Court Cannot Ignore Federally Mandated Arbitration Clause, Wash. High Court Rules

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A trial court erred in refusing to compel arbitration of a crop reinsurance dispute, the Washington Supreme Court has ruled, holding that the arbitration clause in the crop insurance contract is federally mandated and therefore cannot be ignored.

Sitting en banc, the high court held that Federal Arbitration Act prohibits a state court from ignoring a valid federally mandated arbitration clause on equitable grounds.

Through a private agent, Tim Weidert and L.W. Weidert Farms bought a multi-peril crop insurance policy for the 2009 crop year. The policy was issued by Producers Agriculture Insurance Co. and reinsured by …