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Arbitration / Court Decisions

FOREIGN ARBITRATION AWARD CONFIRMED UNDER INTERNATIONAL TREATY

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A federal U.S. district court recently confirmed a foreign arbitration award obtained by a Belizean telecommunications company against the Government of Belize in arbitral proceedings held before a tribunal appointed by the London Court of International Arbitration (“LCIA”). Factually, the case involved agreements between the company and Belize, wherein the company paid money in exchange for certain tax benefits and investment return guarantees associated with its telecommunications improvement plan. When Belize later refused to comply with the agreements, the company (i) requested arbitration before the LCIA, pursuant to the agreements, (ii) won declaratory and monetary relief upon Belize’s default, and (iii) assigned the monetary portion of the award to Belize Social Development, a British Virgin Island organization. Legally, the court first held that the arbitration award was governed by the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (the “Convention”) (of which the Federal Arbitration Act is a codification) because England (where the arbitration took place) and the United States are both parties to the Convention. The court emphasized that, under the Convention, it should confirm the foreign award absent a finding that an enumerated exception to enforcement specified in the Convention applies. The court methodically deconstructed and denied Belize’s procedural arguments, including lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, lack of standing, forum non conveniens, international comity, and failure to join a required party under F.R.C.P. 19, and then turned to the exceptions to the Convention proffered by Belize, again ruling in favor of the company. The Convention arguments revolved around the following: (i) failure to produce copies of the arbitral award and accommodation agreements (Art. IV(1)); (ii) invalidity of accommodation agreements (Art. V(1)(a)); (iii) inappropriateness of arbitration (Arts. V(1)(c) and V(2)(a)); (iv) suspension of the award by a “competent authority” (Art. V(1)(e)); and (v) public policy (Art. V(2)(b)). None of these arguments was found to be meritorious, and the court confirmed the arbitral award. Belize Social Development Ltd. v. Government of Belize, Case No. 09-2170 (RJL) (D.D.C. Dec. 11, 2013).

This post written by Kyle Whitehead.

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FEDERAL POLICY FAVORING ARBITRATION TRUMPS CHOICE-OF-LAW CLAUSE

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When an arrangement to jointly design health insurance products went sour, the product company (“PBG”) brought breach of contract and tort claims against its insurance agents. Acknowledging an existing arbitration agreement, PBG admitted that the contract claims should be arbitrated, but tried to keep the tort claims alive in the judicial system based on an Iowa choice-of law provision. PBG argued that the provision evinced the parties’ intent that an Iowa statute carving out tort claims from valid arbitration clauses should apply. Finding no ambiguity in the arbitration agreement that would allow for consideration of extrinsic evidence like the Iowa statute, and relying on the strong federal policy favoring arbitration, the court disagreed and ordered all claims, contract and tort, to arbitration. Pinnacle Benefits Group, LLC v. American Republic Insurance Company, Case No. 1:13CV186 (M.D.N.C. Dec. 13, 2013).

This post written by Abigail Kortz.

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SILENCE IS GOLDEN: REINSURER ORDERED TO PAY PREJUDGMENT INTEREST TO INSURANCE COMPANY’S LIQUIDATOR ON AGREEMENT SILENT AS TO INTEREST

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A New Hampshire insurance company, Home Insurance Company (“Home”), was placed in liquidation in 2003. When its reinsurer Century Indemnity Company (“CIC”) tried to claim an $8 million setoff from amounts owed to Home, the liquidator balked and demanded the $8 million. A New Hampshire statute allows for the payment of prejudgment interest on an “action on a debt or account stated.” Finding no “meaningful distinction” between an “action on a debt” and the dispute at hand, the New Hampshire Supreme Court held that the statute applied and that the liquidator was entitled to prejudgment interest from the date CIC was informed the setoff would not be allowed. The court’s holding was also based on the fact that key agreements between CIC and Home were silent as to interest. Interpreting that contractual silence as to interest, the court declined to write into the contract a provision which made the interest statute inapplicable. In re Rehabilitation of The Home Insurance Company, No. 2012-623 (N.H. Feb. 13, 2014).

This post written by Abigail Kortz.

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COURT STANDS BY DECISION DENYING DISMISSAL OF CASE INVOLVING REINSURANCE OF PERFORMANCE BOND

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A New York federal district court denied reconsideration of its refusal to dismiss a case for forum non conveniens or lack of personal jurisdiction, in a dispute involving reinsurance of a performance bond insuring the payment of fees for the right to administer Argentina’s postal services. The court was unpersuaded by the fact that the insured’s principal place of business and operations were located in Argentina, given that the reinsurer conducted relevant reinsurance business through its New York office. St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Co. v. Aseguradora de Creditos y Granatias, Case No. 1:12-cv-04627 (USDC S.D.N.Y. February 6, 2014).

This post written by Michael Wolgin.

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UTICA AND CENTURY ORDERED TO MANDATORY MEDIATION IN REINSURANCE DISPUTE

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Utica Mutual Insurance Company brought an action in 2013 against Century Indemnity Company (itself and against certain of its named predecessors) for breach of contract and breach of the duty of utmost good faith, as well as a declaratory claim, regarding alleged amounts due to Utica from Century predecessor Insurance Company of North America under certain reinsurance agreements. The court invited the parties to submit their positions regarding mandatory mediation, but received no response. The Court therefore ordered the parties to participate in the mandatory mediation program, further requiring that they complete it by March 31, 2014. Utica Mutual Insurance Co. v. Century Indemnity Co., Case No. 6:14-CV-995 (USDC N.D.N.Y. Jan. 9, 2014).

This post written by John Pitblado.

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