Strategy for Enforcement of Dispute Resolution Rights

Whitney Judson | Smith Currie | May 21, 2018

Arbitration and litigation each offer their own benefits and drawbacks to litigants looking to resolve a construction dispute. A careful analysis of these benefits and drawbacks may be helpful in determining whether to avoid or pursue either dispute resolution process. Arbitration is oftentimes regarded as the more economically feasible dispute resolution option and is therefore attractive to many construction dispute litigants. Although arbitration may prove to be less expensive than litigation in the long run, some litigants may prefer to file a case in court because the upfront filing fees in litigation are less expensive than the filing fees of arbitration.

Litigants may also prefer the decision makers of one process for dispute resolution over another. Arbitrators in a construction dispute oftentimes have a background in the construction industry, whereas a judge or jury may not. Strategy may dictate whether the preferable decision maker should have experience within the construction industry or be free of any construction industry knowledge and possible biases. The finality of decisions may also be a reason to strategically choose one dispute resolution process over another. Arbitration decisions are overturned only under very narrow and specific circumstances. The losing party in litigation however, has a right to appeal decisions to a higher court and has more options for recourse when the findings of the court are not supported by the evidence or the law.

Jurisdiction and the Enforcement of Agreements to Arbitrate

Construction contracts oftentimes contain arbitration clauses where the signatories agree to resolve certain disputes through arbitration proceedings. Parties may disagree, however, on whether any given dispute falls within the scope of the arbitration clause. They may further disagree as to whether a judge or an arbitrator should have the power to rule on this issue. When one of these disputes presents itself, at least one party may insist that the issue of jurisdiction be decided before any arbitration proceedings can begin. The first step in either enforcing or avoiding an arbitration agreement may therefore be answering the preliminary question of who should rightfully decide whether claims in dispute belong in litigation or arbitration.

The United States Supreme Court has held that, in general, courts have the sole power to decide whether claims fall within the scope of an arbitration agreement, unless the parties have clearly and unambiguously decided to submit such questions to an arbitrator. The rationale behind this general rule is that an arbitration cannot be forced upon any party who has not agreed to participate. Parties that have not agreed to arbitrate are entitled to resolve their disputes in court. If a party prefers to participate in arbitration and have arbitrators decide issues of jurisdiction, it is important to clearly and unambiguously express these preferences within the contract. Additionally, parties that contractually elect to be governed by the American Arbitration Association Rules have agreed to empower arbitrators to decide issues of jurisdiction. The AAA Rules state: “The arbitrator shall have the power to rule on his or her own jurisdiction, including any objections with respect to the existence, scope, or validity of the arbitration agreement or to the arbitrability of any claim.” Rule R-7, AAA Commercial Rules.

Incorporation and Waiver

Construction contracts, in particular, oftentimes incorporate other documents. For example, a subcontract may not contain any agreement to arbitrate, but it may incorporate a prime contract that contains an arbitration clause. The arbitration clause that is referenced or incorporated from the prime contract may be enforceable against the subcontractor, even if the parties to the subcontract have not signed an agreement to arbitrate. Enforceable incorporation language in a contract will work to the advantage of a party that prefers arbitration and seeks to enforce an arbitration agreement. While this is the general rule, a minority of courts have held that broad language of incorporation may not be sufficient to incorporate an arbitration agreement.

Even when an agreement to arbitrate exists, a party may avoid its enforcement by arguing that the opposing party has waived its right to arbitration. When one party behaves in a manner that is inconsistent with its known arbitration rights—especially when this inconsistent behavior causes prejudice to the opposing party—arbitration rights may be waived. Actions that are inconsistent with arbitration rights include, but are not limited to, filing motions in court, conducting discovery in court, delays in filing motions to compel or stay arbitration, or otherwise substantially invoking rights and powers in litigation prior to filing an arbitration demand.

Motions to Compel Arbitration

If litigation has been initiated by one party in court, a party opposing litigation and seeking to enforce its arbitration rights may choose to file a motion to compel arbitration. A motion to compel arbitration uses the litigation process to require a party to arbitrate claims in accordance with the arbitration agreement. A party that has not agreed to arbitrate, however, cannot be compelled to do so.

A motion to compel works as a shield to parties who wish to avoid litigation because if a motion to compel is granted, the parties must seek legal remedies through arbitration. A grant of a motion to compel can either be accompanied by a dismissal of the court case, or a stay of the court case. If the case is dismissed, the court’s decision is immediately appealable to a higher court, as it is a final decision on the merits. If any party chooses to appeal a final decision on the merits with respect to a motion to compel, both parties will then be required to invest additional time and expense in litigation in a higher court. This can be especially frustrating for a party wishing to pursue its rights to arbitration and avoid litigation.

If a motion to compel is granted and the case is stayed, the decision is not appealable, as it is not a final decision on the merits. Under these circumstances, the parties are required to take the dispute to arbitration, and the litigation of the case in court is effectively paused pending the outcome of arbitration. In terms of filing a motion to compel, a stay of the court case is the most desired outcome for a party seeking to enforce its arbitration rights. Such a party may even be more direct in its enforcement of arbitration rights by filing a motion to stay litigation pending arbitration.

Conclusion

Parties must balance the benefits and drawbacks of various options for dispute resolution. Despite an agreement to arbitrate, parties may initiate litigation in court based upon reasonable arguments of waiver, that a particular dispute falls outside the scope of any arbitration agreement, or that the arbitration agreement itself is unenforceable against a particular party. Parties who believe they have a legitimate right to arbitration however, are able to enforce their rights through motions to compel arbitration, motions to stay legal proceedings pending arbitration, and by ensuring that the contract designates that an arbitrator is to decide any issues of jurisdiction.

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