Stage Stores, Inc. v. Jon Gunnerson

This case presents an issue of contract interpretation: What did the parties mean when they agreed to a “reasoned award”?

The Court holds that the “award’s failure to provide any reasoning regarding Stage’s third contention prevents a determination that the award is reasoned.” It concludes that, under an exception to the functus officio doctrine, the matter can be remanded to the arbitrator to complete the adjudication of the award. I agree with the Court and join it. But I would also go further and directly hold that the award is not reasoned—not simply say that we are prevented from…