united-states contract-law arbitration binding
Is mandatory binding arbitration enforceable if the contract violation is also a criminal violation
<p>Given a standard contract between companies that include mandatory binding arbitration for any contract disputes:  Is arbitration still mandatory when the contract violation is also a serious criminal violation?</p>

<p>A contract violation (or a tort)_ as between two parties is a separate issue from a criminal violation, even though the same conduct might represent both. </p>

<p>It might be mandatory to use arbitration to settle the civil issue. However, no arbitration decree or contract can compel one party not to report a crime, particularly when failure to report would itself be criminal. Nor can a contract requiring arbitration  to deal with a dispute over a contract bind the authorities from prosecuting a crime, should they believe that there is a crime to be dealt with.</p>
