Court Opinion

ID: 9596224
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:47:19.838498+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:01:33.570121
License: Public Domain

Tom Glaze, Justice, concurring. I agree that this case should be affirmed, but I would do so for different reasons. As the majority opinion notes, we must apply our rules of contract construction to determine whether the language of the arbitration agreement constitutes a valid contract to arbitrate. However, one of the rules of contract construction or interpretation is that any ambiguities will be construed strictly against the drafter of the contract. Sturgis v. Skokos, 335 Ark. 41, 977 S.W.2d 217 (1998). An ambiguity will be found when a provision is susceptible to more than one reasonable interpretation. Unigard Sec. Ins. Co. v. Murphy Oil USA, Inc., 331 Ark. 211, 962 S.W.2d 735 (1998); State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. v. Midgett, 319 Ark. 435, 438, 892 S.W.2d 469, 471 (1995). Here, language in paragraph eleven provided that Tyson could “pursue any other remedies at law or equity.” Tyson argues that this wording means simply that it may pursue any legal or equitable remedies in arbitration. Tyson suggests that to employ such language — i.e., “in arbitration” — would be redundant to paragraph sixteen of the contract, which provides for arbitration between the parties. Flowever, Tyson did not utilize any language to limit its pursuit of its remedies only to arbitration. Because the language is susceptible to more than one interpretation, it is necessarily ambiguous; because it is ambiguous, it must be construed strictly against Tyson, the drafter of the contract. Applying such a construction, it is readily apparent that the agreement lacks mutuality, because the appellees are bound to arbitration, while Tyson may seek redress through a court of law. Such a lack of mutuality renders the arbitration agreement unenforceable. See The Money Place v. Barnes, 349 Ark. 411, 78 S.W.3d 714 (2002).