A trial court and a panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal previously ruled the arbitration agreement could be enforced. Courts generally uphold religious arbitration agreements just as they do any other form of arbitration. At times, though, courts have objected to religious arbitration awards that violated long-standing public policy, such as child support, or that failed to protect basic procedural rights. Religious arbitration is most common in the United States among Orthodox Jews, who may allow religious arbitrators to decide issues as diverse as divorce and commerce. Michael A. Helfand, an expert on religious arbitration, said after Tuesday’s hearing that the court appeared inclined to allow the case to go to religious arbitration.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 03, 2021 01:56 UTC