A trial court in Missouri denied a stay while BNSF Railway's petition to compel arbitration is pending in federal court. Last month, CCL President Robert S. Peck argued that the stay should be denied for multiple reasons, including that the arbitration clause was unconstitutional, that the arbitration agreement did not apply to many of the plaintiffs in this train derailment case, and that arbitration had been waived by BNSF's participation in the state court litigation. 

     The court's ruling came after extensive additional briefing.