Morales

INTRODUCTION

Juan Carlos Morales, II (Morales), appeals from judgments entered after the trial court denied his petitions to vacate an arbitration award and granted the petitions of Honey Science Corporation (Honey Science), PayPal, Inc. (PayPal), and Elizabeth Yang (collectively, defendants) to confirm the award.1 Morales contends: (1) the arbitrator refused to hear material evidence; (2) the arbitrator’s refusal to postpone the hearing prejudiced his substantial rights; (3) the arbitrator was biased; (4) the settlement agreement containing the arbitration provision is unenforceable; and (5) the award of attorneys’ fees should be reversed or reduced. The trial court concluded the evidence does not support findings that the arbitrator refused to hear expert testimony, improperly excluded Morales’s live testimony, or improperly refused to postpone the hearing. It further concluded Morales’s other contentions constituted challenges to the legal findings of the arbitrator, which are beyond the permissible scope of a court’s

As described in more detail below, Morales filed two actions in the superior court stemming from the termination of his employment with Honey Science.…