Opinion ID: 1817898
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: AUCTION MANAGEMENT CORP., GILMORE AUCTION & REALTY COMPANY, BANK OF NEW YORK, and its Servicer, NEW SOUTH FEDERAL SAVING BANK

Text: WEIMER, J., dissenting. I respectfully dissent. The plaintiff brought this action based on a contract titled Auction Real Estate Sales Agreement, executed after the auction was completed and after he submitted the highest bid. The defendants responded with a motion to stay pending arbitration contending a separate agreement titled Auction Terms and Conditions, executed before the auction, governs. See footnote 2, page 5 of majority opinion. Noteworthy is that only the agreement titled Auction Terms and Conditions contains the arbitration clause. An additional clause states: The Auction Agreement for the Purchase and Sale of Real Estate represents the final contracted terms. As the majority notes, the plaintiff was the high bidder and submitted a check in the amount of $4,290.00. Significantly, this check was cashed. Logic dictates the auction is complete and any agreement governing the auction is not applicable. Part of the plaintiff's defense to arbitration is that the Auction Agreement for the Purchase and Sale of Real Estate, as the final contracted terms, renders the arbitration clause in the Auction Terms and Conditions not applicable. Any ambiguity or contradiction which exists in the language of a contract must be construed against the party who prepared the contract. See Kenner Industries, Inc. v. Sewell Plastics, Inc., 451 So.2d 557 (La. 1984). Although I realize this defense, itself, can still be raised in arbitration, this presents a vexing threshold legal issue as to whether the arbitration clause is even applicable. Because I believe this issue should be resolved first, I respectfully dissent.