Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-06048/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-06048-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 120
Nature of Suit: Marine Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1333 Admiralty

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[PROPOSED] ORDER CONFIRMING AWARD OF ARBITRATOR 

LUCAS VALLEY LAW 

MARK K. de LANGIS (SBN 190083) 

2110 Elderberry Lane 

San Rafael, California 94903 

Telephone: (415) 472-3892 

Facsimile: (415) 472-3977 

mdelangis@lucasvalleylaw.com 

Attorneys for Petitioners 

AMERICAN PRESIDENT LINES, LTD. and 

APL CO. Pte., LTD. 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

In the Matter of the Arbitration between 

AMERICAN PRESIDENT LINES, LTD., a 

corporation, and APL CO. Pte., LTD., a 

corporation, 

Petitioners, 

v. 

J.M.C. TRANSPORT CORPORATION, a 

corporation, 

Respondent. 

No. C 07-06048 JSW 

[PROPOSED] ORDER CONFIRMING 

AWARD OF ARBITRATOR 

[9 U.S.C. section 9] 

Case 3:07-cv-06048-JSW Document 17 Filed 03/17/08 Page 1 of 5
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ORDER CONFIRMING AWARD OF ARBITRATOR 

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

In the Matter of the Arbitration between 

AMERICAN PRESIDENT LINES, LTD., a 

corporation and APL CO. Pte., LTD., a 

corporation, 

Petitioners, 

v. 

J.M.C. TRANSPORT CORPORATION, a 

corporation, 

 

Respondent. 

No. C 07-06048 JSW 

ORDER CONFIRMING AWARD OF 

ARBITRATOR 

[9 U.S.C. section 9] 

Case 3:07-cv-06048-JSW Document 17 Filed 03/17/08 Page 2 of 5
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ORDER CONFIRMING AWARD OF ARBITRATOR 

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Petitioners AMERICAN PRESIDENT LINES, LTD. and APL CO. Pte., LTD. bring this 

action and the present motion to confirm an arbitration award in their favor against respondent 

J.M.C. Transport Corporation (“J.M.C.”). Respondent has not made a formal appearance in this 

action and has not filed an opposition to the motion to confirm currently before the Court. The 

Court conducted a hearing on Petitioners’ motion to confirm the award on March 14, 2008; again 

Respondent did not make an appearance. After careful consideration of the papers filed by the 

Petitioners and the relevant legal authority, and good cause appearing, the Court hereby 

GRANTS Petitioners’ motion to confirm the arbitration award. 

BACKGROUND 

In October 2003, APL Co. Pte., Ltd., in its individual capacity and as an agent for 

American President Lines, Ltd., entered into a written maritime contract with J.M.C. The 

contract provided for Petitioners to ship Respondent’s cargo by sea from the United States to 

Taiwan. The contract further memorialized the parties’ agreement that any “dispute arising out 

of or in connection with this Contract” shall be submitted to arbitration in San Francisco, 

California, before an arbitrator of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”). (Petition to 

Confirm, Exh. A at Section 4.) The arbitration provision stated that the decision of the arbitrator 

“shall be final, binding and not subject to further review.” (Id.) Finally, the provision provided 

for enforcement of any arbitration decision “by any court, tribunal, or other forum as may 

properly assert jurisdiction” and the parties expressly agreed “that the United States District 

Court for the Northern District of California has personal jurisdiction.” (Id.) 

On March 2, 2005, APL invoiced J.M.C. the sum of $8,750, which was then and still is 

due under the terms of the October 2003 contract. APL initiated arbitration proceedings to 

collect the outstanding monies owed, and in October 2007, the matter was submitted to AAA 

panelist Matthew J. Geyer, Esq. J.M.C. did not submit any documents for the arbitrator’s 

consideration. On October 16, 2007, Mr. Geyer awarded APL the principal amount due of 

$8,750, attorneys’ fees of $2,160 and costs of $1,700, for a total award of $12,610 (the 

Case 3:07-cv-06048-JSW Document 17 Filed 03/17/08 Page 3 of 5
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ORDER CONFIRMING AWARD OF ARBITRATOR 

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“Award”). (Petition to Confirm, Exh. C.) 

Petitioners now move to confirm the Award under the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”), 

9 U.S.C. section 9. 

DISCUSSION 

 As a preliminary matter, the existence of this Court’s jurisdiction is not in dispute. The 

United States Supreme Court has held that the FAA does not provide a separate basis for federal 

subject matter jurisdiction. Rather, there must exist other independent grounds for federal 

jurisdiction. Moses H. Cone Memorial Hosp. v. Mercury Constr. Corp., 460 U.S. 1, 25 n.32 

(1983). Here, Petitioners invoke original federal question jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. section 

1333. Upon review of the underlying maritime contract, the Court agrees that federal admiralty 

and maritime jurisdiction exists. 

 The FAA, 9 U.S.C. section 9, provides that any party to an arbitration award may apply 

to the court for an order confirming the award if the parties have previously agreed to such 

action. Section 9 mandates that the court must grant the order confirming the award unless the 

award is vacated, modified, or corrected as directed by Sections 10 or 11 of the FAA. 

As discussed above, the October 2003 Contract between the parties provides that any 

arbitration award may be enforced by any court, tribunal, or other forum as may properly assert 

jurisdiction. There is no dispute regarding this Court’s jurisdiction. Respondent has not made an 

appearance in this matter, nor presented any argument that the Award should be vacated, 

modified, or corrected. Following careful review of the papers presented in support of 

Petitioners’ motion and the underlying Award issued on October16, 2007, pursuant to the terms 

of the parties written contract, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Award attached as Exh. C to 

the Petition for Order Confirming Award of Arbitrator is CONFIRMED. 

/ / / 

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ORDER CONFIRMING AWARD OF ARBITRATOR 

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CONCLUSION 

 For the foregoing reasons, Petitioners’ Motion to Confirm Award of Arbitrator is 

GRANTED and the Award of $12,610 is confirmed. APL is also entitled to its $350 costs of suit 

herein. The Court will enter judgment in the amount of $12,960. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

 

DATED: _______________, 2008 

By: 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 

March 17

Case 3:07-cv-06048-JSW Document 17 Filed 03/17/08 Page 5 of 5