SHEARSON, HAMMILL & CO., INC., AND ALFRED CINQUE, PETITIONER,
v.
GEORGE VOUIS, RESPONDENT (TWO CASES)
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Shearson, Hammill & Co. and Alfred Cinque appealed an order denying their motion to compel arbitration of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims brought by customer George Vouis. The Florida appellate court held that tort claims sounding in fraud arising from securities transactions cannot be arbitrated under an arbitration agreement, as the Florida Securities Law policy against ousting courts of jurisdiction takes precedence over arbitration provisions.
The circuit court did not depart from essential requirements of law in refusing to stay tort proceedings for fraud, misrepresentation, and breach of fiduciary duties to enforce arbitration. Tort claims arising from securities transactions cannot be arbitrated because the Florida Securities Law policy controlling over the Florida Arbitration Code, and because agreements to arbitrate cannot oust courts of jurisdiction conferred by law.
[1] An interlocutory appeal is not available to review an order denying a motion to stay court proceedings and compel arbitration in a common law action.
[2] A defrauded party may pursue tort claims arising from a contractual relationship under the Florida Securities Law, notwithstanding an arbitration agreement.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“arbitration of the issues of alleged fraud, misrepresentation, and breach of fiduciary duties is not consistent with the policy and language of the Florida Securities Law, which will control over provisions of the Florida Arbitration Code”
Establishes that securities law policy takes precedence over arbitration agreements
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceVouis, a customer of Shearson and Cinque, purchased securities on margin on March 30, 1970, and later filed suit on June 26, 1970, alleging misreprese…
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Shearson, Hammill & Co., Inc. and Alfred Cinque, the defendants below, seek review of an order of the circuit court denying their motion to stay pending court proceedings and to compel arbitration. The issues have been presented to this court by an interlocutory appeal and by a petition for a writ of certiorari. Both proceedings were consolidated for appellate review. Having found that an interlocutory appeal is not available to review the lower court order in a common law action, we dismiss the interlocutory appeal. Noble v. McNeal, Fla.App.1965, 179 So.2d 126; Flagler Federal Savings and Loan Association of Miami v. Whiting, Fla.App. 1963, 148 So.2d 555. However, all the matters sought to be reviewed in both proceedings will be considered upon the petition for certiorari.
Respondent George Vouis filed a complaint on June 26, 1970, against the defendants, alleging misrepresentation, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duties relating to the value of certain stock and margin call requirements for the purchase on March 30, 1970, of certain securities on his margin account with defendants. Defendants admitted that plaintiff, their customer, purchased those securities on margin. In addition to denying all allegations as to misrepresentation, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duties, they raised an affirmative defense concerning arbitration. Plaintiff only admits signing the printed “Customer’s Margin Agreement” dated September 24, 1969, which contains the following paragraph:
“10. This agreement shall inure to the benefit of your successors and assigns, shall be binding on the undersigned, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, and shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York. Any controversy arising out of or relating to my account, to transactions with you for me or to this agreement or the breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the rules, then in effect, of the American Arbitration Association or the Board of Governors of the New York Stock Exchange as I may elect. If I do not make such election by registered mail addressed to you at your main office within 5 days after demand by you that I make such election, then you may make such election. Judgment upon any award rendered by the arbitrators may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.”
Plaintiff also admits making a written demand dated July 14, 1970, that the instant controversy be submitted to arbitration be-for the American Arbitration Association, in Miami, Florida, “ * * * but without prejudice to the Plaintiff’s [Vouis’] right to proceed with his action in Circuit Court * * * ” which Vouis instituted by filing a complaint on July 26, 1970. Vouis’ demand for arbitration was made in reply to a letter sent by Shearson that in the event Vouis defaulted in the exercise of his rights under the arbitration provision, Shearson would exercise its rights and demand arbitration.
*735Shearson and Cinque have presented the following contentions: the circuit court departed from essential requirements of law by refusing to stay the court proceedings and refusing to compel arbitration under the parties’ contract. They also contend that under the contract New York law governs and requires enforcement of the arbitration provision; but, if Florida law applied, the same result should be reached under the Florida Arbitration Code, Ch. 682, Fla.Stat., F.S.A.
Vouis argues that: A defrauded party can sue in tort for fraud arising from a contractual relationship under the Florida Securities Law, Ch. 517, esp. § 517.22, Fla. Stat., F.S.A.1
We are faced with a narrow question of first impression in Florida and of some significance where the record has not fully developed the facts or issues due to the early stage at which review was sought. The question presented is: Whether the circuit court departed from the essential requirements of law by refusing to stay the court proceedings in a common law action sounding in tort, where there was a written agreement to arbitrate.
At this stage of the proceedings, we express the view that the circuit court did not depart from the essential requirements of the law in refusing to stay the court proceedings sounding in tort for alleged fraud, misrepresentation, and breach of fiduciary duties to allow the parties to arbitrate pursuant to a printed margin agreement provision which required arbitration of disputes arising out of the margin purchase relationship.
We base our decision upon the proposition that arbitration of the issues of alleged fraud, misrepresentation, and breach of fiduciary duties is not consistent with the policy and language of the Florida Securities Law, which will control over provisions of the Florida Arbitration Code.2 We also base our decision upon the proposition that agreements to arbitrate controversies in the future cannot and should not oust the courts of the jurisdiction conferred upon them by organic law.
As to the first ground of our decision, the case of Wilko v. Swan (1953), 346 U.S. 427, 74 S.Ct. 182, 98 L.Ed. 168, is conclusive, and we adopt the reasoning therein. The cases and theory upon which petitioner relies were distinguished in Wilko v. Swan, 107 F.Supp. 75, 79 (S.D.N.Y., 1952), affirmed 346 U.S. 427, 74 S.Ct. 182, 98 L.Ed. 168.
As to the second basis for our decision, the case of Cruger v. Allstate Insurance Company, Fla.App.1964, 162 So.2d 690, 691, 692, is determinative. This court refused to oust the circuit court, in an equity matter, of its general jurisdiction by allowing arbitration, notwithstanding a statutory provision which attempted to- create an exception to the well-settled doctrine that an agreement to arbitrate a dispute in the future will not be enforced as an attempt to oust the court’s jurisdiction.
For the reasons stated the order appealed will not be disturbed.
Certiorari denied.
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Citator
Cited By (13 total)
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Klosters Rederi A/S v. Arison Shipping Co., 280 So. 2d 678 (Fla. 1973)…the suit. [*681] Code. Certainly, the Securities Law is inapplicable here, but Shearson also stated, by citing Cruger v. Allstate Insurance Co., Fla.App.1964, 162 So. 2d 690, the following: [*680] In Shearson, Hammill and Co. v. Vouis, Fla.App.1971, 247 So. 2d 733, it was held that compulsory arbitration of issues of alleged fraud, misrepresentation and breach of fiduciary duties of stockbrokers was inconsistent with the policy and language of the Florida Securities Law, which controls over the provisions of…
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William I. Sabates, M.D. v. Int'l Med. Ctrs., Inc., 450 So. 2d 514 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984)…t. denied, 274 So. 2d 234 (Fla.1973), is not without its exceptions. Thus, where legislation clearly mandates that the dispute be resolved in a judicial forum, the policy fa [*517] voring arbitration will yield. See Shearson, Hammill & Co. v. Vouis, 247 So. 2d 733 (Fla. 3d DCA), cert. denied, 253 So. 2d 444 (Fla.1971) (where agreement to arbitrate inconsistent with provision of Florida Securities Law preserving the right to bring an action in court, securities law will control); Young v. Oppenheimer & Co., In…
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Mills v. Robert W. Gottfried, Inc., 272 So. 2d 837 (Fla. 4th DCA 1973)…n. We have not overlooked the two opinions by the Third District Court of Appeal which are pointed out in the appellee’s brief, Cruger v. Allstate Insurance Company, Fla.App. 1964, 162 So. 2d 690 and Shearson, Hammill & Co. v. Vouis, Fla.App. 1971, 247 So. 2d 733. In Cruger v. Allstate Insurance Co., the Third District held that where the sole right of an insured to arbitrate depends on coverage of an insurance policy with respect to losses caused by an uninsured motorist, the insurance company had a right t…
Previewing 3 of 13 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Wilko v. Swan, 346 U.S. 427 (U.S. 1953)
- Cruger v. Allstate Ins. Co., 162 So. 2d 690 (Fla. 3d DCA 1964)
- Flagler Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n OF Miami v. Whiting, 148 So. 2d 555 (Fla. 2d DCA 1963)
- Noble v. Erice E. McNEAL and Jimmie S. McNeal, 179 So. 2d 126 (Fla. 1st DCA 1965)