Arbitrator Did Not Exceed Authority in Considering ‘Meeting of the Minds’ Issue, 5th Cir. Rules

NEW ORLEANS — An arbitrator did not exceed his authority in considering whether there was a meeting of the minds between the parties during formation of their contracts because the parties clearly consented to the submission of this issue, a federal appeals court has ruled.

In a May 8 opinion, the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals noted that throughout the arbitration, the parties disputed whether there had been a meeting of the minds, and neither party had contested the arbitrator’s authority. Therefore, by consent, the parties submitted to the arbitration of contract formation, the court concluded.

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