Wedemeyer v. Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.

The parties' arbitration agreement clearly applied to disputes involving former employees of the defendant and unambiguously stated that it covered claims arising from the employment relationship, including the defamation and tortious interference with business expectancy claims at issue.

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John Scott Wedemeyer sued Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, his former employer, for defamation and tortious interference with a business expectancy. Gulfstream moved to dismiss, arguing, inter alia, that Wedemeyer was compelled to arbitrate his claims based on the parties’ arbitration agreement that covered all employment-related claims, including claims for intentional torts and defamation. After conducting two hearings on the matter and carefully reviewing the record, the trial court granted Gulfstream’s motion to compel arbitration and dismissed the case with prejudice. Wedemeyer appeals, contending that the trial court erred in compelling arbitration. For the reasons that follow, we affirm.

“Georgia courts are required to uphold valid arbitration provisions in contracts.” Citation and punctuation omitted. Bishop Contracting Co. v. Center Bros., 213 Ga. App. 804, 805 1 445 SE2d 780 1994. “The standard of review from the denial of a motion to compel arbitration is whether the trial court was correct as a matter of law.” Footnote omitted. D. S. Ameri Constr. Corp. v. Simpson, 271 Ga. App. 825, 826 611 SE2d 103 2005. “Unless the parties clearly and unmistakably provide otherwise,” the arbitrability is undeniably an issue for judicial determination. Citations omitted. AT&T Technologies v. Communications Workers of America, 475 U.S. 643, 649 II 106 SCt 1415, 89 LEd 648 1986.

Wedemeyer v. Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.

The parties' arbitration agreement clearly applied to disputes involving former employees of the defendant and unambiguously stated that it covered claims arising from the employment relationship, including the defamation and tortious interference with business expectancy claims at issue.

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