I respond to these comments ... they are the ones I usually get.

First: We did use a licensed realtor.

Two: We did not understand the true ramifications of arbitration, or it's unfairness. No one who has not been caught in this snare does. We did not know that almost always big business wins. We thought it was like, OK kids lets sit down and not argue and fix this situation. We did not know the system was rigged. We did not understand the builders were repeat clients and the arbitrators meal tickets. No one understands arbitration companies are just the middle men. You still have to put on a trial and have all the costs associated: witnesses, subpoenas, expert testimony you even have to pay for the room to hold the arbitration in... We would not have had to pay a judge as we did an arbitrator or room rent or the astronomical fees charged by arbitration companies. Our arbitration fees alone were $9300. dollars. That does not include going to the kangaroo court where the rules of law no longer apply behind close doors. That was nearly $30,000 dollars...

UPDATE: Jordan Fogal Responds To Your Comments

"We always wondered what life would be like in our sixties, our credit is ruined; we have stored, sold, and given away years of our memories; and for the last three years we have been holed up in a third story apartment.

My husband Bob and I are senior citizens. Like so many others, we lost our home to foreclosure... not because of sub-prime loans... but because of defective, substandard housing - protected by an arbitration clause. We bought a new house so we wouldn't have to worry about repairs. The first night my husband decided to try out the Jacuzzi tub on the third floor. When he pulled out the stopper, 100 gallons of water crashed though the ceiling. We had been in our new home all of six hours... all I could do was scream as I watched the ceiling fall on our dining room table, water pouring down the walls, filling up the chandelier, and splashing on the new hardwood floors, then finally flooding the garage below..."

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