The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear arguments in a case that could change the way states such as California handle disputes when the enforceability of an arbitration agreement has been contested. In Coinbase v. Bielski, and the related case of Coinbase v. Suki, the justices have indicated an interest in resolving an intercircuit conflict on the following question: Does a non-frivolous appeal of the denial of a motion to compel arbitration override a district court’s jurisdiction to proceed with litigation pending appeal?

When Abraham Belski lost more than $30,000 to a scammer who accessed his account with Coinbase, an online currency and crypto-currency exchange platform, he immediately contacted the company to seek help. Belski initiated a “live chat” with a non-human representative, called the customer service hotline, and ultimately wrote and mailed letters to the company. But he never had the chance to speak with a live person. In fact, he got no response from Coinbase.