Expert Determination: Avoiding The Courts

Expert determination clauses are commonplace in commercial agreements, being of particular use in technical or financial disputes where the parties require a swift evaluation to be carried out. The process of expert determination is generally quick, informal, and significantly cheaper than alternative methods of dispute resolution, although parties should be aware that courts have little control over the activities of such experts and, unless explicitly set out in the agreement, there is generally no opportunity for parties to appeal an expert's decision.

A recent case has highlighted that an expert determination clause will not always prevent a court intervening in the dispute at an early stage where the jurisdiction of the expert is in question. In that case the court held (on appeal) that it is in the interests of justice for the courts to determine whether an expert has jurisdiction to hear a dispute under an expert determination clause. The court said that it is "neither just nor convenient" to defer that decision until after the expert has decided whether he has jurisdiction.

Background

Two parties had agreed an expert determination clause which provided that, in the event of a dispute regarding profits, the affected party could refer the matter to an accountant for determination, including the determination of any dispute concerning the interpretation of the agreement. A reference to expert determination could be made up to 30 days after an allocation of profits. A dispute arose as to whether, in the absence of an allocation of profits, the expert had jurisdiction to deal with the dispute.

The court had to consider whether or not it should stay the proceedings before it on the basis that the issues fell within the expert determination. The court gave judgment on this issue, despite the fact that the parties had reached a settlement before judgment was handed down, as the issues were thought to be of general importance.

Decision

The court decided that expert determination clauses presupposed that the parties intended certain types of dispute to be resolved by expert determination, and other types by the court. This is to be distinguished from arbitration clauses, for example, which are construed on the assumption that the parties intend any dispute, including a dispute as to the tribunal's jurisdiction, to be decided by the arbitral tribunal.

The court held that, even where an expert determination clause conferred a right on an expert...