Two terms ago, the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a near-death blow to consumer class actions in an arbitration ruling. This term, the justices may finish the job.

Consumer advocacy organizations, such as Public Citizen and Public Justice, as well as AARP and even a number of arbitration law scholars and arbitrators, are facing off against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Bankers Association, Financial Roundtable and others in American Express Co. v. Italian Colors Restaurant.