Timothy L. WOODS, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. SATURN DISTRIBUTION CORPORATION, a Delaware Corporation, Defendant-Appellee

Opinion by Judge WIGGINS.

OVERVIEW

Timothy Woods appeals the district court’s order granting Saturn Distribution Corporation’s motion to confirm the arbitration award pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), 9 U.S.C. § 9 (1994), and denying Woods’s motion to vacate the arbitration award pursuant to 9 U.S.C. § 10 (a)(2) (1994). The arbitration panel unanimously upheld Saturn’s termination of its franchise agreement with Woods and awarded Woods $66,-754 plus reimbursement of any franchise fees paid to Saturn ($25,000 maximum). Woods contends that his actual damages exceed the award. On appeal, he argues that the district court applied the wrong legal standard for determining whether the arbitration panel was “evidently partial” under section 10(a)(2) or, alternatively, the court erred in not continuing the motions to allow time for Woods to conduct discovery to show actual bias on the part of the arbitrators. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 (1994), and we affirm the district court’s order.

FACTS AND PRIOR PROCEEDINGS

On September 21, 1989, the parties entered into a Dealer Agreement, whereby Saturn authorized Woods to construct and operate two Saturn…