Reinsurance Focus

Manifest Disregard:

Zimmerman Ag and Cattle Co. v. Agro National, LLC, No. CV-11-29 (USDC D. Mont. Nov. 7, 2011) (denying motion to vacate, finding “mere error of law” insufficient to satisfy manifest disregard standard).

Rite Aid New Jersey, Inc. v. United Food Commercial Workers Union, Local 1360, No. 10-3558 (3d Cir. Oct. 26, 2011) (affirming denial of motion to vacate award, no manifest disregard).

New York City Dist. Council of Carpenters Pension Fund v. Star Intercom & Construction, Inc., No. 11 Civ. 03015 (USDC S.D.N.Y. Oct. 27, 2011) (granting motion to confirm arbitrator decision of default judgment against respondent, where arbitrator did not “dispense his own brand of justice,” no basis for vacatur).

Activant Solutions, Inc. v. Notoco Industries, LLC, No. C-11-02436 (USDC N.D. Cal. Oct. 26, 2011) (granting petition to confirm, no manifest disregard for arbitrator’s refusal to modify award).

Conflict of Laws:

Southern Pioneer Life Insurance Co. v. Thomas, No. 11-426 (Ark. Nov. 17, 2011) (affirming denial of motion to compel arbitration, holding FAA preempted by McCarran-Ferguson Act vis-à-vis Arkansas statute precluding arbitration of claims under insurance contracts).

Evident Partiality:

In re Wal-Mart Wage and Hour Employment Practices Litigation, No. 2:06-CV-00225-PMP-PAL (USDC D. Nev. Oct. 11, 2011) (granting motion to confirm, finding no “evident partiality” where arbitrator raised ethical issues pertaining to respondent’s counsel).

Patrizzi & Co. Auctioneers SA v. SDG Corp., No. 11-C-3589 (USDC N.D. Ill. Oct. 25, 2011) (granting motion to confirm, no “evident partiality” in allowing one party to submit evidence not on pretrial list and not the other party).

Exceeding Arbitrator’s Authority:

Verve Communications Pvt Ltd. v. Software Int’l, Inc., No. 11-1280 (USDC D.N.J. Nov. 9, 2011) (denying motion to vacate, arbitrator did not exceed authority by closing discovery period over objection and making award).

Choice Hotels Int’l v. Savannah Shakti Corp., No. DKC-11-0438 (USDC D. Md. Oct. 25, 2011) (granting motion for default, arbitrator’s default award on contract claims did not exceed scope of submission).

Class Arbitration:

Southern Communications Services, Inc. v. Thomas, 1:10-CV-2975-AT (USDC N.D. Ga. Nov. 3, 2011) (denying motion to vacate award holding class arbitration allowable, and granting class certification).

Scope of Arbitration:

Shah v. Santander Consumer USA, Inc. d/b/a Drive Financial Services, LP, No. 3:11-CV-00096 (USDC D. Conn. Nov. 16, 2011) (motion to compel arbitration granted, finding statutory claims “collateral matters” that implicate rights created under the contract).

Stay Pending Appeal / Appellate Jurisdiction:

Weingarten Realty Investors v. Miller, No. 11-20676 (5th Cir. Nov. 1, 2011) (affirming district court ruling denying stay of proceedings during pendency of appeal of decision denying motion to compel arbitration).

TransAmerica Life Insurance Co. v. Rapid Settlements, Ltd., No. 01-11-00240-CV (Tex. Ct. App. Nov. 10, 2011) (dismissing appeal for lack of jurisdiction, trial court order regarding offset to previously entered judgment non-appealable).

This post written by John Pitblado.