Courts have continued (with one exception) to confirm arbitration awards, with some discussion of the manifest disregard of law doctrine.
- Manifest disregard of law: Seven Arts Pictures PLC v. Jonesfilm, No. 07-56045 (9th Cir. Feb. 12, 2009) (not discuss doctrine’s viability, but find no manifest disregard; dispute arbitrable); White Ford, Inc. v. Dealer Computer Services, Case No. 08-3755 (USDC S.D. Tex. Feb. 19, 2009) (doctrine questionable after Hall Street, but not proven anyway; dispute arbitrable); Paul Green School of Rock Music Franchising, LLC v. Smith, Case No. 08-5507 (USDC E.D. Pa. Feb. 17, 2009) (manifest disregard not proven, without discussion of Hall Street); Williams v. RI/WFI Acquisition Corp., Case No. 06-2103 (USDC N.D. Ill. Feb. 11, 2009) (manifest disregard is an analog to FAA vacation ground but not proven); Medicine Shoppe Int’l, Inc. v. Simmonds, Case No. 08-90 (USDC E.D. Mo. Feb. 11, 2009) (doctrine not viable after Hall Street; award drew essence from contract; not review sufficiency of facts);
- Arbitrator’s resolution of disputed issues: Cacace Assoc., Inc. v. Southern N.J. Building Laborers Dist. Council, Case No. 07-5955 (USDC D.N.J. Feb. 19, 2009) (rejecting attack on arbitrator’s interpretation of contract and state law); Global Reinsurance Corp. v. Argunaut Ins. Co., Case No. 07-8196 (USDC S.D.N.Y. Jan. 12, 2009) (confirmation sought by both parties to award);
- Validity of agreements: Doug Brady, Inc. v. N. J. Building Laborers Statewide Funds, Case No. 07-5122 (USDC D. N.J. Feb. 11, 2009) (whether contract void for arbitrator to decide; whether arbitration provision void for court to decide; failed to prove fraud in execution of contract);
- Arbitrator’s authority: Local 283 v. Park-Rite Detroit, LLC, Case No. 08-10650 (USDC E.D. Mich. Feb. 17, 2009) (vacating an award which did not draw its essence from the contract; courts determine threshold question of arbitrability); Willbros Weat Africa, Inc. v. HFG Engineering US, Inc., Case No. 08-2646 (USDC S.D. Tex. Feb. 12, 2009) (arbitrator not exceed authority); Gentile v. Harrison Trading Group, LLC, Case No. 08-1704 (USDC E.D. Pa. Feb. 6, 2009) (waive arbitrability and jurisdiction issues by participating in hearing).
This post written by Rollie Goss.