Court Has Jurisdiction Over Umpire Selection Dispute, State Judge Rules

HARTFORD, Conn. - A state court has subject matter jurisdiction over a dispute arising from a party's failure to name three neutral umpire candidates in accordance with the parties' arbitration agreement, a Connecticut judge has ruled. Arrowood Indemnity Co. v. Clearwater Insurance Co., No. 11-6018055-S (Conn. Super. Ct., Hartford).

Judge Edward S. Domnarski of the Hartford Superior Court ruled that a court should be allowed to intervene in the arbitration process when it is claimed that a party's candidates are not neutral as required by the arbitration agreement.

A reinsurance contract dispute arose between Arrowood and Clearwater and they agreed …