By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On March 21, 2017, accused dental suppliers in an antitrust suit told the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that a Texas federal judge was wrong to override an arbitration agreement. The antitrust suit involves a dental supply manufacturer as a plaintiff. It accused six others of unfairly pushing it out of the market. U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap overturned a magistrate’s decision to send the case to arbitration. But the six suppliers argued that the district court judge improperly relied on unspecified injunctive relief which is only a minor part of the case.
Does the Case Belong in Court?
The plaintiff, Archer and White Sales, Inc. (Archer), first filed its suit against Henry Schein Inc., the Danaher Corp., Instrumentarium Dental Inc., Dental Equipment LLC, Kavo Dental Technologies and Dental Imaging Technologies Corp. in August 2012. Most of these are names that any dentists would recognize.
The magistrate had ruled that because the case involves more than just a request for injunctive relief, it should be referred to arbitration and the arbitrator should decide whether the case belongs in court. The agreement between the two parties does incorporate the American Arbitration Association’s (AAA) rules, which state that arbitrators have the right to decide questions of arbitrability. To read the brief from this case in full, click here.
Click here to visit our website and learn more about the specifics of arbitration.
To read one of my prior blogs involving cases of arbitration, click here.
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Sources:
Kass, Dani. “Dental Supply Cos. Say Antitrust Suit Belongs In Arbitration.” Law360. (March 21, 2017). Web.
Kass, Dani. “Dentists Say Small Supplier Joined Price-Fixing Conspiracy.” Law360. (February 17, 2017). Web.
About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law is an attorney with The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.
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