Month: March 2012

Arbitration/Fees: Fourth District, Division 3 Rules That Trial Court Erred By Denying Plaintiffs’ Motion For Post Arbitration Attorney Fees

March 31, 2012 · Arbitration: Fees

  It’s Possible To Recover Post-Arbitration Fees, Without Being A Prevailing Party In the Arbitration      This dispute, concerning the sale of a house, has been knocking around in the courts and in arbitration for several years. Toal v. Tardif, G044823 (4th Dist. Div. 3 March 29, 2012) (Ikola, J.) (not to be published). The […]

Arbitration/Section 1281.2/Equitable Estoppel: 4th District, Division 2 Applies Section 1281.2 and Equitable Estoppel To Reverse Trial Court’s Orders That Had Stayed Arbitration And Had Denied Petition To Arbitrate

  Inland Empire Dustup Presented Unique Procedural Issue – But The Court Didn’t Resolve It      The Court of Appeals noted at the outside that “we have not found a case that involves the same procedural facts as those presented here, namely, a case in which a party to an ongoing contractual arbitration files a […]

Arbitration/Waiver: Fourth District Division 3 Upholds Determination That Defendant Waived Right To Arbitrate After Five Month Delay.

March 29, 2012 · Arbitration: Waiver

  No Single Test Delineates Conduct That Will Constitute A Waiver   Above:  Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Plant, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.  Carol Highsmith, photographer.  Library of Congress.       Remember the test for waiver that we learned in law school? “Voluntary relinquishment of a known right.” Well, that’s not the requirement for waiver of the right to […]

Arbitration/FAA: Two Recent Supreme Court Cases Apply FAA And Uphold Arbitration Agreements

  CompuCredit Corporation v. Greenwood Upholds Right To Arbitrate Credit Repair Organizations Act Claims.      Pursuant to the Opinion of the Supreme Court in CompuCredit Corp. v. Greenwood, 565 U.S. ___, 132 S.Ct. 665 (2012), the Ninth Circuit today vacated the district court’s decision denying defendants’ motion co compel arbitration. Greenwood v. CompuCredit Corp., No. […]

In The News: JPMorgan Chase Pays $384M Arbitration Award

March 25, 2012 · News

  Big      File the next story with the late Senator Everett Dirksen’s quip, "A million here, a billion there, pretty soon, you’re talking real money".        On March 22, 2012, Reuters reported, “JPMorgan Chase quietly paid $384 million [$373.3M plus interest] to American Century Investment Management after losing an arbitration over accusations of breaches […]

Arbitration/Standard of Review/Fees: Second District, Division 7 Reverses Orders Awarding Attorney Fees, and Otherwise Confirms Arbitration Award

       You know that this one must have been a real kerfuffle, because the Court of Appeal quotes the arbitrator: “Lots of fiercely fought and expensive litigation followed, including this arbitration.” Liner Grode Stein Yankelevitz Sunshine Regenstreif & Taylor v. Rotondo, B221056 & B223528 (2nd Dist. Div. 7 March 22, 2012) (Woods, Acting P.J.) […]

Arbitration/Nonsignatories/CCP 1281.2/Standard of Review: Fourth District, Division 1, Reverses Trial Court’s Order Denying Motion to Compel Arbitration of Customer/Investment Advisor Dispute

  Perennial Issue: Can Nonsignatories To Arbitration Agreement Compel Arbitration?      An investment advisor and related defendants petitioned to arbitrate claims brought by an investor’s successor in interest. The successor (John) alleged that the accounts of his deceased mother had been “churned” to improperly generate commissions. The trial court denied the petition brought by the […]

Arbitration: Second District, Division 2, Affirms Orders Denying Motions To Compel Arbitration

  In One Case, Arbitration Presented Possibility Of Inconsistent Rulings, And In The Other Case, Arbitration Of Indemnification Claim Was Beyond The Scope Of The Agreement To Arbitrate      The following scenario reminds me of cases I have litigated – and arbitrated. Buyer discovers water intrusion in home she buys, and sues Developer and later […]