ÿWPCÉ /# ¢UN­ %û 0(w@)4i}Œ 0J” 0TÞ 0^2 0h 0rø 0|j 0†æ 0l 1uü 0dqU>ÕB) 0@< D3| B¯ DCÌ AM U*\ † v~ vÓ AQÞÆ/ 0Dõ 0D9 D/} B¬˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLHÎ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ EEEÓ€ #B\J#3|x#2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò""""'ÿÿdxd d7Border 1dd* #Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial ýÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ+"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€%ÔÔ€%ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€%XÔÌÌò òNovember€14,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€%ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva Ò*+ ,-Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó..'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  Ýò òÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEó óÌà@ àò òWESTERN€SECTION€AT€JACKSON€€€ÌœÙ€*ÙßR€$&#A1-j|tÉ` Å `€€@ÿRß›à àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌóóÌÌWILLIAM€JEFF€BOYLE,€€€€€à àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àó óPlaintiff/Appellee,€ò òà àà àà à)à àó óShelby€Circuit€No.€58552€T.D.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àò ò)Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à à€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVIRGINIA€THOMAS,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à à€€à à)à àó óAppeal€No.€02A01„9601„CV„00022Ìò òà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìó óà àDefendants/Appellant.à àò òà à)à àÌòòó óÌò òóóÌ€€€ÌÌÌà@ àó óAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€SHELBY€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€MEMPHIS,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€ROBERT€A.€LANIER,€JUDGE€€€òòÌÌÌFor€the€Plaintiff/Appelleeóó:òòà àà àà àFor€the€Defendants/AppellantóósòòÌóóÌRobert€A.€McLean€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à àKenneth€R.€Shuttleworth€€€ÌThomas€J.€Walsh,€Jr.€à àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€Archie€Sanders,€IIIÌMemphis,€Tennesseeà àà àà àà àMemphis,€Tennessee€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌò òÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àó óHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌòòÌóóW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.ÌÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.ò òÇØØÙ  ÙÓÓÑ7€ŒÞXXdðXXdð7ÑÑ  ќ̛à@ àOPINIONó óÌÓ  Ӝ̛à àThis€is€a€dog€œbite›€case€that€was€heard€œby›€an€arbitrator.€€The€trial€court€vacated€the€arbitrationÏaward€on€the€basis€that€the€arbitrator€œmisapplied›€the€law.€€Based€on€ò òòòArnold€v.€œMorgan›€KeeganÏ&€Co.óóó ó,€914€S.W.2d€445€(Tenn.€1996),€we€reverse.Ìà àAppellee€William€Jeff€Boyle€(ð ðBoyleðð)€worked€at€The€Butcher€Shop€restaurant€on€SouthÏFront€Street€in€Memphis,€Tennessee.€€At€2:00€a.m.€one€morning,€he€left€the€restaurant,€got€in€hisÏcar,€and€started€driving€home,€when€he€realized€that€he€had€left€an€item€at€work.€€He€parked€a€fewÏspaces€away€from€the€entrance€to€restaurant,€got€out,€and€jogged€towards€the€œdoor.€€At€this€time,ÏAppellant€Virginia€Thomas€(ð ðThomasðð)€was€standing€with€her€dog€between€a€car€and€the€curb€nearÏBoyle.€€The€dog€was€on€a€leash.€€As›€œBoyle›€jogged€toward€œthe€restaurant›€door,€œThomasðð›€dogÏœjumped›€on€him.€€Boyle€asserts€that€the€dog€bit€his€left€arm.€€œThomas›€stated€that,€at€most,€the€dogÏscratched€Boyleððs€arm.€œThomas€pulled€the€dog€off€Boyle.€€›€œBefore€the€dog€jumped€on€him,›€BoyleÏsaw€neither€Thomas€nor€the€dog,€since€his€attention€was€focused€on€the€door€to€the€shop.€Ìà àThomas€gave€Boyle€fifty€dollars€at€the€scene€to€help€pay€for€his€ripped€shirt.€€ThomasÏclaimed€that€Boyle€never€complained€at€the€scene€about€an€injury,€only€about€his€shirt.€€BoyleÏstated€œthat›€he€then€was€treated€at€a€hospital€emergency€room.€€He€asserted€œthat›€a€scar€developedÏwhere€the€dog€bit€him.€€He€had€plastic€surgery€to€reduce€the€scar,€and€Boyle€stated€that€he€has€beenÏtold€he€will€need€further€surgery€on€the€scar.€€He€asserted€that€he€missed€at€least€a€week€and€a€halfÏof€work€as€a€result€of€the€incident.€Ìà àBoyle€claimed€that€he€talked€to€Thomas€several€days€after€the€incident,€and€she€ð ðtold€himÏthe€dog€frequently€jumped€upon€people,€pawing€them€and€bruising€them.ðð€€Thomas€denied€tellingÏBoyle€or€anyone€else€that€her€dog€has€ever€jumped€on€or€attacked€anyone.Ìà àBoyle€filed€suit€against€Thomas,€and€the€parties€agreed€to€arbitration€of€the€dispute.€€After€aÏœhearing,€the›€arbitrator€determined€that€the€dog€was€not€running€at€large€and€that,€consequently,ÏThomas€was€not€liable€under€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€ðð€44„8„408€or€City€of€MemphisÍOrdinance€ðð€5„60.€€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€ðð€44„8„408€provides,€in€pertinent€part:ÌÓÓà8 àIt€is€unlawful€for€any€person€to€allow€a€dog€belonging€to€or€under€the€control€ofÏsuch€person,€or€that€may€be€habitually€found€on€premises€occupied€by€the€person,Ïor€œÇà8 àimmediately›€under€the€control€of€such€person,€to€go€upon€the€premises€of€another,Ïor€upon€a€highway€or€upon€a€public€road€or€street€.€.€.€.ÌÌTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€44„8„408€(1993).€€City€of€Memphis€Ordinance€ðð€5„60€provides:ÌÌà8 àà àDog€owners€shall,€at€all€times,€keep€their€animals€on€a€leash€or€otherÏsuitable€restraint€or€confined€by€a€fence€on€their€property€or€the€private€property€ofÏanother,€with€the€permission€of€the€owner€of€that€property€so€as€to€prevent€theÏanimal€from€being€at€large,€biting€or€harassing€any€person€engaged€in€a€lawful€act,Ïinterfering€with€the€use€of€public€property€or€with€the€use€of€another€personððsÏprivate€property,€or€being€in€violation€of€any€other€section€of€this€Code.€€No€animalÏshall€be€allowed€to€run€at€large€even€on€the€property€of€the€owner€of€such€animal,Ïunless€confined€by€a€fence€or€other€suitable€restraint.ÌÌÓÓœCity›€of€Memphis€Ordinance€ðð€œ5„60.›€€The€arbitrator€also€concluded€that€Thomas€was€not€liableÏunder€the€common€law€because€Boyle€had€failed€to€carry€his€burden€of€proof€that€Thomas€ð ðknew,Ïor€by€exercise€of€reasonable€care€should€have€known,€that€her€dog€had€either€vicious€orÏmischievous€propensities€and€was€likely€to€cause€harm€to€third€parties.ðð€€Therefore,€the€arbitratorÏruled€in€Thomasðð€favor.Ìà àThomas€moved€the€trial€court€to€confirm€the€arbitratorððs€decision,€and€Boyle€moved€theÏcourt€to€vacate€the€decision.€€After€reviewing€the€record,€the€trial€court€found:ÌÓÓà8 àà à1)€€that€Ordinance€5„60€of€the€City€of€Memphis€requires€that€ð ðdog€ownersÏshall€at€all€times€keep€their€animals€on€a€leash€.€.€.€so€as€to€prevent€the€animal€fromÏbiting€or€harassing€any€person€engaged€in€a€lawful€act,€.€.€.€.ðð;ÌÌà8 àà à2)€€that€the€language€of€the€ordinance€is€clear€on€its€face;ÌÌà8 àà à3)€€that€the€record€reflects€and€the€parties€do€not€dispute€that€the€plaintiff€wasÏbitten€by€defendantððs€dog;ÌÌà8 àà à4)€€that€the€record€shows€that€plaintiff€was€engaged€in€a€lawful€act€at€theÏtime€„€ð ðjogging€slightly€along€the€sidewalkðð€and€that€there€was€no€evidenceÏplaintiffððs€conduct€was€unlawful€or€a€proximate€cause€of€the€dog€bite;ÌÌà8 àà à5)€€that€defendant€did€not€prevent€her€dog,€which€was€on€a€leash,€fromÏbiting€plaintiff;€andÌÌà8 àà à6)€€that€under€the€Ordinance€as€applied€to€the€facts,€this€conduct€constitutesÏnegligence€òòperóó€òòseóó€under€the€law€of€Tennessee,€contrary€to€the€holding€of€theÏarbitrator.ÌÌà8 àà àTHEREFORE,€the€Court€further€finds€that€the€arbitrator€exceeded€his€powerÏunder€T.C.A.€ðð€29„5„313(a)€and€that€plaintiffððs€motion€is€well€taken€and€that€theÏmatter€should€be€remanded€for€a€rehearing€before€new€arbitrators€as€provided€for€inÍT.C.A.€ðð€29„5„313(c)€to€follow€the€law€of€Tennessee€as€found€by€the€Court€herein.ÌÌÓÓThe€trial€court€vacated€the€arbitratorððs€decision€and€remanded€for€further€arbitration.€€From€thisÏdecision€Thomas€now€appeals.€€ò òòòSeeóóó ó€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€29„5„319(a)(3)€(Supp.€œ1997).›Ìà àœÇà àOn›€appeal,€Thomas€asserts€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€denying€her€motion€to€confirm€theÏarbitratorððs€decision€and€in€vacating€that€decision.€€She€claims€that€the€trial€court€erred€byÏimproperly€vacating€the€arbitratorððs€decision€because€it€disagreed€with€the€arbitratorððs€legalÏconclusions.€€In€the€alternative,€Thomas€argues€that€the€arbitrator€correctly€interpreted€theÏcontrolling€law.Ìœ›à àTennessee€Code€Annotated€ðð€29„5„313€addresses€the€circumstances€under€which€a€trialÏcourt€may€vacate€an€arbitratorððs€decision:ÌÓÓà à(a)€Upon€application€of€a€party,€the€court€shall€vacate€an€award€where:ÌÌà8 àà à(1)€€The€award€was€procured€by€corruption,€fraud€or€other€undue€means;ÌÌà8 àà à(2)€€There€was€evident€partiality€by€an€arbitrator€appointed€as€a€neutral€orÏcorruption€in€any€of€the€arbitrators€or€misconduct€prejudicing€the€rights€of€anyÏparty;ÌÌà8 àà à(3)€€The€arbitrators€exceeded€their€powers;ÌÌà8 àà à(4)€€The€arbitrators€refused€to€postpone€the€hearing€upon€sufficient€causeÏbeing€shown€therefor€or€refused€to€hear€evidence€material€to€the€controversy€orÏotherwise€so€conducted€the€hearing,€contrary€to€the€provisions€of€ðð€29„5„306,€as€toÏprejudice€substantially€the€rights€of€a€party;€orÌÌà8 àà à(5)€€There€was€no€arbitration€agreement€and€the€issue€was€not€adverselyÏdetermined€in€proceedings€under€ðð€29„5„303€and€the€party€did€not€participate€in€theÏarbitration€hearing€without€raising€the€objection.ÌÌà8 àThe€fact€that€the€relief€was€such€that€it€could€not€or€would€not€be€granted€by€a€courtÏof€law€or€equity€is€not€ground€for€vacating€or€refusing€to€confirm€the€award.ÌÌÓÓTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€29„5„313(a)€(Supp.€œ1997).›€Ìà àIn€òòò òArnold€v.€Morgan€Keegan€&€Co.ó óóó,€914€S.W.2d€445€(Tenn.€1996),€€the€TennesseeÏSupreme€Court€discussed€the€standard€of€review€to€be€applied€by€a€trial€court€in€considering€anÏarbitration€decision.€€The€Court€noted€that€ð ð[t]he€standard€to€be€applied€by€the€trial€court€is€aÏnarrow€oneðð€and€that€ð ðcourts€should€play€only€a€limited€role€in€reviewing€the€decisions€ofÏarbitrators.ðð€€òòò òId.ó óóó€at€448.€€Noting€€that€a€trial€court€cannot€vacate€an€arbitratorððs€decision€ð ðbecause€itÏdisagrees€with€the€result,ðð€the€œCourt›€recognized€that€a€trial€court€is€severely€limited€in€its€authorityÏwhen€considering€issues€decided€in€arbitration.€€ò òòòId.óóó ó€€The€Court€observed€that€a€trial€court€does€notÍconduct€a€ò òòòde€novoóóó ó€hearing€when€reviewing€an€arbitration€decision;€rather,€it€hears€evidence€andÏenters€factual€findings€and€legal€conclusions€based€on€the€issues€raised€in€the€application€to€vacateÏthe€award.€€ò òòòId.óóó ó€(citations€omitted).€€The€Court€concluded:ÌÓÓà8 àà àCourts,€thus,€do€not€sit€to€hear€claims€of€factual€or€legal€error€by€anÏarbitrator€as€an€appellate€court€does€in€reviewing€decisions€of€lower€courts.€€If€theÏcourts€were€free€to€intervene€on€these€grounds,€the€speedy€resolution€of€grievancesÏby€private€mechanisms€would€be€greatly€undermined.€€As€long€as€the€arbitrator€is,Ïarguably,€construing€or€applying€the€contract€and€acting€within€the€scope€of€hisÏauthority,€the€fact€that€a€court€is€convinced€he€committed€serious€error€does€notÏsuffice€to€overturn€his€decision.ÌÌÓÓò òòòId.óóó ó€at€449.€€In€this€case,€the€trial€courtððs€order€vacating€the€arbitration€award€states€that€the€trialÏcourt€found€ð ðthat€the€arbitrator€exceeded€his€power.ðð€€This€is€one€of€the€enumerated€bases€forÏvacating€an€award€under€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€ðð€29„5„313(a)(3).€€ð ðArbitrators€ððexceed€theirÏpowersðð€when€they€go€beyond€the€scope€of€authority€granted€by€the€arbitration€agreement.ðð€Ïò òòòArnoldó óóó,€914€S.W.2d€at€450.€€€ò òòòSee€International€Talent€Group,€Inc.€v.€CopyrightÏManagement,€Inc.óóó ó,€769€S.W.2d€217,€218,€220€(Tenn.€App.€1988)€(arbitration€award€vacatedÏbecause€arbitrators€exceeded€their€powers€where€award€ð ðdid€not€draw€its€essence€from€theÏAgreement€of€the€partiesðð;€an€arbitratorððs€scope€of€authority€ð ðis€determined€by€the€terms€of€theÏagreement€between€the€parties€which€includes€the€agreement€of€the€parties€to€arbitrate€the€disputeðð).€€ÏIn€ò òòòArnoldó óóó,€the€appellant€sought€to€vacate€the€arbitration€award,€asserting€that€the€arbitration€panelÏexceeded€its€powers€by€rendering€a€decision€œthat€was›€ð ðcompletely€irrational€and€totally€contrary€toÏthe€undisputed€and€agreed€evidence€and€the€law€acknowledged€to€be€applicable.ðð€€ò òòòArnoldó óóó,€914ÏS.W.2d€at€450.€€The€Tennessee€Supreme€Court€affirmed€the€trial€courtððs€conclusion€that€theÏappellantððs€position€was€that€the€arbitration€panel€ð ðmade€a€mistake€of€law€or€factðð€in€its€decision.€ÏThe€Court€found€that€the€award€did€not€suggest€that€œthe›€arbitration€panel€went€outside€theÏarbitration€agreement€or€failed€to€apply€Tennessee€law.€€Therefore,€the€trial€courtððs€confirmation€ofÏthe€arbitration€award€was€affirmed.€€ò òòòId.ó óóóÌà àIn€the€arbitratorððs€decision€in€this€case,€the€arbitrator€discusses€Tennessee€law€at€length,Ïexplaining€his€interpretation€of€the€applicable€statutes€and€case€law.€€In€its€review€of€the€arbitratorððsÍdecision,€the€trial€court€indicates€strong€disagreement€with€œthe€arbitratorððs›€interpretation€ofÏTennessee€law,€stating€that€the€language€of€City€of€Memphis€Ordinance€5„60€ð ðis€clear€on€its€faceððÏand:ÌÓÓà8 à.€.€.€that€under€the€Ordinance€as€applied€to€the€facts,€[Thomasðð]€conduct€constitutesÏnegligence€ò òòòper€seó óóó€under€the€law€of€Tennessee,€contrary€to€the€holding€of€theÏarbitrator.ÌÌÓÓFrom€this,€the€trial€court€concludes€that€the€arbitrator€exceeded€his€powers.€€It€is€apparent€that€theÏœbasis›€for€the€trial€courtððs€decision€to€vacate€the€arbitration€award€was€its€strong€disagreement€withÏthe€arbitrator€on€the€correct€interpretation€of€the€applicable€law.̜Ǜà àAs€stated€in€ò òòòArnoldó óóó,€a€mistake€of€law€by€the€arbitrator€does€not€mean€that€he€exceeded€hisÏpowers€and€cannot€be€the€basis€for€vacating€the€award.€€ò òòòSee€Arnoldó óóó,€914€S.W.2d€at€œ451.›€€EvenÏif€the€trial€court€is€ð ðconvinced€he€committed€serious€error€[this]€does€not€suffice€to€overturn€hisÏdecision.ðð€€ò òòòId.ó óóó€at€449.€€Therefore,€the€trial€courtððs€decision€to€vacate€the€arbitration€award€must€beÏreversed.Ìà àThe€issue€of€whether€the€arbitrator€correctly€interpreted€the€applicable€Tennessee€law€isÏpretermitted€by€this€holding.€Ìœ›à àThe€decision€of€the€trial€court€is€reversed,€and€the€arbitratorððs€award€is€confirmed.€€ThisÏcase€is€remanded€for€any€necessary€further€proceedings€consistent€with€this€Opinion.€€œCosts€onÏappeal€€are€taxed€to€Appellee,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.›ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àò òóóHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€J.Ìó óà àò òÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€P.€J.,€W.S.ÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.ó óÌ