Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Armendariz v. Found. Health Psychcare Servs., Inc. Case Brief

California Supreme Court2000Docket #252104
6 P.3d 669 99 Cal. Rptr. 2d 745 24 Cal. 4th 83 24 Cal. 83 2000 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 7127 2000 Daily Journal DAR 9401 2000 Cal. LEXIS 6120 78 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 40,202 83 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1172 Contracts Employment Law Alternative Dispute Resolution

Why Top Law Students (And Those Aspiring to Be) Use LSD+ Briefs

Let's be real, law school is a marathon. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full case system is designed by Harvard Law School and MIT grads to match your pace: Quick summaries when you're slammed, detailed analysis when you need to go deep. Only LSD+ offers this kind of flexibility to genuinely fit your study flow.

Adaptive Case Views

Toggle between Flash, Standard, and Expanded. Get what you need, when you need it.

Exam-Ready IRAC Format

We deliver the precise structure professors look for in exam answers.

Complex Cases, Clarified

We break down dense legal reasoning into something digestible, helping you grasp core concepts.

Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
3 min read

tl;dr: The California Supreme Court held a mandatory employment arbitration agreement unenforceable. The agreement, a condition of employment, was deemed unconscionable because it unfairly required only employees to arbitrate claims and unlawfully limited their available remedies.

Legal Significance: This landmark case established minimum requirements for enforcing mandatory arbitration of statutory employment claims in California. It solidified the application of the unconscionability doctrine to adhesive arbitration agreements, requiring a “modicum of bilaterality” and clarifying when unconscionable terms are not severable.

Armendariz v. Found. Health Psychcare Servs., Inc. Law School Study Guide

Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.

Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

As a condition of employment, two employees signed a mandatory arbitration agreement. The agreement stipulated that any claims by the employees for wrongful termination must be resolved through binding arbitration. The agreement was unilateral, imposing no reciprocal obligation on the employer to arbitrate its claims against the employees. Furthermore, it expressly limited the employees’ remedies to a sum equal to the wages they would have earned between their termination and the date of the arbitration award, thereby excluding statutory remedies like punitive damages and equitable relief such as reinstatement. After being terminated, the employees filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination and discrimination under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). The employer filed a motion to compel arbitration. The trial court denied the motion, finding the agreement unconscionable. The Court of Appeal reversed, severing the remedies clause but enforcing the remainder of the agreement. The California Supreme Court granted review.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Is a mandatory employment arbitration agreement that is imposed as a condition of employment unconscionable, and therefore unenforceable, if it requires only the employee to arbitrate claims and limits the remedies available under statute?

Yes. The arbitration agreement is unconscionable and unenforceable in its entirety. The Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cup

Master Every Case Faster

Unlock premium legal analysis that helps you quickly understand complex cases, designed by Harvard Law and MIT graduates. It's about working smarter, not just harder.

Start 14-Day Free Trial

Thousands of students are already saving time and gaining clarity. Why not you?

IRAC Legal Analysis

Premium Feature Unlock

Complete IRAC Analysis for Higher Grades

IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.

Legal Issue

Is a mandatory employment arbitration agreement that is imposed as a condition of employment unconscionable, and therefore unenforceable, if it requires only the employee to arbitrate claims and limits the remedies available under statute?

Conclusion

Armendariz provides the definitive California framework for assessing the validity of mandatory Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation u

Legal Rule

An arbitration agreement is unenforceable if it is both procedurally and substantively Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing e

Legal Analysis

The Court first determined that claims under the California Fair Employment and Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation u

Flash-to-Full Case Opinions

Flash Summary

  • Mandatory arbitration of statutory FEHA claims is permissible only if the
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem i

Master Every Case Faster

Unlock premium legal analysis that helps you quickly understand complex cases, designed by Harvard Law and MIT graduates. It's about working smarter, not just harder.

Start 14-Day Free Trial

Thousands of students are already saving time and gaining clarity. Why not you?

I feel like I'm in a constant state of 'motion to compel' more sleep.

✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+