Opinion ID: 2156571
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Appellate Jurisdiction and Standard of Review

Text: [¶ 13] Though the court's order denying a motion to compel arbitration is interlocutory, we have jurisdiction to review it. 14 M.R.S.A. § 5945(1) (2003); Patrick v. Moran, 2001 ME 6, ¶ 4, 764 A.2d 256, 257. [¶ 14] The initial determination of whether the parties intended to submit this dispute to arbitration must be resolved in court, not by an arbitrator. V.I.P., Inc. v. First Tree Dev. Ltd. Liab. Co., 2001 ME 73, ¶ 3, 770 A.2d 95, 96. The parties must have agreed to arbitrate in writing. Patrick, 2001 ME 6, ¶ 5, 764 A.2d at 257. We review the motion court's determination of substantive arbitrability for errors of law, V.I.P., 2001 ME 73, ¶ 3, 770 A.2d at 96, and for facts not supported by substantial evidence in the record, Saga Communications of New Eng., Inc. v. Voornas, 2000 ME 156, ¶ 7, 756 A.2d 954, 958.