America’s Home Place, Inc. v. Gregory Rampey

Summary

The Alabama Supreme Court reversed the trial court’s denial of America’s Home Place’s motion to compel arbitration, holding that the arbitration provision in the parties’ contract was enforceable despite the plaintiff’s claim that his signature beneath that provision was forged. The court affirmed that initials next to the arbitration clause constitute assent, and a plaintiff cannot benefit from a contract while repudiating its arbitration clause. Justice Murdock, concurring, agreed with the result but criticized the majority’s reliance on Stiles and the quoted principle about avoiding arbitration provisions.