Washington Supreme Court Declines To Intervene in Ongoing Arbitration, Finding Judicial Authority Under FAA Limited To "Gateway" Disputes and Review of Final Awards

Evette Burgess and Lithia Motors were arbitrating an employment dispute when, during the proceedings, Burgess filed a motion with the court seeking to terminate the arbitration and to rescind the arbitration agreement. The motion alleged that Lithia breached the agreement by failing to comply with discovery deadlines and that the arbitrator did so by failing to enforce applicable procedural rules. The superior court denied the motion for lack of jurisdiction and certified the issue to the Supreme Court of Washington. The Court affirmed the order, concluding that judicial review under the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) is limited to disputes over "gateway" issues (i.e., enforceability of the arbitration clause in the first instance), and to the review of final awards.

Burgess argued that interlocutory challenges during arbitration proceedings is permitted by section 2 of the FAA. Lithia disagreed, arguing judicial review under the FAA is limited to the "bookends" of the arbitration: initial enforceability and review of the final award. The Court noted that the majority of federal circuit courts that have addressed the issue have agreed with Lithia, and that Burgess cited no case in which a court provided relief once the arbitration commenced. The Court also agreed with Lithia in this regard, explaining that sections 2, 3, and 4 of the FAA authorize courts to decide gateway arbitrability disputes, while sections 9, 10, and 11 allow courts to confirm, vacate, modify, or correct a final arbitration award at the conclusion of proceedings. The Court relied on a Sixth Circuit decision involving similar facts, where the court found it significant that the FAA is silent on judicial review between gateway disputes and review of final awards. Finding other circuit courts have likewise interpreted this silence as precluding interlocutory review, the Court affirmed the superior court decision declining to intervene and rescind the arbitration agreement while the subject arbitration was ongoing.

Evette Burgess v. Lithia Motors, Inc., et al., No. 98083-7 (Wash. Sept. 3, 2020)