COURT’S LIMITED POWER TO REVIEW AN ARBITRATION AWARD SUCCINCTLY STATED.
In affirming an arbitration award, the Second Department succinctly stated its review powers in this context:
Unless an arbitration award violates a strong public policy, is totally irrational, or exceeds a specifically enumerated limitation on the arbitrator's powers, it may not be vacated … . Where the parties to a contract agree to submit disputes to an arbitrator, “[c]ourts are bound by an arbitrator's factual findings, interpretation of the contract and judgment concerning remedies” … . Absent a provision to the contrary in an arbitration agreement, arbitrators are not bound by principles of substantive law or rules of evidence … . Thus, an arbitration award will not be vacated even where the court concludes that the arbitrator's interpretation of the agreement misconstrues or disregards its plain meaning or misapplies substantive rules of law … . Matter of T & C Home Design, LLC v Stylecraft Corp., 2016 NY Slip Op 04228, 2nd Dept 6-1-16
ARBITRATION (COURT'S LIMITED POWER TO REVIEW AN ARBITRATION AWARD SUCCINCTLY STATED)