Mave Enters., Inc. v. Travelers Indem. Co. of Conn.

MAVE ENTERPRISES, INC., Plaintiff and Respondent, v. THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY OF CONNECTICUT, Defendant and Appellant.

B241807

COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT DIVISION ONE

Filed: September 26, 2013

CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION

(Los Angeles County

Super. Ct. No. LC086852)

APPEAL from an order and a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, William D. Stewart, Judge. Affirmed.

Horvitz & Levy, Jeremy B. Rosen, John F. Querio; Weston & McElvain, Richard C. Weston and Aaron C. Agness for Defendant and Appellant.

Shernoff Bidart Echeverria Bentley, William M. Shernoff, Travis M. Corby and Jill P. McDonell for Plaintiff and Respondent.

In this case, an insured filed a bad faith action against its insurer in the Los Angeles Superior Court. After spending a substantial amount of time litigating the case in the superior court, the parties stipulated to have their disputes resolved through binding arbitration. The terms of the stipulation were placed on the record, and the superior court retained jurisdiction, requiring the parties to submit periodic status reports about the arbitration proceedings. The parties entered into a separate, written stipulation to arbitrate under the auspices of a sponsoring organization.

The arbitrator found in favor of the insured and awarded $3,696,414. The insurer filed a petition to vacate, modify, or correct the award in the United States District Court for the Central District of California based on diversity of citizenship. For its part, the insured filed a motion to confirm the award in the superior court. The insurer then filed a motion in the superior court, requesting that it stay its proceedings pending a decision by the federal district court. Oppositions were filed to each motion. Before the federal district court had issued a decision, the superior court denied the insurer's request for a stay, confirmed the arbitration award in its entirety, and entered judgment in favor of the insured. The insured then filed a motion in the federal district court, requesting that it abstain from hearing the matter. The federal district court agreed based on the doctrine of abstention; it denied the insurer's petition and closed the case.

On appeal, the insurer contends that the superior court abused its discretion by denying the motion to stay its proceedings pending a decision by the federal district court. The insurer also asserts that the arbitration award should be reviewed under the procedural provisions of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) (9 U.S.C. §§ 10, 11), and the award must be vacated, modified, or corrected because, in calculating damages, the arbitrator exhibited a manifest disregard of the law. In the alternative, the insurer argues that, under the California Arbitration Act (CAA) (Code Civ. Proc., §§ 1280-1294.2), the award should be vacated or corrected.

We conclude that the superior court did not abuse its discretion by denying the insurer's motion for a stay, primarily because the superior court acquired jurisdiction over the parties' disputes long before the insurer filed its petition in the federal district court;the superior court retained jurisdiction over the case while it was being arbitrated and was kept informed of the arbitration proceedings; and the superior court was more knowledgeable about the litigation. We also conclude that, even assuming the parties' stipulations to arbitrate or the insurance policy involved interstate commerce, the procedural provisions of the CAA, not the FAA, govern judicial review of the award. Finally, under the CAA, we conclude that the superior court properly confirmed the arbitration award in its entirety.

IBACKGROUND

The allegations and facts in this appeal are taken from the complaint and the papers submitted in connection with (1) the motions to confirm and vacate the arbitration award, and (2) the insurer's motion for a stay of the proceedings below.

A. The Complaint

The complaint alleged as follows. Plaintiff Mave Enterprises, Inc. (Mave), makes high quality Kosher foods. It is a California corporation and has its manufacturing plant in North Hollywood.

On or about February 1, 2006, The Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut (Travelers) issued a property casualty insurance policy to Mave. The policy covered property damage to Mave's manufacturing equipment and its inventory, business interruption losses, property damage, and lost business income.

On September 25, 2006, a severe fire occurred at Mave's manufacturing facility, which was covered under the Travelers policy. Mave submitted claims to Travelers. Travelers did not make timely payments to cover the losses. Travelers would either deny the claim, delay payment by conducting unreasonable investigations, or take unreasonable positions such as requiring Mave to pay for its large losses and then seek reimbursement from Travelers. The reimbursement process required Mave to borrow money at high interest rates. The interest and finance charges were excessive because (1) Travelers was slow in reimbursing Mave, and (2) on some items, Travelers improperly refused to reimburse Mave altogether. At other times, Travelers would decide that Mave wasentitled to payment on a particular item but would not make a lump sum payment; instead, Travelers would make several smaller payments over time. Travelers contested the value of damaged goods, inventory, equipment, and food. Travelers also refused to pay for business interruption losses.

On January 30, 2008, Travelers wrote to Mave, indicating that its investigation into the fire damage was complete and that all issued checks were without prejudice to Mave's right to pursue additional benefits.

On September 9, 2009, Mave filed this action against Travelers in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging two causes of action: (1) breach of contract based on Travelers's failure to investigate Mave's claims in a timely manner and its refusal and delay in paying various policy benefits; and (2) breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

The breach of covenant claim alleged that Travelers had acted in bad faith by denying to pay full benefits and by unreasonably delaying the payments it made. Travelers's bad faith conduct forced Mave to retain legal counsel, construction consultants, and other experts to obtain benefits under the policy. Travelers had engaged in acts or omissions that were malicious, oppressive, or fraudulent.

As relief, Mave sought consequential damages for breach of contract. On the breach of covenant claim, Mave sought damages for failure to pay the appropriate amount of benefits and an award of punitive damages.

Mave filed a first amended complaint on January 25, 2010, but did not add any causes of action against Travelers.

B. Arbitration

The trial began in the superior court in August 2011. On August 11, 2011, during jury selection, Mave and Travelers (parties) agreed to arbitrate their disputes. The oral agreement was placed on the record and consisted of these terms: (1) arbitration would be "a resolution of the trial of this matter"; (2) the arbitration award would be limited to a low of $500,000 and a high of $7.5 million, but the arbitrator would not be told about the "high low" provision; (3) the arbitration award would be binding; (4) the superior court's order on in limine motions would apply in the arbitration; (5) retired California Supreme CourtJustice Edward Panelli had been selected as the arbitrator; and (6) the superior court retained jurisdiction to issue subpoenas. In addition, the superior court stated it would retain jurisdiction to "make sure you're under way" and would also schedule periodic status conferences. The superior court set the first status conference for November 17, 2011.

By minute order, also dated August 11, 2011, the superior court stated: "The Court is informed that parties have reached a settlement agreement regarding binding arbitration. Terms of the Settlement are recited in open court . . . . Stipulation of parties re motions in limine to stand. The Court retains jurisdictions to enforce subpoenas. [¶] A Status Conference re Status of Arbitration is set on November 17, 2011."

On August 25, 2011, the parties signed a "Stipulation for Arbitration and Selection of Arbitrator," which read: "It is stipulated and agreed by the Parties to submit all disputes, claims or controversies to neutral, binding arbitration at JAMS, pursuant to the JAMS Arbitration Administrative Policies and, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the parties, to the applicable JAMS Arbitration Rules and Procedures. . . ."

JAMS rule 25 states: "Proceedings to enforce, confirm, modify or vacate an Award will be controlled by and conducted in conformity with the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. Sec 1 et seq. or applicable state law. The Parties to an Arbitration under these Rules shall be deemed to have consented that judgment upon the Award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof." (Italics & boldface added.)

Neither the stipulation to arbitrate reached in the superior court nor the August 25, 2011 JAMS stipulation designated the law of a particular jurisdiction to govern the arbitration proceedings. Both stipulations were silent on that issue. In that regard, JAMS rule 24(c) states: "In determining the merits of the dispute, the Arbitrator shall be guided by the rules of law agreed upon by the Parties. In the absence of such agreement, the Arbitrator shall be guided by the rules of law and equity that the Arbitrator deems to be most appropriate. The Arbitrator may grant any remedy or relief that is just and equitable and within the scope of the Parties' agreement, including, but not limited to, specific performance of a contract or any other equitable or legal remedy." (Italics added.)

On November 17, 2011, the parties filed a stipulation to continue the status conference in the superior court and to inform the court that Travelers had asked...