Rabbinical Court Immune from Lawsuit

Parties fighting about the proceeds of a life insurance policy agreed to proceed before a beth din. Although the Second Department’s decision which reversed the lower court does not provide details, it seems that the losing party before the beth din was unhappy with that decision and sued the beth din and one of the rabbis involved. Because the lower court had earlier found that the beth din had exceeded its authority and vacated its decision, that court denied the beth din’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the case.

The Second Department held that unless the rabbinical beth din arbitrators “acted in the clear absence of all jurisdiction,” they were immune from being sued in their roles as arbitrators. The fact that the lower court had previously found that the rabbinical court acted in excess of its authority did not alter their arbitral immunity.

This outcome is unsurprising which leaves the question as to the real motivation behind this lawsuit.

Pinkesz Mut. Holdings, LLC v. Pinkesz