A quick guide on how the 7th Amendment is your best friend as a consumer.
We all love the constitution. It’s the awesome 230 year-old document that sets the U.S. apart from all other countries. It’s the foundation of our country and that’s why we want to talk to you a little bit about the 7th Amendment.
We all know the 1st, 2nd, 13th, 15th and 19th Amendments pretty well. But do you know the rest of them? More specifically, are you really familiar with the 7th Amendment?
If your answer is no, keep reading to learn more about this awesome amendment as we answer the when, what and why the 7th is important.
When was the 7th Amendment passed: 1791.
What the 7th Amendment says:
What the 7th Amendment means: It guarantees every American’s right to jury trial, made up of our peers, for civil cases valued at $20+ dollars (and it also prevents the courts from overturning a jury’s finding of facts, but this blog isn’t going to focus on that so much).
Why is the 7th Amendment important: The right to a jury trial is an essential part of a fair and just society. In addition, it means the wrongdoings of a company — like Wells Fargo opening fake accounts in your name — can’t hide from the public if someone tries to hold them accountable. It also means that you can join together with other people harmed by Wall Street to bring them to justice through a “class action” suit, which would otherwise be unaffordable for a single person.
How the 7th Amendment is being threatened:
If you’ve been keeping up with the news lately, you’ll have noticed Congress held several recent hearings on Equifax and Wells Fargo. These companies were under scrutiny by the public for abusing their powers and taking advantage of American citizens for the sake of profit — and keeping it out of the news via subverting the 7th Amendment.
How? Part of their contracts include using mandatory arbitration agreements so they can prevent consumers from joining together to take them to court over their wrongdoings. They use the arbitration process to have 100% control over the legal system — they can pick the location, the time, and sometimes even the arbiter — and 9 times out of 10, win. And, since arbitration is private, that’s why it took the public years to find out about Wells Fargo’s fraudulent bank accounts.
Your 7th Amendment right to jury trial is taken away via forced arbitration if you’ve signed this kind of contract. The 7th Amendment is your best friend as a consumer because it allows you to hold companies accountable for any harm they have caused you — and once your 7th Amendment rights are stripped away, your chances of seeking justice are practically nonexistent.
What you can do to protect our 7th Amendment: Sign our petition TODAY letting Coloradan lawmakers know that forced arbitration clauses are a serious problem and it’s time to address them >>
