John v. Bowmer v. Dorothy B. Bowmer

Summary

The New York Court of Appeals affirmed the Appellate Division, holding that the separation agreement’s arbitration clause does not authorize arbitration of the husband’s claim for a downward modification of support obligations. The Court reasoned that the clause, while broadly worded, was qualified by specific enumerations that limited its scope, and the parties did not expressly agree to arbitrate modifications of the core support formula.