IN THE COURT OF
COMMON PLEAS FOR THE STATE OF
DELAWARE IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY
AUTO EQUITY LOANS
OF DELAWARE, LLC, and
DAVID LEVI,
Petitioners/COunter-Respondents,
& Resporldents-below,
v. C.A. No. CPU4-17-003398
JOSEPH BAIRD,
ALTON GRIFFIN, and
]EANNINE MEDORA,
Respondents/COunter-Petitioners,
& Claimants-below.
\_/\/\/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\/\_/\/\/\_/\_/
Submitted: March 15, 2018
Decided: May 2, 2018
MEMORANDUM OPINION
ON CROSS-MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY _IUDGMENT
Douglas D. Herrmann, Esq. Vivian A. Houghton, Esq.
Christopher B. Chuff, Esq. LaW Off`lce Of Vivian A.
Pepper Hamilton LLP Houghton, Inc.
Hetcules Plaza, Ste. 5100 800 N. West Street, 1St Fl.
1313 Market Street, PO BOX 1709 Wilmington, DE 19801
Wi]mington, DE 19899-1709 AZz‘0mej/sf0r Re§bondenf§
Al¢om@/J'for Petz`fz'oner§
OF COUNSEL OF COUNSEL
Alexander L. Harris, Esq. Robert F. Salvin, Esq.
Pepper Harnilton LLP TWO Bala Plaza, Ste. 300
3000 TWO Logan Square Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
18th & Arch Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19103
SMALLS, C.J.
This case Was originally filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery and arises out of three
consumer credit contracts. On August 15, 2017, the Chancery Court transferred the case to
the Court of Common Pleas pursuant to 10 De/. C. § 5702.1 Presently before the Court are
Cross-Motions for Summary]udgment. On December 15, 2017, Petitioners filed their Openz`n666662'66{ fh6z'rp0u/6r.r, or w z'mj)wfer‘f@/ 6X66afea’ them that a jz`aa/ aaa
a'6jz`az`l‘6 award alma 6/96 fab/666 waffw" J‘abmz'f%a' war 1106 mad6;
(4) The arbitrators refused to postpone the hearing upon sufficient cause being
shown therefor, or refused to hear evidence material to the controversy, or
34 Loaé/aan‘ a P.’r{g:a.ryz`w Norf/Mm Im. Ca., 2018 WL 1399612, at *2 (Del. Com. Pl. l\/lar. 19, 2018)
(footnotes omitted) (quoting Ga//a/96r a U5/1A Ca.r. Im. Co., 2005 WL 3062014, at *1 (Del. Super.
Nov. 14, 2005); Caj)aao a Loc/éu/ood, 2013 WL 2724634, at *2 (Del. Super. l\/lay 31, 2013)).
33 Despite the arbitration provisions in the loan agreements applying the Federal Arbitration Act to
disputes_Respondent Griffin’s agreement applying Delaware’s Uniform Arbitration Act (“UAA”)
secondarily_the parties have “clearly evidencejdj their intent to be bound by jstatej rules.” P6r.f.
D662'Jz'0m, lac. a Bar. P/aaaz'ag 5})§., la€., 2008 WL 1932404, at *6 (Del. Ch. May 5, 2008) (quotjng 5 oaa/§
a. Cbagaz' P/aam Co., 280 F.3d 1266, 1269 (9th Cir. 2002)) (internal quotation marks omitted). The
parties have “cited and relied” on the UAA and, thus, this Court will apply the UAA. TD Amm`l:'ade,
Ia€. a. Mcl.aa