Opinion ID: 1648193
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether the Arbitration Agreements Survive Ms. Hilliard's Death and the Alleged Termination of the Client Agreements.

Text: ¶ 15. Henry argues that she is not bound by the arbitration agreements because the obligation to arbitrate terminated with the closing of the Smith Barney accounts. She also argues that Hilliard did not intend for the agreements to survive her death. The appellants argue that the arbitration agreements survived Hilliard's death and the alleged termination of the Smith Barney accounts. ¶ 16. The death of a party to an agreement to arbitrate future disputes does not invalidate the agreement. If the agreement, on its face, evidences a clear intent that such disputes should be arbitrated, the court is bound to uphold the intent of the parties. See In re Scott, 200 A.D. 599, 193 N.Y.S. 403 (N.Y.App.Div.), aff'd mem., 234 N.Y. 539, 138 N.E. 438 (1922). ¶ 17. Henry's claims arise out of Hilliard's accounts. The termination of these accounts does not also terminate the arbitration agreement. Rather, Henry's claims arising out of the termination of the Smith Barney accounts constitute a transaction with Smith Barney, thereby triggering the arbitration agreements. We find that the arbitration agreements were not revoked by the death of Hilliard nor by the closure of the Smith Barney accounts, and are, therefore, enforceable against Henry.