Wolfkill Feed & Fertilizer Corp. v. Martin

Mandatory arbitration rules prohibit any reference to the arbitration in any pleading, brief, or other written or oral statement to the court on trial de novo. MAR 7.2(b)(1). Wolfkill Feed and Fertilizer Corporation violated this rule when it discussed the factual substance of the case and that the claim was for $9,000 in its memorandum on de novo review. The question before us is whether the trial judge abused his discretion by refusing to recuse himself, seal the trial brief, and impose terms on Wolfkill. We conclude the trial judge did not abuse his discretion by refusing to step down…