Conn. High Court to Decide Whether Parties May Circumvent State Deadline for Challenging Arbitration Award

HARTFORD — The Connecticut Supreme Court will consider whether parties can avoid the state’s 30-day deadline for applying to vacate an arbitration award by including a choice-of-law provision in the arbitration agreement stating that it is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, which contains a three-month limitation for seeking vacatur.

The state high court granted certiorari in September, following an appellate court’s ruling that the state’s 30-day deadline cannot be contractually circumvented.

In early 2015, James and Julie St. Paul bought a vehicle from A Better Way Wholesale Autos and entered into a financing agreement with the dealer. The …