RICHARD B. TEITELMAN, Judge.
Lee's Summit Honda appeals a judgment denying its motion to compel Ashlee Ruhl to arbitrate her individual claims against it. Ruhl filed a class action suit against Honda, seeking damages for its unauthorized practice of law, section 484.020,
Ruhl purchased and financed a new car from Honda. She signed a retail purchase agreement, describing her total purchase price to include a "Cash Price of Vehicle," "Other Goods/Services" and a "Dealership Administrative Fee" of $199.95. Ruhl also signed an arbitration agreement that waived her opportunity to participate in a class action.
Ruhl, on behalf of herself and others who paid the fee as part of the purchase price, sued Honda for damages on two counts and sought class certification. The first count alleged that Honda engaged in the unauthorized practice of law or conducted legal business violating section 484.020 because it charged a fee separate from other sale costs for preparing legal instruments to finance the transactions. The second count alleged that Honda engaged in unfair and deceptive practices connected with the sale of merchandise under section 407.010 based on the same alleged conduct. Ruhl sought treble damages under section 484.020, attorney fees and costs, costs for class notice and administration, and punitive damages under section 407.025.
Honda filed an answer and motion to compel arbitration. The trial court overruled Honda's motion to compel, finding that the claim of unauthorized practice of law is not subject to arbitration because the courts exclusively decide what constitutes the unauthorized practice of law. The trial court also found the arbitration agreement to be procedurally and substantively unconscionable. On appeal, Honda asserts that the trial court erred in determining that Ruhl's claims are beyond the scope of the arbitration agreement, that Ruhl's unauthorized practice of law claim is subject to arbitration and that the class arbitration waiver was not unconscionable.
The denial of a motion to compel arbitration is reviewed de novo. Morrow v. Hallmark Cards, Inc., 273 S.W.3d 15, 21 (Mo.App.2008). The judgment will be affirmed if it is supported by substantial evidence, is not against the weight of the evidence, and does not erroneously declare or apply the law. Woods v. QC Financial Services, Inc., 280 S.W.3d 90, 94 (Mo.App. 2008). The issue of whether a dispute is subject to arbitration is subject to de novo review. Id. In reviewing the trial court's decision, this Court is concerned primarily with the correctness of the trial court's result, not the route taken by the trial
Honda argues that the trial court erred in determining that Ruhl's claims did not fit within the scope of the agreement because the purchase price of the new vehicle was a term of the contract and, as such, is covered by the arbitration contract. A party is not required to arbitrate matters that it has not agreed to arbitrate. Stolt-Nielsen v. AnimalFeeds International Corp., ___ U.S. ___, 130 S.Ct. 1758, 1775, 176 L.Ed.2d 605 (2010). There is a strong presumption in favor of arbitrability, and the trial court should order arbitration of any dispute that "touches matters covered by the parties' contract." Kansas City Urology, P.A. v. United Healthcare Services, 261 S.W.3d 7, 12 (Mo.App.2008).
In pertinent part, the arbitration agreement in this case provides:
The underlying allegation for Ruhl's claims is that Honda unlawfully is charging a fee to prepare legal documents to finance vehicles. Therefore, any damages for Ruhl's claims are based on refunding the charged fee, which is a component of the total purchase price listed in the contract. Ruhl's claim is within the scope of the arbitration agreement because her claims challenging the fee constitute a dispute regarding the purchase of the vehicle.
Although Ruhl's claim falls within the scope of the arbitration contract, it does not necessarily follow that her claim is subject to arbitration. The dispositive issue is whether the class arbitration waiver is unconscionable. In Brewer v. Missouri Title Loans, Inc., ___ S.W.3d ___ (Mo. banc 2010), this Court recognized, following the rationale of Stolt-Nielsen v. AnimalFeeds International Corp., ___ U.S. ___, 130 S.Ct. 1758, 176 L.Ed.2d 605 (2010), that a party cannot be subjected to class arbitration unless the arbitration contract indicates consent to class arbitration. In this case, as in Brewer, the class arbitration waiver makes it clear that Honda did not consent to class arbitration. Because Honda cannot be compelled to participate in class arbitration, it is an insufficient remedy simply to sever an unconscionable class waiver. If the class wavier is severed, then Ruhl would be required to pursue her claim under the very circumstances held to be unconscionable under Missouri law. Therefore, if the class waiver is unconscionable under Brewer, the appropriate remedy in this case is to invalidate the entire arbitration agreement as unconscionable.
There was substantial evidence to support the trial court's judgment that the class arbitration waiver in this case was unconscionable.
As in Brewer, invalidating the class waiver does not remedy the unconscionable aspects of the arbitration contract. Because the class waiver is unconscionable, requiring Ruhl to submit to arbitration would force her to pursue her claim under the very circumstances held to be unconscionable under Missouri law. Therefore, the trial court determined correctly that Ruhl should not be required to submit to arbitration. Brewer, at 139.
The judgment is affirmed,
RUSSELL, WOLFF and STITH, JJ., concur; PRICE, C.J., dissents in separate opinion filed; BRECKENRIDGE and FISCHER, JJ., concur in opinion of PRICE, C.J.
WILLIAM RAY PRICE, JR., Chief Justice, dissenting.
I would not invalidate the arbitration agreement in its entirety for the reasons set out in Brewer v. Missouri Title Loans, ___ S.W.3d ___ (Mo. banc 2010) (Price, C.J., dissenting). Further, the majority misstates the law. Missouri has always required a showing of both procedural and substantive unconscionability before a court will void a contract. Lawrence v. Beverly Manor, 273 S.W.3d 525, 531 (Mo. banc 2009) (Norton, J., concurring); Repair Masters Const., Inc. v. Gary, 277 S.W.3d 854, 858 (Mo.App.2009); Shaffer v. Royal Gate Dodge, Inc., 300 S.W.3d 556, 559 (Mo.App.2009); Kansas City Urology, P.A. v. United Healthcare Services, 261 S.W.3d 7, 15-16 (Mo.App.2008); Woods v. QC Financial Services, Inc., 280 S.W.3d 90, 95 (Mo.App.2008); Whitney v. Alltel Communications, Inc., 173 S.W.3d 300, 308 (Mo.App.2005); Funding Systems Leasing Corp. v. King Louie International, 597 S.W.2d 624, 634 (Mo.App.1979); Cicle v. Chase Bank USA, 583 F.3d 549, 554 (8th Cir.2009); Pleasants v. American Express Company, 541 F.3d 853, 857 (8th Cir.2008).
Lastly, this case has two other issues resulting from the Missouri merchandising practices act, sections 407.010 et. seq. and section 484.020, RSMo 2000. First, although the act expressly provides the statutory