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Arbitrator’s Award Should Not Have Been Vacated—No Clear and Convincing Evidence of Arbitrator’s Bias or Misconduct or that the Arbitrator Exceeded His Power

The Second Department reversed Supreme Court’s vacation of an arbitration award. The vacation was based in part on a finding of an appearance of bias on the part of the arbitrator. The motion to vacate the award alleged the fact that both the mediator and arbitrator were past Supreme Court justices with overlapping terms demonstrated the arbitrator’s bias or the appearance of bias.  The Second Department explained the limited role of a court in reviewing an arbitrator’s award and noted that any ground for vacation must be proven by clear and convincing evidence:

“It is well settled that judicial review of arbitration awards is extremely limited” … . “A party seeking to overturn an arbitration award on one or more grounds stated in CPLR 7511(b)(1) bears a heavy burden, and must establish a ground for vacatur by clear and convincing evidence” … .

An arbitrator’s partiality may be established by an actual bias or the appearance of bias from which a conflict of interest may be inferred … . * * * [T]he fact that both the mediator and arbitrator were former Supreme Court Justices who served overlapping terms …, standing alone, did not constitute clear and convincing evidence of actual bias or the appearance of bias on the part of the arbitrator … . Moreover … [the movant] failed to present clear and convincing evidence that the arbitrator exceeded his power in issuing the award (see CPLR 7511[b][1][iii]), or that he engaged in misconduct … . David v Byron, 2015 NY Slip Op 06107, 2nd Dept 7-15-15

 

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