Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Arbitration
Plaintiff, a company with its principal place of business in Illinois, sued Defendant, a California LLC with registered offices in California, to vacate arbitration award and for declaratory judgment as to jurisdiction to enforce or vacate arbitration award. Parties had twice submitted disputes to arbitration, per clause in license agreement, and arbitrations took place in California. Plain language of Illinois Uniform Arbitration Act vests circuit court with subject matter jurisdiction, but parties agreed to conduct arbitration in California with no other specific location indicated in license agreement. Thus, Illinois courts are not the proper tribunal to adjudicate dispute about award, absent parties' express agreement to arbitrate in Illinois. (NEVILLE and MURPHY, concurring.)