California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from Dunham v. Sierra Process Sys., Inc., A137240 (Cal. App. 2014):
"In determining waiver, a court can consider '(1) whether the party's actions are inconsistent with the right to arbitrate; (2) whether "the litigation machinery has been substantially invoked" and the parties "were well into preparation of a lawsuit" before the party notified the opposing party of an intent to arbitrate; (3) whether a party either requested arbitration enforcement close to the trial date or delayed for a long period before seeking a stay; (4) whether a defendant seeking arbitration filed a counterclaim without asking for a stay of the proceedings; (5) "whether important intervening steps [e.g., taking advantage of judicial discovery procedures not available in arbitration] had taken place"; and (6) whether the delay "affected, misled, or prejudiced" the opposing party. [Citations.]' [Citation.]" (Sobremonte, supra, 61 Cal.App.4th at p. 992, quoting Peterson v. Shearson/American Exp. Inc. (10th Cir. 1988) 849 F.2d 464, 467-468; adopted in St. Agnes, supra, 31 Cal.4th at p. 1196.)
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