Benaroya v. Willis

The Court of Appeal reversed the judgment of the trial court denying a petition to vacate an arbitration award in a dispute involving Benaroya Pictures and Westside Corporation and Bruce Willis. Michael Benaroya contended that the trial court erred in confirming the arbitration award because the decision whether a nonsignatory to an arbitration agreement can be compelled to arbitrate is a matter solely within the authority of the trial court, not the arbitrator. The court agreed and held that while the relevant JAMS rule here permits an arbitrator to determine whom among signatories to an arbitration agreement are proper parties for the dispute to be arbitrated, the rule cannot (and does not) permit the arbitrator to determine whether a nonsignatory to the arbitration agreement can be compelled to arbitrate. The court held that the authority to decide that question resides, by law, solely with the trial court. The court remanded with directions to set aside its rulings denying Michael Benaroya and Benaroya's petition to vacate the award and granting Westside and Willis' petition to confirm; and enter new orders granting Michael Benaroya and Benaroya's petition to vacate the award as to Michael Benaroya, and granting Westside and Willis' petition to confirm the award only as to Benaroya. View "Benaroya v. Willis" on Justia Law