In Re Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.

An insurance company and an independent agent agreed to arbitrate rather than litigate any dispute “under or with respect to” their contract. But when the contract was terminated, the agent neither litigated nor arbitrated his dispute with the company; instead, he filed a tortious interference with contract suit against the insurer’s parent company, the agent who took his place, and two officers or affiliates of each. The trial court refused to compel arbitration under the Federal Arbitration Act, 1 and the Second Court of Appeals denied mandamus relief. We conditionally grant it. See In re…