I regularly receive questions about compelling arbitration under the Federal Arbitration Act. In particular, people ask : (1) Can I file a motion to compel before any other “complaint” is filed; (2) What should I call my motion?; and (3) What is with this 5-day rule hidden inside Section 4 of the FAA? Wanting to
Section 4
A Motion to Compel Arbitration “Answers” a Complaint
By Liz Kramer on
I field a lot of good procedural questions about how arbitration pleadings should be styled. Some of them are answered within the text of the FAA, but many of them leave clerks of court and practitioners scratching their heads and getting creative. I will address one of those common questions today: is a motion to…
Tenth Circuit Clarifies When Trial Is Necessary To Determine Arbitrability
By Liz Kramer on
In a beautifully written opinion, the Tenth Circuit examined an under-used aspect of the Federal Arbitration Act this week: having a jury or court trial. Usually disputes about arbitrability can be determined on a motion akin to summary judgment, but the FAA states in Section Four: “If the making of the arbitration agreement or the…