Faced with a question of first impression, the Ninth Circuit recently held that a clause in an arbitration agreement that eliminates any and all federal court review of arbitration awards, including review under § 10 of the Federal Arbitration Act, is unenforeceable. The Court reasoned that allowing parties to “contractually eliminate all judicial review of arbitration awards . . . run[s] counter to the text of the FAA,” and “would also frustrate Congress’s attempt to ensure a minimum level of due process for parties to an arbitration.” In re Wal-Mart Wage and Hour Employment Practices Litigation, No. 11-17718 (9th Cir. Dec. 17, 2013).
This post written by Abigail Kortz.
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