Equistar Chemicals v. Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance Co. of Connecticut

Appellant, Equistar Chemicals, LP (Equistar), appeals the trial court’s denial of its motion to stay arbitration (710 ILCS 5/2 (West 2006)) and raises two issues before this court on interlocutory appeal:(1) Whether an initial determination of standing (i.e., whether a party agreed to submit to arbitration) is a predicate question to be resolved by the courts rather than the arbitrators, or whether standing itself is an arbitrable issue;(2) Whether an insurer subrogee to a party to an arbitration agreement has standing to invoke that agreement to compel arbitration.

In denying Equistar’s…