Opinion ID: 3054346
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Forum Selection and Choice of Law Clause

Text: AOL’s headquarters are located in Dulles, Virginia. All members of AOL’s online service, including all plaintiffs and putative class members, must agree to the AOL Member Agreement as a prerequisite to register for AOL service. Each member must click on a box that states the member has 2 18 U.S.C. § 2702(a) prohibits an entity that provides an electronic communications service or remote computing service from knowingly divulging, except in certain circumstances, the contents of an electronic communication or a record or other information about a subscriber. 3 Cal. Civ. Code § 1770. 4 Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.81. 5 Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17500 et seq. 6 Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200 et seq. 690 DOE 1 v. AOL LLC agreed to the terms of the Member Agreement before he can complete his registration. The Member Agreement contains a choice of law clause that designates Virginia law, excluding its conflict-of-law rules. It also contains a forum selection clause that designates the “courts of Virginia” as the fora for disputes between AOL and its members. The choice of law and forum selection clause of the Member Agreement in effect during the time period relevant to the complaint—January 1, 2004 through September 22, 2006—states in its entirety: The laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, exclud- ing its conflicts-of-law rules, govern this Member Agreement and your membership. You expressly agree that exclusive jurisdiction for any claim or dispute with AOL or relating in any way to your mem- bership or your use of the AOL Services resides in the courts of Virginia and you further agree and expressly consent to the exercise of personal jurisdiction in the courts of Virginia in connection with any such dispute including any claim involving AOL or AOL Services. The foregoing provision may not apply to you depending on the laws of your jurisdiction. This Agreement shall not be governed by the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.