Opinion ID: 1591422
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: In the Arbitration

Text: The arbitration was held on September 29, 2005. The arbitration, and hence this appeal, was complicated by the fact that after the assault but before James filed the legal action based on the assault, James filed a petition in bankruptcy under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. He failed to list as a contingent or unsecured claim in his bankruptcy petition the potential recovery in this action, and he did not report the existence of his claim until Ace moved the arbitrator for a summary judgment [2] based on the doctrine of judicial estoppel, arguing that James's failure to mention the claim in his bankruptcy proceeding, which had been finalized, precluded his pursuing the claim. James then proceeded to reopen his bankruptcy proceeding on June 15, 2004, and Littleton, the bankruptcy trustee, was added to the arbitration proceeding as a plaintiff. Crump's brief, at 1-2. The Arbitration Judgment and Award, dated October 6, 2005, awarded Crump $50,000 in compensatory damages and $25,000 in punitive damages. The trial court entered its final judgment on October 21, 2005, adopting the arbitrator's award and incorporating it into its order. Ace filed its notice of appeal on November 15, 2005.