Opinion ID: 1770249
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Applicability of Arbitration Agreement Is Law of the Case.

Text: We begin our analysis by acknowledging that the question of whether the arbitration provisions in the November note applied to this dispute  an issue that both lower courts reached but decided in different ways  is not before us. Whether rightly or wrongly, the Court of Appeals decided that the arbitration agreement in the November note applied to this dispute, which arose out of the October note secured by the mortgage on Kestel's Mercer County property. That ruling is now the law of the case because Kestel did not file a cross-motion for discretionary review in this Court of the adverse ruling by the Court of Appeals. [3] Kestel argues that we should revisit the issue to avoid a misleading application of the law despite her failure to file a cross-motion. She cites Mitchell v. Hadl. [4] But Mitchell makes clear that ignoring a failure to cross-appeal is outside the normal procedure and appropriate only on rare occasions. [5] And Mitchell involved the court's deciding the case on the question of the defendant physician's duty, an issue never litigated by the parties in that case, rather than ruling on whether physical contact was required, which was the issue actually resolved by the lower courts. In contrast, in the instant case, Kestel was clearly aware of the arbitration provision applicability issue because she argued it both to the trial court and in the Court of Appeals; but she chose not to challenge the Court of Appeals' adverse finding through a cross-appeal. So we do not believe we should violate the law-of-the-case principle to reach Kestel's issue. [6] We will not address the applicability of the arbitration agreement in the November note further in this opinion. [7] Instead, we will focus solely on whether the Court of Appeals erred in its determination that American General impliedly waived its rights to compel arbitration rights and whether any further proceedings must take place in the Mercer Circuit Court.