New England Property Services Group, LLC v. Vermont Mutual Insurance Company

Summary

The Rhode Island Supreme Court affirmed the Superior Court’s order vacating an appraisal award, holding that the court had subject‑matter jurisdiction to do so and that the appraisal process is governed by the Arbitration Act even though the policy omitted the word “disinterested.” The Court also ruled that the plaintiff is estopped from now claiming the proceeding was not arbitration after having previously sought confirmation of the award, and it applied a de novo standard of review.