Opinion ID: 1218802
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: A Belated Jurisdiction Argument

Text: Mandaree argues for the first time on appeal that the district court lacked jurisdiction to deny the motion to compel arbitration because the alleged agreement to arbitrate left the issue of arbitrability for the arbitrator to decide. See Sadler v. Green Tree Servicing, LLC, 466 F.3d 623 (8th Cir.2006) (enforcing an express provision that the arbitrator would decide arbitrability). In addition to being untimely, [2] this contention is without merit. Courts should not assume that the parties had agreed to arbitrate arbitrability unless there is clear and unmistakable evidence that they did so. First Options, 514 U.S. at 944, 115 S.Ct. 1920 (quotation omitted). Here, there is no such evidence because the offer and acceptance allegedly creating an agreement that Liberty Mutual would join the Tooz/Mandaree arbitration did not address who would determine whether the parties had in fact agreed to arbitration. We reject as inconsistent with AgGrow Oils Mandaree's additional contention that Liberty Mutual's agreement on this issue is irrelevant because Tooz and Mandaree agreed to arbitrate arbitrability in the construction contract. The judgment of the district court is affirmed.