State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Trujillo

*300 *883 ¶ 1 The instant appeal arises from a lawsuit filed by plaintiff, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, as subrogee of Joanna Potepa, against defendant, Juan Trujillo, for damages resulting from an automobile collision. The matter was submitted for mandatory arbitration, and while defendant was represented by counsel at the arbitration, defendant himself was not present during the arbitration. The arbitrators entered an award in favor of plaintiff, and defendant rejected the award. Plaintiff filed a motion to bar defendant from rejecting the award as a sanction for his absence from…