Karl Bayer's Disputing Blog

Texas S.B. 222: Status

By Victoria VanBuren - February 20, 2009

As we discussed here, the 81st Texas Legislature is considering an amendment to the Texas Arbitration Act. Senate Bill 222, authored by Senator Royce West, was filed on November 10, 2008 and was referred to the Committee on Jurisprudence on February 11, 2009. Should you have any comments about S.B. 222, please feel free to contact us.

Texas Supreme Court: Nonsignatories Wrongful Death Beneficiaries Must Arbitrate

By Victoria VanBuren - February 13, 2009

Today, the Texas Supreme Court handed down In re: Labatt Food Service, L.P., __ S.W.3d _ Texas (2009) (Cause No. 07-0419). The opinion resolves the issue of whether nonsignatories to an arbitration agreement should be compelled to arbitrate claims when the decedent’s claims would have to be arbitrated. On a related note, S.B. 222 is currently being considered by the Texas Legislature. The bill deals, in part, with the extension of the Texas

Legislature Considering Limitations on Consumer Arbitration

By Rob Hargrove - March 20, 2007

We recently blogged with Rick Freeman about the important distinctions between consumer (“take it or leave it”) arbitration agreements and agreements to arbitrate between sophisticated commercial parties. We’ve just skimmed HB 3091 (link is to .pdf file), which if passed would severely restrict or outlaw the widespread use of arbitration agreements in consumer contracts in Texas. We will, of course, keep our eye on this. However

Mandatory Disclosure of Arbitration Info in Texas?

By Rob Hargrove - February 28, 2007

The ICM’s blog just reported that Texas Senator Royce West has proposed legislation that would require the disclosure of certain basic information about arbitrations taking place in Texas. It would allow for some basic tracking of numbers of disputes sent to arbitration and awards being made in consumer and employment cases, other than residential construction cases (John Fleming was quoted in the blog piece noting that the powerful constru