Venture Cotton Cooperative and Noble Americas Corp. v. Shelby Alan Freeman

Two groups of cotton farmers sue to rescind contracts in which they agreed to sell cotton through a cooperative marketing pool. The farmers allege that they were fraudulently induced to join the cooperative and seek damages, declaratory relief, and attorney’s fees under various statutes. Because the agreements provide for arbitration of all disputes under the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C §§ 1-16, the cotton cooperative moved to stay the litigation and compel arbitration. This appeal is from the trial court’s interlocutory order, denying those motions. See Tex. Civ. PRAC. & Rem.Code §…