Construction & Infrastructure Law Blog : Construction & Infrastructure Lawyer & Attorney : Sheppard Mullin Law Firm : Public Works & Professional Liability

By Edward Lozowicki and Robert Sturgeon
 

Binding arbitration of construction disputes is frequently required by standard industry contracts. For example, the contract forms published by the American Institute of Architects either require or provide an option for arbitration under the Construction Industry Rules of the American Arbitration Association ("AAA"). The latter rules authorize the arbitrator to decide whether the contractual arbitration agreement is enforceable. (See, e.g. Rule 9 of AAA Construction Industry Rules). However some courts have decided this issue should be determined by the courts, rather than the arbitrator.
 

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Share Link

By Robert Sturgeon

Parties to construction arbitrations who are disappointed with the arbitrator's award are often doubly-disappointed to learn that they have very little chance of successfully appealing in a court to overturn the arbitrator's decision. Because arbitration is intended to be a final and complete alternative dispute resolution process, judicial review of the arbitrator's award is quite limited. Ordinarily a court may not review the merits of the dispute, or overturn an arbitration award on ground that the arbitrator made legal errors or erred in applying the law to the facts. In general, a court is authorized to overturn an arbitration award only where (i) the award was procured by corruption or fraud; (ii) there was corruption or misconduct by the arbitrator, (iii) the arbitrator exceeded his or her powers, (iv) the arbitrator refused to postpone the hearing despite there being good cause to do so and that prejudices the parties, or (v) the arbitrator failed to disclose potential grounds on which he or she could be disqualified or refused to disqualify himself when there was cause to do so. See, e.g., Cal. Civ. Proc. Code 1286.2.
 

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Shepard v. Edward Mackay Enterprises, Inc., et al., --- Cal. Rptr. 3d ---, No. C052564, 2007 WL 853456 (Cal. Ct. App. Mar. 22, 2007)

While Section 1298.7 of the California Code of Civil Procedure generally allows homebuyers to pursue defect litigation in court regardless of an agreement to arbitrate, the Third District Court of Appeal recently ruled the Federal Arbitration Act preempts California law and binds homebuyers to arbitration provisions when the transaction involves interstate commerce.  Because homes built in California today likely incorporate at least some construction materials originating outside the state and therefore implicate interstate commerce, the court's ruling may effectively preclude homebuyers from relying on this section of the Code of Civil Procedure to avoid arbitration.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

By Robert T. Sturgeon

The California Court of Appeal has vacated an arbitration award of over $3 million in damages and attorney's fees on the grounds that the arbitrator failed to disclose that he would entertain offers to serve as an arbitrator in other cases involving the parties or their attorneys, and failed to timely disclose that he had been engaged to serve as an arbitrator in a separate arbitration involving the attorneys for one of the parties. While this case did not involve parties in the construction industry, given the prevalence of arbitration agreements in construction contracts, it is noteworthy for construction industry professionals because it illustrates some potential pitfalls of contractual arbitrations.

Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link