In First State Ins. Co. v. Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co., No. 13-cv-11322-IT (U.S.D.C. D. Mass. Oct. 21, 2014), a petition for an order to confirm a final arbitration award and entry of judgment was denied.  The court determined that although labeled a “Final Award,” the arbitration panel expressed no intention to resolve all claims submitted in the demands for arbitration.  Instead, the award focused on the plaintiff’s motion regarding contract interpretation, which directed the parties back to the panel with a proposed schedule leading to a hearing on remaining matters.  Moreover, although the panel proceeded to address the issues in phases, the parties did not jointly agree to bifurcation of the arbitration. Rather the record in the case showed that the defendant objected to bifurcation of the issues at an organizational meeting with plaintiff and the panel when it argued that the panel should consider all of the issues before it at the same time.