Karl Bayer's Disputing Blog » evident partiality

S.D. of Texas Vacates Arbitral Award Based On Evident Partiality

By Beth Graham - February 2, 2011

The Southern District of Texas has held that an affidavit from a party’s attorney may be considered by a court when deciding a motion to vacate an arbitral award based upon evident partiality. In Dealer Computer Svcs., Inc. v. Michael Motor Co., Inc., No. H-10-2132, (S.D. Tex. December 29, 2010), Dealer Computer Services (Dealer Services) entered into a contract for the purchase of a computer system and service with Michael Motor Company, an auto

Dallas Court of Appeals Vacates Arbitral Award Due to Arbitrator’s Non-Disclosure

By Beth Graham - January 12, 2011

The Dallas Court of Appeals has vacated an arbitration award because the arbitrator failed to disclose that he served as arbitrator in another case involving one party’s representative and a related company. In Alim v. KBR (Kellogg, Brown & Root) – Halliburton, No. 05-09-00395-CV, (Tex. App. – Dallas, Jan 10, 2011), Mohammad Alim was employed by KBR (Kellogg, Brown & Root) – Halliburton (“KBR”) and filed “an arbitration claim for em

El Paso Court Adopts De Novo Standard for Review of Arbitration Awards

By Beth Graham - October 26, 2010

In Las Palmas Medical Center v. Moore, No. 08-09-00226-CV (October 6, 2010), the El Paso Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s decision to overturn an arbitration award and adopted a de novo standard of review for vacation, modification, or confirmation of an arbitration award. In 2004, the Las Palmas Medical Center (Las Palmas) recruited urologists Robert Moore and Deborah Moore to relocate from Houston to El Paso by offering the Moores a gu

Fifth Circuit Affirms Confirmation of NASD Arbitration Award

By Victoria VanBuren - December 5, 2009

In The Householder Group v. Caughran, No. 09-40111 (5th. Cir. Nov. 11, 2009), the court summarizes the facts as follows: [A] panel of arbitrators with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”) awarded Householder Group $39,500 in compensatory damages for breach of a promissory note, $50,000 in compensatory damages for breach of a Branch Office Agreement, and $70,000 in attorneys fees. Thereafter, Householder Group filed a moti

Fifth Circuit Reaffirms that the FAA Provides the Exclusive Grounds for Vacatur of Arbitration Awards After Hall Street v. Mattel

By Victoria VanBuren - November 18, 2009

In United Forming, Inc. v. Faulknerusa, LP, No. 09-50073 (5th Cir. Oct. 27, 2009), FaulknerUSA, LP (Faulkner) is the general contractor at a construction project; United Forming, Inc. (United) is a sub-contractor; and Continental Casualty, Co. (Continental) is the surety of their agreement. After a dispute over United’s work, the parties submitted their claims to arbitration before an American Arbitration Association (AAA) panel. The panel