Case Title: Volvo Trucks North America, Inc. v. Dolphin Line, Inc.

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1081277

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2010-04-23T00:00:00Z

Document:
REL: 04/23/2010 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama 
A p p e l l a t e 
C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 
((334) 
2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r 
t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may be made 
b e f o r e t h e 
o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1081277 
Volvo Trucks North America, Inc. 
v. 
D o l p h i n L i n e , 
Inc. 
1081713 
Volvo Trucks North America, Inc. 
v. 
D o l p h i n L i n e , 
Inc. 
(Appeals from Mobile C i r c u i t Court, CV-06-1226) 
1081277, 1081713 
LYONS, 
J u s t i c e . 
V o l v o 
T r u c k s 
N o r t h 
A m e r i c a , 
I n c . 
("Volvo 
T r u c k s " ) , 
a p p e a l s f r o m an a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d e n t e r e d a g a i n s t i t 
i n f a v o r 
o f D o l p h i n L i n e , I n c . ( " D o l p h i n " ) . 
We 
a f f i r m . 
F a c t u a l B a c k g r o u n d and P r o c e d u r a l 
H i s t o r y 
I n 
A p r i l 
2006, D o l p h i n 
s u e d 
V o l v o 
T r u c k s , 
V o l v o 
G r o u p 
N o r t h A m e r i c a , I n c . ("Volvo 
G r o u p " ) , and K e n w o r t h o f M o b i l e , 
I n c . d/b/a V o l v o T r u c k s o f M o b i l e 
("Kenworth") i n t h e M o b i l e 
C i r c u i t C o u r t . 
I n i t s c o m p l a i n t , D o l p h i n a l l e g e d t h a t i t 
h a d 
e n t e r e d i n t o an a g r e e m e n t w i t h V o l v o T r u c k s , V o l v o G r o u p , and 
K e n w o r t h 
( c o l l e c t i v e l y 
" t h e d e f e n d a n t s " ) 
w h e r e b y 
D o l p h i n 
a g r e e d t o p u r c h a s e 
s e v e r a l v e h i c l e s f r o m t h e d e f e n d a n t s on t h e 
c o n d i t i o n 
t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t s 
w o u l d s u b s e q u e n t l y 
r e p u r c h a s e 
t h e v e h i c l e s a t a s p e c i f i e d p r i c e . 
D o l p h i n a l l e g e d t h a t t h e 
d e f e n d a n t s 
s u b s e q u e n t l y 
f a i l e d t o r e p u r c h a s e t h e v e h i c l e s and 
t h a t D o l p h i n s u f f e r e d 
f i n a n c i a l 
i n j u r y as a r e s u l t . 
D o l p h i n 
s t a t e d c l a i m s o f b r e a c h o f c o n t r a c t , m i s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , u n j u s t 
e n r i c h m e n t , and p r o m i s s o r y e s t o p p e l . 
K e n w o r t h 
moved 
t o 
s t a y 
t h e 
a c t i o n 
and 
t o 
c o m p e l 
a r b i t r a t i o n , 
a r g u i n g , b a s e d on c e r t a i n p r e d i s p u t e a g r e e m e n t s 
w i t h D o l p h i n , t h a t a r b i t r a t i o n was r e q u i r e d u n d e r t h e F e d e r a l 
2 
1081277, 1081713 
A r b i t r a t i o n 
A c t , 
9 
U.S.C. 
§ 
1 
e t 
s e q . 
("the 
F A A " ) . 
S u b s e q u e n t l y , V o l v o T r u c k s 
and V o l v o Group j o i n t l y moved t o 
s t a y 
t h e 
a c t i o n 
and 
t o c o m p e l 
a r b i t r a t i o n b a s e d on 
r e l a t e d 
a r g u m e n t s . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t d e n i e d t h e d e f e n d a n t s ' m o t i o n s , 
and t h e d e f e n d a n t s a p p e a l e d t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n t o 
t h i s 
C o u r t . 
I n K e n w o r t h o f M o b i l e , I n c . v. D o l p h i n L i n e , I n c . , 
988 
So. 2d 534 
( A l a . 2 0 0 8 ) , 
t h i s C o u r t r e v e r s e d t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t ' s 
d e c i s i o n 
and 
d i r e c t e d 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
t o 
e n t e r 
an 
o r d e r 
s t a y i n g 
t h e 
a c t i o n 
and 
c o m p e l l i n g D o l p h i n t o 
a r b i t r a t e i t s 
c l a i m s a g a i n s t t h e 
d e f e n d a n t s . 
S u b s e q u e n t l y , 
on A p r i l 25, 2008, t h e p a r t i e s e n t e r e d an 
a g r e e m e n t t h e y 
s t y l e d 
" P o s t D i s p u t e A r b i t r a t i o n 
A g r e e m e n t . " 
T h a t a g r e e m e n t p r o v i d e d , i n r e l e v a n t 
p a r t : 
" [ D o l p h i n ] , 
V o l v o 
N o r t h 
A m e r i c a , 
I n c .
[
1
] 
and 
[ V o l v o 
T r u c k s ] 
( c o l l e c t i v e l y 
' V o l v o ' ) , 
and 
[ K e n w o r t h ] , t h r o u g h c o u n s e l , a g r e e t o a r b i t r a t e a l l 
d i s p u t e s s e t f o r t h i n t h e Demand (and any amendments 
t h e r e t o ) 
u n d e r 
1975 
Code 
o f A l a b a m a , 
§ 6-6-1, 
e t  
s e q . , 
a c c o r d i n g 
t o 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
t e r m s 
and 
c o n d i t i o n s : 
1 I t 
i s u n c l e a r w h e t h e r V o l v o 
N o r t h 
A m e r i c a , 
I n c . , 
and 
V o l v o Group a r e t h e same e n t i t y . 
However, V o l v o Group 
l a t e r 
p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e r e s u l t i n g 
a r b i t r a t i o n and i n s t a t i n g h i s 
d e c i s i o n 
t h e 
a r b i t r a t o r 
e x p r e s s l y named 
" V o l v o Group 
N o r t h 
A m e r i c a , 
I n c . " 
3 
1081277, 1081713 
"3. 
I n m a k i n g any a w a r d , t h e A r b i t r a t o r 
s h a l l 
f o l l o w 
c o n t r o l l i n g A l a b a m a l a w s and 
p r e c e d e n t s . " 
P u r s u a n t 
t o t h e a g r e e m e n t , 
t h e d i s p u t e was 
p r e s e n t e d 
t o 
an 
a r b i t r a t o r on November 18 and 19, 2008. 
I t i s u n d i s p u t e d t h a t 
K e n w o r t h and 
D o l p h i n had 
by 
t h a t t i m e 
r e a c h e d 
a 
s e t t l e m e n t 
a g r e e m e n t 
and 
t h a t 
K e n w o r t h 
d i d 
n o t 
p a r t i c i p a t e 
i n 
t h e 
a r b i t r a t i o n . 
On 
May 
28, 
2 0 0 9 , 
t h e 
a r b i t r a t o r 
i s s u e d 
a 
d e c i s i o n a w a r d i n g 
D o l p h i n $ 1 , 2 4 5 , 3 4 8 a g a i n s t V o l v o Group 
and 
V o l v o 
T r u c k s . 
On J u n e 26, 2 0 0 9 , V o l v o T r u c k s 
f i l e d 
a n o t i c e o f 
a p p e a l 
t o t h i s C o u r t f r o m t h e a r b i t r a t o r ' s 
d e c i s i o n ; t h a t a p p e a l 
was 
a s s i g n e d 
c a s e 
no. 
1081277. 
A l s o 
on 
J u n e 
26, 
2009, 
V o l v o 
G r o u p , 
s t a t i n g 
t h a t 
i t had 
b e e n 
i n c o r r e c t l y 
i d e n t i f i e d 
as 
V o l v o T r u c k s , 
f i l e d a m o t i o n w i t h t h e M o b i l e C i r c u i t C o u r t t o 
a l t e r , amend, o r v a c a t e t h e a r b i t r a t o r ' s a w a r d u n d e r R u l e 
59 
and 
R u l e 
71B, 
A l a . R. 
C i v . P. 
V o l v o Group a r g u e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
a r b i t r a t o r ' s 
d e c i s i o n c o n f l i c t e d w i t h A l a b a m a l a w and, 
c i t i n g 
t h i s C o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n i n B i r m i n g h a m News Co. v. H o r n , 901 
So. 
2d 27 
( A l a . 2 0 0 4 ) , o v e r r u l e d by H e r e f o r d v. D.R. 
H o r t o n , I n c . , 
13 So. 3d 375 
( A l a . 2 0 0 9 ) , a r g u e d t h a t t h e a w a r d s h o u l d be s e t 
a s i d e as b e i n g i n m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d o f t h e 
l a w . 
D o l p h i n 
r e s p o n d e d 
t o 
V o l v o 
G r o u p ' s 
m o t i o n 
and 
4 
1081277, 1081713 
s u b s e q u e n t l y moved t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t t o e n t e r t h e 
a r b i t r a t o r ' s 
d e c i s i o n as a f i n a l j u d g m e n t u n d e r R u l e 71C, 
A l a . R. C i v . P. 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t d i d so on A u g u s t 
14, 2009. 
On t h e same 
d a y , 
V o l v o Group r e n e w e d i t s m o t i o n t o a l t e r , amend, o r v a c a t e t h e 
a r b i t r a t o r ' s d e c i s i o n u n d e r R u l e 59. 
On A u g u s t 
17, 2009, t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t d e n i e d " D e f e n d a n t s ' M o t i o n t o V a c a t e , A l t e r 
a n d / o r 
Amend A w a r d E n t e r e d by A r b i t r a t o r , " e x p r e s s l y c o n c l u d i n g t h a t 
m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d o f t h e l a w was n o t a v a l i d b a s i s upon w h i c h 
i t 
c o u l d r e v i e w t h e a r b i t r a t o r ' s 
d e c i s i o n . 
S u b s e q u e n t l y , 
on 
S e p t e m b e r 
3, 
2009, 
V o l v o 
T r u c k s 
f i l e d 
a 
s e c o n d 
n o t i c e 
o f 
a p p e a l ; t h a t a p p e a l was 
a s s i g n e d c a s e no. 
1 0 8 1 7 1 3 .
2 
A n a l y s i s 
S e c t i o n 6-6-14 o f t h e A l a b a m a A r b i t r a t i o n A c t , § 6-6-1 
e t 
s e q . , A l a . Code 1975 
("AAA") p r o v i d e s : 
"An a w a r d made s u b s t a n t i a l l y i n c o m p l i a n c e w i t h 
t h e 
p r o v i s i o n s 
o f 
t h i s 
d i v i s i o n 
i s 
c o n c l u s i v e 
b e t w e e n t h e p a r t i e s t h e r e t o and 
t h e i r p r i v i e s as t o 
t h e m a t t e r s u b m i t t e d and c a n n o t be 
i n q u i r e d 
i n t o 
o r 
i m p e a c h e d f o r want o f f o r m 
o r f o r i r r e g u l a r i t y i f 
t h e 
a w a r d 
d e t e r m i n e s 
t h e 
m a t t e r 
o r 
c o n t r o v e r s y 
2 T h e 
n o t i c e s 
o f 
a p p e a l 
i n b o t h 
c a s e 
no. 
1081277 
and 
1081713 
name 
" V o l v o 
T r u c k s 
N o r t h 
A m e r i c a , 
I n c . " 
as 
t h e 
a p p e l l a n t . 
The 
a p p e l l a n t ' s b r i e f s on a p p e a l r e f e r 
g e n e r a l l y 
t o t h e a p p e l l a n t as " V o l v o . " 
I n s e v e r a l m o t i o n s 
f i l e d i n t h i s 
C o u r t , t h e a p p e l l a n t r e f e r s t o 
i t s e l f 
as " V o l v o Group 
N o r t h 
A m e r i c a , I n c . " 
F o r p u r p o s e s o f t h e s e a p p e a l s , we a r e 
a s s u m i n g 
t h a t V o l v o T r u c k s and V o l v o Group a r e a s i n g l e 
e n t i t y . 
5 
1081277, 1081713 
s u b m i t t e d , 
and 
s u c h 
a w a r d 
i s 
f i n a l , 
u n l e s s 
t h e 
a r b i t r a t o r s 
a r e 
g u i l t y 
o f 
f r a u d , 
p a r t i a l i t y , 
o r 
c o r r u p t i o n i n m a k i n g i t . " 
On 
a p p e a l , 
V o l v o 
T r u c k s 
a r g u e s 
t h a t , 
i n a d d i t i o n 
t o t h e 
g r o u n d s o f f r a u d , 
p a r t i a l i t y , 
and c o r r u p t i o n 
i d e n t i f i e d i n 
§ 6-6-14, a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d s u n d e r t h e AAA may be s e t a s i d e 
b a s e d 
on a 
f i n d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e a r b i t r a t o r ' s d e c i s i o n 
i s i n 
m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d o f t h e l a w . 
V o l v o T r u c k s a r g u e s t h a t t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t e r r e d i n c o n c l u d i n g 
o t h e r w i s e w i t h r e g a r d t o V o l v o 
G r o u p ' s p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n and t h a t t h e a r b i t r a t o r ' s d e c i s i o n 
i s i n m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d o f A l a b a m a l a w on s e v e r a l 
p o i n t s . 
V o l v o T r u c k s b a s e s i t s a r g u m e n t on t h i s C o u r t ' s 
d e c i s i o n 
i n 
B i r m i n g h a m 
News, 
s u p r a . 
I n 
t h a t 
c a s e , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
c o n s i d e r e d 
a p p e a l s f r o m a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d s 
i n v o l v i n g 
c l a i m s 
g o v e r n e d b y t h e FAA. 
901 So. 2d a t 30. 
T h i s C o u r t n o t e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
a p p e l l a n t , t h e B i r m i n g h a m News Company ("the N e w s " ) , d i d 
n o t r a i s e any a r g u m e n t s b a s e d on t h e g r o u n d s s e t f o r t h i n § 6-
6-14, 
s t a t i n g : 
"The 
News does n o t a r g u e 
t h a t t h e a r b i t r a t i o n 
a w a r d s i n t h i s 
a p p e a l were t h e p r o d u c t o f 
f r a u d , 
p a r t i a l i t y , 
o r 
c o r r u p t i o n 
on 
t h e 
p a r t 
o f t h e 
a r b i t r a t o r s . I t c o n t e n d s , h o w e v e r , 
t h a t o u r r e v i e w 
o f t h e a w a r d s 
s h o u l d 
be g o v e r n e d by t h e s t a n d a r d s 
p r e s c r i b e d 
b y 
t h e FAA, 
as 
w e l l 
as by 
s e v e r a l 
' n o n s t a t u t o r y ' 
g r o u n d s , 
i n c l u d i n g 
a l l o w i n g 
an 
a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d t o be v a c a t e d when t h e a r b i t r a t o r s 
6 
1081277, 
1081713 
h a v e b e e n 
g u i l t y o f a ' m a n i f e s t 
d i s r e g a r d o f t h e 
l a w . ' " 
901 S o . 2d a t 4 2 - 4 3 . 
I n a d d r e s s i n g t h e a p p e l l e e s ' a r g u m e n t 
t h a t 
o n l y t h o s e g r o u n d s 
s t a t e d i n § 6-6-14 s h o u l d a p p l y t o 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
r e v i e w o f t h e a r b i t r a t o r s ' a w a r d s , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
"The AAA h a s h a d t h r o u g h o u t 
i t s h i s t o r y , 
u n t i l 
t h e 
l a s t 
d e c a d e , a 
f i e l d 
o f o p e r a t i o n o n l y 
w i t h 
r e s p e c t t o p o s t - d i s p u t e a g r e e m e n t s t o a r b i t r a t e . ... 
"... 
[ I ] t 
i s 
w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t t h e s t a n d a r d s 
s e t 
o u t i n t h e FAA f o r r e v i e w i n g an 
a r b i t r a t o r ' s 
a w a r d a r e a p p l i c a b l e t o o u r r e v i e w i n t h i s 
c a s e . 
"To t h e e x t e n t t h a t t h e l i m i t e d g r o u n d s 
l i s t e d 
i n § 6-6-14 ( f r a u d , p a r t i a l i t y , o r c o r r u p t i o n ) m i g h t 
a r g u a b l y g o v e r n 
j u d i c i a l 
r e v i e w o f an 
a r b i t r a t o r ' s 
a w a r d 
r e s u l t i n g 
f r o m 
a p o s t - d i s p u t e a g r e e m e n t t o 
a r b i t r a t e 
when t h e p a r t i e s 
have 
v o l u n t a r i l y 
o p t e d 
f o r 
a r b i t r a t i o n w i t h f u l l k n o w l e d g e o f t h e c o n t o u r s 
and s i g n i f i c a n c e 
o f t h e i r d i s p u t e , t h o s e g r o u n d s do 
n o t 
p r o v i d e 
a d e q u a t e 
r e v i e w 
o f 
a r b i t r a t o r s ' 
d e c i s i o n s i n 
t h e numerous and v a r i e d c o m m e r c i a l - and 
c o n s u m e r - t r a n s a c t i o n d i s p u t e s now b e i n g c h a n n e l e d t o 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
i n 
t h i s 
S t a t e 
t h r o u g h 
p r e d i s p u t e 
a g r e e m e n t s f o r a r b i t r a t i o n . " 
901 S o . 2d a t 44-46. 
T h i s C o u r t t h e n c o n c l u d e d : 
" T h i s 
C o u r t 
h a s a d o p t e d 
9 U.S.C. § 10 [ o f 
t h e FAA] as a p p l i c a b l e t o an 
a p p e a l o f an a r b i t r a t i o n 
a w a r d i n t h i s 
s t a t e , and we s e e no 
n e e d t o r e t r e a t 
f r o m 
t h a t p o s i t i o n , " 
901 S o . 2d a t 4 6 - 4 7 , 
7 
1081277, 1081713 
n o t i n g s u b s e q u e n t l y t h a t t h e g r o u n d s f o r r e v i e w s t a t e d i n § 
10 
o f t h e FAA 
i n c l u d e d 
t h e g r o u n d s s e t f o r t h i n § 6-6-14. 
T h i s 
C o u r t 
i n 
B i r m i n g h a m 
News 
t h e n 
c o n s i d e r e d 
t h e 
a v a i l a b i l i t y 
o f 
m a n i f e s t 
d i s r e g a r d 
o f 
l a w 
as 
a g r o u n d 
f o r 
r e v i e w i n g 
t h e 
a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d s 
b e f o r e 
i t . 
T h i s 
C o u r t 
r e v i e w e d t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e s t a n d a r d 
i n t h e f e d e r a l c o u r t s 
and 
i n 
t h e 
a p p e l l a t e 
c o u r t s 
o f o t h e r 
s t a t e s 
and 
t h e n 
c o n c l u d e d : 
" T h i s C o u r t j o i n s t h e m a j o r i t y o f o t h e r s t a t e a p p e l l a t e 
c o u r t s 
t h a t have c o n s i d e r e d 
t h e m a t t e r i n now 
r e c o g n i z i n g 
' m a n i f e s t 
d i s r e g a r d 
o f t h e 
l a w ' as 
a g r o u n d a v a i l a b l e f o r r e v i e w i n g 
an 
a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d . " 
901 
So. 
2d 
a t 
50. 
S u b s e q u e n t l y , 
i n 
H a l l 
S t r e e t 
A s s o c i a t e s , 
L.L.C. 
v. 
 
M a t t e l , 
I n c . , 
552 
U.S. 
576 
( 2 0 0 8 ) , t h e 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
Supreme 
C o u r t r e j e c t e d m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d 
o f t h e 
l a w 
as 
an 
a v a i l a b l e 
g r o u n d f o r 
r e v i e w i n g 
a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d s u n d e r 
t h e 
FAA. 
I n 
H e r e f o r d 
v. D.R. 
H o r t o n , I n c . , 13 So. 
3d 375, 
380 
( A l a . 2 0 0 9 ) , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
e x p l a i n e d : 
" [ T ] h e 
Supreme 
C o u r t 
o f 
t h e 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s , 
i n 
[ H a l l 
S t r e e t 
A s s o c i a t e s ] 
r e j e c t e d 
t h e 
c o n c l u s i o n 
t h a t 
i t had 
a d o p t e d 
m a n i f e s t 
d i s r e g a r d 
o f 
t h e 
l a w 
as 
an 
a d d i t i o n a l , 
n o n s t a t u t o r y 
g r o u n d 
f o r 
r e l i e f 
f r o m 
an 
a r b i t r a t o r ' s d e c i s i o n . " 
B a s e d on H a l l S t r e e t A s s o c i a t e s , 
t h i s 
8 
1081277, 1081713 
C o u r t t h e n o v e r r u l e d i t s e a r l i e r d e c i s i o n i n 
B i r m i n g h a m News, 
s t a t i n g : 
"Under t h e Supreme C o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n i n H a l l 
S t r e e t 
 
A s s o c i a t e s , t h e r e f o r e , m a n i f e s t 
d i s r e g a r d o f t h e 
l a w 
i s no l o n g e r an i n d e p e n d e n t a n d p r o p e r b a s i s 
u n d e r 
t h e [FAA] f o r 
v a c a t i n g , m o d i f y i n g , 
o r c o r r e c t i n g an 
a r b i t r a t o r ' s 
a w a r d . I n l i g h t o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e 
[FAA] 
i s f e d e r a l l a w , 
a n d i n l i g h t o f t h e S u p r e m a c y 
C l a u s e o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e U n i t e d 
S t a t e s , 
A r t . V I , 
we h e r e b y o v e r r u l e o u r e a r l i e r s t a t e m e n t i n 
B i r m i n g h a m News t h a t m a n i f e s t 
d i s r e g a r d o f t h e 
l a w 
i s a g r o u n d f o r v a c a t i n g , 
m o d i f y i n g , 
o r c o r r e c t i n g 
an 
a r b i t r a t o r ' s a w a r d u n d e r t h e [ F A A ] , a n d we 
a l s o 
o v e r r u l e 
any 
s u c h 
l a n g u a g e 
i n o u r 
o t h e r 
c a s e s 
c o n s t r u i n g 
f e d e r a l a r b i t r a t i o n l a w . " 
13 So. 3d a t 3 8 0 - 8 1 . 
V o l v o T r u c k s c o n t e n d s t h a t 
t h i s C o u r t ' s a d o p t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
m a n i f e s t - d i s r e g a r d - o f - l a w 
s t a n d a r d 
i n B i r m i n g h a m News was 
b r o a d enough t o a p p l y n o t o n l y t o a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d s g o v e r n e d 
by t h e FAA, b u t a l s o t o t h o s e g o v e r n e d 
s o l e l y by t h e AAA. 
V o l v o T r u c k s n o t e s t h a t , i n o v e r r u l i n g B i r m i n g h a m News, 
t h i s 
C o u r t i n H e r e f o r d 
r e f e r e n c e d 
o n l y t h e 
FAA, n o t t h e 
AAA. 
B a s e d 
on 
t h i s 
l a n g u a g e , 
V o l v o 
T r u c k s 
a r g u e s 
t h a t 
t h i s 
C o u r t i n 
H e r e f o r d 
o v e r r u l e d B i r m i n g h a m News o n l y i n s o f a r as i t 
r e l a t e s 
t o a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d s e n t e r e d 
u n d e r t h e FAA, n o t a r b i t r a t i o n 
a w a r d s g o v e r n e d 
s o l e l y by t h e AAA. 
V o l v o 
T r u c k s 
t h e r e f o r e 
a r g u e s t h a t t h e m a n i f e s t - d i s r e g a r d - o f - l a w 
s t a n d a r d 
r e m a i n s a 
9 
1081277, 1081713 
v i a b l e b a s i s upon w h i c h o u r c o u r t s may s e t a s i d e 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
a w a r d s g o v e r n e d s o l e l y by t h e AAA. 
We 
d i s a g r e e . 
In 
r e a c h i n g i t s c o n c l u s i o n i n B i r m i n g h a m News, t h i s 
C o u r t 
made c l e a r i n r e s p o n s e t o t h e a p p e l l e e s ' a r g u m e n t s t h a t 
i t s 
d e c i s i o n was g o v e r n e d b y t h e FAA, n o t t h e AAA. 
See 901 So. 2d 
a t 
44-47. 
F u r t h e r m o r e , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
m a n i f e s t - d i s r e g a r d - o f - t h e - l a w 
s t a n d a r d w o u l d n o t f a l l 
w i t h i n 
t h e s t a t u t o r y g r o u n d s s t a t e d by § 6-6-14, 
s t a t i n g : 
"To t h e e x t e n t 
t h a t t h e l i m i t e d g r o u n d s 
l i s t e d 
i n § 6-6-14 ( f r a u d , p a r t i a l i t y , o r c o r r u p t i o n ) m i g h t 
a r g u a b l y 
g o v e r n 
j u d i c i a l 
r e v i e w o f an 
a r b i t r a t o r ' s 
a w a r d 
r e s u l t i n g 
f r o m a p o s t - d i s p u t e 
a g r e e m e n t t o 
a r b i t r a t e when t h e p a r t i e s h a v e 
v o l u n t a r i l y 
o p t e d 
f o r 
a r b i t r a t i o n w i t h 
f u l l k n o w l e d g e o f t h e c o n t o u r s 
and 
s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e i r d i s p u t e , t h o s e g r o u n d s do 
n o t 
p r o v i d e 
a d e q u a t e 
r e v i e w 
o f 
a r b i t r a t o r s ' 
d e c i s i o n s i n 
t h e numerous and v a r i e d c o m m e r c i a l - 
and 
c o n s u m e r - t r a n s a c t i o n 
d i s p u t e s now b e i n g c h a n n e l e d t o 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
i n 
t h i s 
S t a t e 
t h r o u g h 
p r e d i s p u t e 
a g r e e m e n t s f o r a r b i t r a t i o n . " 
901 So. 2d a t 46. 
A c c o r d i n g l y , when v i e w e d i n i t s 
e n t i r e t y , 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
d e c i s i o n 
i n B i r m i n g h a m News may n o t be 
r e a d 
t o a d o p t t h e 
m a n i f e s t - d i s r e g a r d - o f - l a w 
s t a n d a r d 
w i t h 
r e s p e c t 
t o 
c a s e s 
g o v e r n e d by t h e AAA. 
F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e s t a n d a r d s 
s t a t e d i n 
§ 6-6-14 a r e e x c l u s i v e , and t h i s 
C o u r t h a s no a u t h o r i t y t o 
r e w r i t e 
t h e 
s t a t u t e 
t o embrace 
t h e b r o a d e r 
s t a n d a r d 
o f 
10 
1081277, 1081713 
m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d o f t h e l a w . 
S e e , e . g . , W a l - M a r t S t o r e s ,  
I n c . v. P a t t e r s o n , 816 So. 2d 1, 6 ( A l a . 2 0 0 1 ) ( " T h e C o u r t i s 
n o t a t l i b e r t y t o r e w r i t e s t a t u t e s , Reed v. B o a r d o f T r u s t e e s  
f o r A l a b a m a S t a t e U n i v . , 778 So. 2d 7 9 1 , 794 ( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) , o r 
' t o 
s u b s t i t u t e 
i t s 
j u d g m e n t f o r t h a t o f t h e 
L e g i s l a t u r e . ' 
B a p t i s t 
H e a l t h S y s . , I n c . v . C i t y o f M i d f i e l d , 
7 
92 So. 2d 
1095, 1097 ( A l a . 2001) ( i n t e r n a l q u o t a t i o n s o m i t t e d ) . " ) . 
To s u p p o r t i t s p o s i t i o n , V o l v o T r u c k s , i n i t s r e p l y 
b r i e f 
on a p p e a l , a l s o 
r e l i e s on t h i s C o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n s i n J e n k s v .  
H a r r i s , 
990 So. 2d 878 
(20 
08 
), and H&S Homes, L.L.C. v . 
M c D o n a l d , 
910 So. 2d 79 
( 2 0 0 4 ) , 
and t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s ' 
d e c i s i o n i n S a n d e r s o n 
G r o u p , I n c . 
v. S m i t h , 809 So. 
2d 823 ( 2 0 0 1 ) . 
However, none o f t h o s e d e c i s i o n s s u p p o r t s t h e 
c o n c l u s i o n t h a t an a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d g o v e r n e d b y t h e AAA may 
be s e t a s i d e b a s e d on a m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d o f t h e 
l a w . 
I n J e n k s and H & S Homes, d e c i d e d 
a f t e r B i r m i n g h a m News 
and 
b e f o r e 
H e r e f o r d , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
c o n s i d e r e d 
a p p e a l s 
f r o m 
a r b i t r a t o r s ' a w a r d s t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r t h e a w a r d s h a d b e e n 
e n t e r e d i n 
m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d o f t h e l a w . However, t h e a w a r d s 
a t 
i s s u e i n J e n k s and H & S Homes 
r e s u l t e d 
f r o m 
p r e d i s p u t e 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
a g r e e m e n t s 
g o v e r n e d 
b y t h e FAA. 
S i m i l a r l y , 
11 
1081277, 1081713 
S a n d e r s o n 
G r o u p , a c a s e d e c i d e d by t h e C o u r t o f C i v i l 
A p p e a l s 
b e f o r e 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
d e c i s i o n 
i n B i r m i n g h a m 
News, 
w h i c h 
r e v i e w e d 
an 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
a w a r d t o d e t e r m i n e 
w h e t h e r i t was 
e n t e r e d 
i n m a n i f e s t 
d i s r e g a r d 
o f 
t h e l a w , 
i n v o l v e d a 
p r e d i s p u t e 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
a g r e e m e n t 
g o v e r n e d 
by 
t h e 
FAA. 
A c c o r d i n g l y , none o f t h e c a s e s V o l v o T r u c k s 
r e l i e s on i n v o l v e 
p o s t d i s p u t e a r b i t r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t s g o v e r n e d 
s o l e l y by t h e 
AAA. 
V o l v o 
T r u c k s , 
t h e r e f o r e , h a s n o t shown 
t h a t , 
u n d e r t h e 
AAA, o u r c o u r t s h a v e 
a u t h o r i t y t o s e t a s i d e an 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
a w a r d on t h e b a s i s o f m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d o f t h e l a w . By t h e 
p l a i n 
l a n g u a g e 
o f t h e s t a t u t e , t h e g r o u n d s f o r r e v i e w o f an 
a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d s t a t e d i n 
§ 6-6-14 o f t h e 
AAA a r e e x c l u s i v e ; 
we h a v e n o t b e e n d i r e c t e d t o any a u t h o r i t y s h o w i n g o t h e r w i s e . 
As 
p r e v i o u s l y 
n o t e d , 
t h e 
p l a i n 
i m p o r t 
o f 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
s t a t e m e n t 
i n B i r m i n g h a m News 
c r i t i c a l 
o f t h e s c o p e o f t h e 
g r o u n d s i n § 6-6-14 i s t h a t t h e g r o u n d s a r e so n a r r o w l y drawn 
as n o t t o embrace m a n i f e s t 
d i s r e g a r d o f l a w . 
B e c a u s e t h e 
a v a i l a b i l i t y o f t h e m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d o f t h e l a w as a g r o u n d 
f o r 
r e v i e w 
i s t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f V o l v o 
T r u c k s ' s 
r e m a i n i n g 
a r g u m e n t s on a p p e a l , we n e e d n o t c o n s i d e r t h o s e 
a r g u m e n t s . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
12 
1081277, 
1081713 
B a s e d on t h e f o r e g o i n g , we a f f i r m t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s 
e n t r y 
o f t h e a r b i t r a t i o n a w a r d as a f i n a l j u d g m e n t u n d e r R u l e 
71C, 
A l a . R. C i v . P. 
1081277 -- AFFIRMED. 
1081713 -- AFFIRMED. 
Cobb, C . J . , and W o o d a l l , S t u a r t , S m i t h , B o l i n , P a r k e r , and 
Shaw, J J . , c o n c u r . 
M u r d o c k , J . , c o n c u r s i n t h e 
r e s u l t . 
13 
1081277, 1081713 
MURDOCK, J u s t i c e 
( c o n c u r r i n g i n t h e r e s u l t ) . 
T h i s c a s e c o n c e r n s a w a r d s by a r b i t r a t o r s made p u r s u a n t t o 
p o s t - d i s p u t e 
a r b i t r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t s . 
As t o s u c h a w a r d s , 
V o l v o 
T r u c k s 
N o r t h 
A m e r i c a , 
I n c . , 
a r g u e s 
i n i t s 
a p p e a l s t o 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
t h a t t h e d e c i s i o n i n B i r m i n g h a m 
News Co. v . H o r n , 901 
So. 2d 27 ( A l a . 2 0 0 4 ) , r e c o g n i z e s "a m a n i f e s t d i s r e g a r d o f 
t h e 
l a w " as a b a s i s f o r 
j u d i c i a l r e v i e w t h a t i s 
n o t p r o h i b i t e d b y 
t h e 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
c o n t e m p l a t e d by § 6-6-14, A l a . 
Code 1975. 
V o l v o T r u c k ' s a p p e a l s a r e b a s e d 
s o l e l y on i t s r e a d i n g o f t h i s 
C o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n i n t h a t c a s e . 
B e c a u s e I a g r e e w i t h t h e m a i n 
o p i n i o n ' s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e d e c i s i o n i n B i r m i n g h a m News, I 
c o n c u r i n t h e r e s u l t . 
14