Venue ≠ Arbitrability

The Fifth Court rejected a challenge, based on a contract’s venue clause, to the confirmation of an arbitration award, in Picone v. Cruciani:

The concept of venue speaks to the  place where a lawsuit is to proceed. See id. It does not speak to the manner in which a dispute will be resolved. Nor is a provision calling for venue in Dallas County courts mutually exclusive from an arbitration provision: even if the parties agree to arbitrate their differences, a court must confirm the arbitrator’s award, and a venue provision determines where that confirmation will take place. The venue provision in the 2020 Release and Settlement has no bearing on the arbitrability of any claim between these parties.

No. 05-22-00841-CV (Dec. 21, 2023) (mem. op.) (citations omitted).