Recent Arbitration Case Law from the Texas Supreme Court

Over the past several years, the Texas Supreme Court has granted discretionary review or mandamus relief in numerous cases in which a party sought to compel arbitration. Supreme Court cases with published opinions involving arbitration issues are listed below by release date, in reverse chronological order, from 2005 through October 12, 2007, with hotlinks to opinions. In Re U.S. Home Corp., Lennar Corp et al, No. 03-1080 (Tex. Oct. 12, 2007)(per curiam)(arbitration mandamus, motion to compel arbitration, homeowners compelled to arbitrate residential construction defect claim against builder, mandamus relief granted) In re Merrill Lynch Trust Co., No. 03-1059 (Tex. Aug 31, 2007)(per curiam)(arbitration mandamus, financial services) In Re H&R Block, No. 04-0061 (Tex. Aug. 24, 2007)(per curiam)(arbitration mandamus) In re Merrill Lynch, No. 04-0865 (Tex. Aug. 24, 2007)(Brister)(arbitration) Justice Hecht delivered an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part Justice Johnson delivered an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part In re Kaplan Higher Education Corp., No. 06-0072 (Tex. Aug. 24, 2007)(per curiam)(arbitration mandamus, private education context) In re Southwestern Bell ___ S.W.3d ___ (Tex. 2007) In re SWBT Co., No. 05-0511 (Tex. Jun. 12, 2007)(Johnson)(public agency, primary jurisdiction, arbitration) Abilene Housing Authority v. Gene Duke Builders, Inc. ___ S.W.3d ___ (Tex. 2007) Abilene Housing Authority v. Gene Duke Builders, No. 05-0631 (Tex. Jun. 1, 2007)(per curiam)(construction contracts, arbitration, public entity, immunity claim) In re RLS Legal Solutions, ____ S.W.3d. ____ (Tex. 2007) In re RLS Legal Solutions, LLC No. 05-0290, Tex. Apr. 20, 2007)(per curiam)(arbitration mandamus in employment dispute) In re Bank One, ___ S.W.3rd ____ (Tex. 2007) In re Bank One, No. 06-0093 (Tex. Feb. 23, 2007)(per curiam)(mandamus granted to compel arbitration on motion of bank with customer) Meyer v. WMCO-GP, 211 S.W.3d 302 (Tex. 2006) Meyer v. WMCO-GP, No. 04-0252 (Tex. Dec. 22, 2006)(Hecht)(arbitration with nonparties) In re Olga Palacios, ___ S.W.3d ___ (Tex. 2006) In re Olga Palacios, No. 05-0038, (Tex. Jun. 30, 2006)(per curiam)(arbitration mandamus) In re D. Wilson Constr. Co., 196 S.W.3d 774 (Tex. 2006) In re D. Wilson Construction Co., No. 05-0326, Jun. 30, 2006)(Willett)(arbitration mandamus, construction contracts, interlocutory appeal, ILA) City of Houston v. Clark, 197 S.W.3d 314 (Tex. 2006) The City of Houston vs. Donald Clark, No. 04-0930 (Tex. Jun. 16, 2006)(O'Neill)(public employment) In re Dallas Peterbilt 196. S.W.3d 161 (Tex. 2006) In re Dallas Peterbilt, Ltd., No. 05-0706 (Tex. Jun. 16, 2006)(per curiam)(arbitration, employment) In Re Palm Harbor Homes, Inc., 195 S.W.3d 672 (Tex. 2006) In Re Palm Harbor Homes, No. 04-0490 (Tex. Jun. 9, 2006)(mandamus)(Johnson)(arbitration ordered) Childers v. Advanced Found. Repair, L.P., 193 S.W.3d 897 (Tex. 2006) Childers v. Advanced Foundation Repair, No. 05-0831 (Tex. May 26, 2006)(finality, appealability, motion to compel arbitration) City of Houston v. Jackson, 192 S.W.3d 764 (Tex. 2006) The City of Houston v. Jackson, No 04-0465 (Tex. April 7, 2006)(O'Neill)(fire fighter employment grievance, penalty, plea to the jurisdiction, two appeals in the court of appeals below, law of case doctrine does not preclude Texas Supreme Court from reviewing issue in first, interlocutory appeal) In re Vesta Ins. Group, Inc., 192 S.W.3d 759 (Tex. 2006)(per curiam) In re Vesta Ins. Group, Inc., 192 S.W.3d 759 (Tex. 2006) In Re Vesta Ins. Group, No. 04-0141 (Tex. Mar. 17, 2006)(arbitration mandamus, non-signatories) In Re Dillard, No. 04-1132 (Tex. Mar. 3, 2006)(mandamus) In Re Dillard Department Stores, No. 04-1132 (Tex. Mar. 3, 2006)(per curiam opinion)(arbitration mandamus, employment context, retaliatory discharge) In re Dillard Dep't Stores, Inc., 198 S.W.3d 778 (Tex. 2006)(orig. proceeding) In Re Dillard Department Stores, No. 05-0250 (Tex. Jan. 27, 2006)(arbitration mandamus, employment context)(per curiam opinion) West v. Robinson, 180 S.W.3d 575 (Tex. 2005) Royce B. West, Julia L.S. Gooden, a/k/a Julia L.S. Gooden-Wood, and Robinson West & Gooden, P.C. v. Malcolm S. Robinson, No. 04-0346 (Tex. Dec. 9, 2005)(per curiam)(court of appeals failed to address all issues raised) Sultan v. Mathew, 178 S.W.3d 747 (Tex. 2005) Yusuf Sultan, d/b/a U.S. Carpet and Floors, Petitioner v. Savio Mathew, No. 03-0831 (Tex. Nov. 18, 2005)(Jefferson) In re Weekley Homes, L.P., 180 S.W.3d 127 (Tex. 2005) In re Weekley Homes, L.P.No. 04-0119 (Tex. Oct. 28, 2005)(Brister) In re McKinney, 167 S.W.3d 833 (Tex. 2005) In re Delmar “Bo” McKinney and Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P.d/b/a Edward Jones, No. 04-0651 (Tex. Jul. 1, 2005)(per curiam)(mandamus granted to enforce arbitration clause) In re Nexion Health at Humble, Inc., 173 S.W.3d 67 (Tex. 2005) In re Nexion Health at Humble, Inc. d/b/a Humble Healthcare Center, No. 04-0360 (Tex. Oct. 14, 2005)(per curiam)(suppl. per curiam op. on motion for rehearing) Excess Underwriters at Lloyds' v. Frank's Casing Crew & Rental Tools, Inc., 48 Tex. Sup. J. 735 (2005) Excess Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London and Certain Companies Subscribing Severally but not Jointly to Policy No. 548/TA4011FO1 v. Frank’s Casing Crew & Rental Tools, Inc., No. 02-0730 (Tex. May 27, 2005)(Owen) In re Kellogg Brown & Root, Inc.,166 S.W.3d 732 (Tex. 2005) In re Kellogg Brown & Root, Inc., No. 03-1129 (Tex. May 20, 2005)(Jefferson)(mandamus granted to vacate arbitration order) In re AdvancePCS Health, L.P., 172 S.W.3d 603 (Tex. 2005) Case style: In re Advance PCS Health L.P., AdvancePCS a/k/a AdvancePCS, Inc., PCS Health Systems, Inc., and AdvancePCS Health Systems, L.L.C., No. 04-0281 (Tex. April 15, 2005) (per curiam) (mandamus granted to compel arbitration)