Wash. High Court Says FAA Preempts Statute Allowing Judicial Review

SEATTLE - The Washington state Supreme Court has ruled that the Federal Arbitration Act's enforcement provisions preempt a state law providing condominium owners with judicial review of arbitration decisions. Satomi Owners Association v. Satomi LLC, No. 80480-0 (Wash. Sup. Ct.).

The court's 6-3 decision was issued on Dec. 24 in three unrelated cases in which condominium sales contracts included warranty addenda mandating binding arbitration of disputes.

Satomi Owners Association sued Satomi LLC in February 2005, alleging construction defects and violations of implied and express warranties under the Washington Condominium Act (RCW 64.34.100[2]). In a second case, Blakeley Commons Condominium Association …