Washington Supreme Court Holds that State Statutes of Limitations Do Not Apply in Arbitration

Authored by:  Jonathan Lloyd, Stephen M. Rummage, Daniel M. Waggoner, and Maya Yamazaki

Yesterday, in a 5-4 decision, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that Washington state statutes of limitations do not apply to claims brought in arbitration, absent specific contractual language to the contrary. In particular, the Court found those statutes, which specifically require that "actions" be commenced or parties "sue" within a certain time, do not apply in the context of arbitration proceedings, which are not "actions" or "suits," unless the parties expressly provide for such applicability in their arbitration agreement. Broom v. Morgan Stanley DW, Inc., No. 82311-1 (7/22/10).  Click here to read the full article.