Opinion ID: 1022861
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Claims Covered By Arbitration Provision

Text: Plaintiffs argue on appeal that even if the district court erred in denying Appellants’ motion to compel, only Plaintiffs’ claims that accrued prior to the expiration of the agreements may be deferred to arbitration. Because the district court denied the motion to compel arbitration, it had no occasion to rule on this issue. In determining which claims are subject to arbitration, a district court must consider whether an intent exists to defer all or certain claims to arbitration regardless of whether the - 8 - claims accrued before or after the contract’s termination date. See Virginia Carolina Tools, Inc. v. Int’l Tool Supply, Inc., 984 F.2d 113, 118-19 (4th Cir. 1993). This determination may well require an evaluation of when the plaintiff’s claims accrued, when the contract terminated, and the intent of the parties, as evidenced by the contractual language. These are issues best left to plenary consideration by the district court on remand. For the foregoing reasons, we vacate the district court’s order denying Appellants’ motion to compel arbitration, and remand the matter to the district court for a determination of which claims, if any, should be deferred to arbitration. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before the court and argument would not aid the decisional process. VACATED AND REMANDED - 9 -