dean witter reynolds byrd argued december decided march respondent invested securities petitioner parties written agreement arbitrate disputes might arise account thereafter value account declined respondent filed action petitioner federal district alleging violations securities exchange act various provisions petitioner filed motion compel arbitration pendent state claims parties agreement stay arbitration pending resolution federal action petitioner argued federal arbitration act provides arbitration agreements shall valid irrevocable enforceable save upon grounds exist law equity revocation contract required district compel arbitration state claims district denied motion appeals affirmed held district erred refusing grant petitioner motion compel arbitration state claims pp arbitration act requires district courts compel arbitration pendent arbitrable claims one parties files motion compel even result possibly inefficient maintenance separate proceedings different forums terms act leaves room exercise discretion district instead mandates district courts shall direct parties proceed arbitration issues arbitration agreement signed act legislative history establishes principal purpose ensure judicial enforcement privately made arbitration agreements promote expeditious resolution claims compelling arbitration claims district successfully protects parties contractual rights rights arbitration act pp neither stay arbitration proceedings joined proceedings necessary protect federal interest proceeding formulation rules affords adequate protection interest pp marshall delivered opinion unanimous white filed concurring opinion post eugene bell argued cause petitioner briefs kevin fitzgerald eric benham argued cause filed brief respondent joseph riemer iii william fitzpatrick filed brief securities industry association et al amici curiae urging reversal justice marshall delivered opinion question presented whether complaint raises federal securities claims pendent state claims federal district may deny motion compel arbitration claims despite parties agreement arbitrate disputes granted certiorari resolve conflict among federal courts appeals question lamar byrd sold dental practice invested securities dean witter reynolds securities value account declined september march byrd filed complaint dean witter district southern district california alleging violation securities exchange act various provisions federal jurisdiction claims based diversity citizenship principle pendent jurisdiction complaint byrd alleged agent dean witter traded account without prior consent number transactions executed behalf account excessive misrepresentations made agent dean witter status account agent acted dean witter knowledge participation ratification byrd invested funds dean witter signed customer agreement providing ny controversy undersigned arising relating contract breach thereof shall settled arbitration app pet cert dean witter accordingly filed motion order severing pendent state claims compelling arbitration staying arbitration claims pending resolution action app argued federal arbitration act arbitration act act provides arbitration agreements shall valid irrevocable enforceable save upon grounds exist law equity revocation contract required district compel arbitration claims act authorizes parties arbitration agreement petition federal district order compelling arbitration issue referable arbitration agreement dean witter assumed federal securities claim subject arbitration provision contract resolved federal forum seek compel arbitration claim district denied entirety motion sever compel arbitration pendent state claims interlocutory appeal appeals ninth circuit affirmed ii confronted issue address whether compel arbitration pendent claims federal event assert jurisdiction claim federal courts appeals adopted two different approaches along ninth circuit case fifth eleventh circuits relied doctrine intertwining arbitrable nonarbitrable claims arise transaction sufficiently intertwined factually legally district view may discretion deny arbitration arbitrable claims try claims together federal courts acknowledge strong federal policy favor enforcing arbitration agreements offer two reasons district courts nevertheless decline compel arbitration situation first assert result necessary preserve consider exclusive jurisdiction federal securities claim otherwise suggest arbitration intertwined state claim might precede federal proceeding factfinding done arbitrator might thereby bind federal collateral estoppel second reason cite efficiency declining compel arbitration avoids bifurcated proceedings perhaps redundant efforts litigate factual questions twice contrast sixth seventh eighth circuits held arbitration act divests district courts discretion regarding arbitration cases containing arbitrable nonarbitrable claims instead requires courts compel arbitration arbitrable claims asked courts conclude act plain meaning strong federal policy reflects requires courts enforce bargain parties arbitrate substitute views economy efficiency congress dickinson heinold securities agree latter courts arbitration act requires district courts compel arbitration pendent arbitrable claims one parties files motion compel even result possibly inefficient maintenance separate proceedings different forums accordingly reverse decision compel arbitration iii arbitration act provides written agreements arbitrate controversies arising existing contract shall valid irrevocable enforceable save upon grounds exist law equity revocation contract terms act leaves place exercise discretion district instead mandates district courts shall direct parties proceed arbitration issues arbitration agreement signed thus insofar language act guides disposition case conclude agreements arbitrate must enforced absent ground revocation contractual agreement suggested however act expressly address whether mandate enforce arbitration agreements holds true course result bifurcated proceedings arbitration agreement enforced act drafters explicitly consider prospect bifurcated proceedings told clear language act might misleading thus courts adopted view ninth circuit case argued act goal speedy efficient decisionmaking thwarted bifurcated proceedings given absence clear direction point intent congress passing act controls compels refusal compel arbitration point addition past occasion identified contrary federal interest sufficiently compelling outweigh mandate arbitration act see supra conclude interest speedy resolution claims case see miley oppenheimer cunningham dean witter reynolds supp ed cal turn consider whether legislative history act provides guidance issue congressional history expressly direct resolution scenario address conclude however consideration congress intent passing statute must compel arbitration otherwise arbitrable claims motion compel arbitration made legislative history act establishes purpose behind passage ensure judicial enforcement privately made agreements arbitrate therefore reject suggestion overriding goal arbitration act promote expeditious resolution claims act mandate arbitration claims merely enforcement upon motion one parties privately negotiated arbitration agreements house report accompanying act makes clear purpose place arbitration agreement upon footing contracts belongs overrule judiciary longstanding refusal enforce agreements arbitrate say congress blind potential benefit legislation expedited resolution disputes far house report expressly observed practically appropriate action taken time much agitation costliness delays litigation matters largely eliminated agreements arbitration arbitration agreements made valid enforceable therefore persuaded argument conflict two goals arbitration act enforcement private agreements encouragement efficient speedy dispute resolution must resolved favor latter order realize intent drafters preeminent concern congress passing act enforce private agreements parties entered concern requires rigorously enforce agreements arbitrate even result piecemeal litigation least absent countervailing policy manifested another federal statute see supra compelling arbitration claims district successfully protects contractual rights parties rights arbitration act iv also suggested however courts appeals held district courts decide arbitrable pendent claims nonarbitrable federal claim otherwise findings arbitration proceeding might effect subsequent federal proceeding preclusive effect believed pose threat federal interest resolution securities claims warrant refusal compel arbitration courts held claims separately resolved preclusive effect warrants stay arbitration proceedings pending resolution federal securities claim case dean witter also asked district stay arbitration proceedings pending resolution federal claim suspect response holdings believe preclusive effect arbitration proceedings significantly less well settled lower opinions might suggest consequence misconception formulation unnecessarily contorted procedures conclude neither stay proceedings joined proceedings necessary protect federal interest proceeding formulation rules affords adequate protection interest initially far certain arbitration proceedings preclusive effect litigation nonarbitrable federal claims last term held neither provision judicially fashioned rule preclusion permits federal accord res judicata effect unappealed arbitration award case brought mcdonald west branch statute requires federal courts give preclusive effect state judicial proceedings courts state rendering judgment since arbitration judicial proceeding held statute apply arbitration awards analysis inevitably apply unappealed state arbitration proceedings also declined mcdonald fashion federal rule preclusion part ground arbitration provide adequate substitute judicial proceeding protecting federal statutory constitutional rights designed safeguard therefore recognized arbitration proceedings necessarily preclusive effect subsequent proceedings significantly mcdonald also establishes courts may directly effectively protect federal interests determining preclusive effect given arbitration proceeding since preclusion doctrine comfortably plays role follows neither stay arbitration proceedings refusal compel arbitration state claims required order assure precedent arbitration impede subsequent action courts appeals assumed effect must given arbitration proceedings therefore sought accomplish indirectly erroneously assumed directly question preclusive effect arbitration proceedings might yet us however decide effect arbitration proceeding issue arbitration completed course therefore need consider whether analysis mcdonald encompasses case suffice say framing preclusion rules context courts shall take account federal interests warranting protection result reason require district courts decline compel arbitration manipulate ordering resulting bifurcated proceedings simply avoid infringement federal interests finding unpersuasive arguments advanced support ruling hold district erred refusing grant motion dean witter compel arbitration pendent state claims accordingly reverse decision appeals insofar upheld district denial motion compel arbitration remand proceedings consistent opinion ordered footnotes dean witter amici representing securities industry urge us resolve applicability wilko claims rule decline district dean witter seek compel arbitration federal securities claims thus question whether wilko applies rule claims properly us respondent byrd also argues contract adhesion arbitration agreement subject close judicial scrutiny routinely enforced byrd present argument courts decline address first instance therefore express view merits argument see belke merrill lynch pierce fenner smith miley oppenheimer see also cunningham dean witter reynolds supp ed cal see also surman merrill lynch pierce fenner smith liskey oppenheimer bifurcated proceedings might result several kinds cases involving securities transactions example since decision wilko swan see supra claims arising securities act may resolved arbitration confronted claim pendent state claims motion compel arbitration bifurcated proceedings might result wilko applies claims arising provisions securities acts situation arise also federal securities claim pendent claims filed party arbitration agreement asks district compel arbitration pendent state claims prospect bifurcated proceeding arises finally federal courts addressed issue confronted federal antitrust actions pendent state claims see lee ply gem industries app holding arbitrable claims become subject adjudication merely related nonarbitrable claims dispute arises contract containing agreement arbitrate cert denied according report need law arises anachronism american law centuries ago jealousy english courts jurisdiction refused enforce specific agreements arbitrate upon ground courts thereby ousted jurisdiction jealousy survived long period principle became firmly embedded english common law adopted american courts courts felt precedent strongly fixed overturned without legislative enactment although frequently criticised rule recognized illogical nature injustice results bill declares simply agreements arbitration shall enforced provides procedure federal courts enforcement see also cong rec creates new legislation grants new rights except remedy enforce agreement commercial contracts admiralty contracts see belke merrill lynch pierce fenner smith miley oppenheimer cunningham dean witter reynolds see surman merrill lynch pierce fenner smith dickinson heinold securities see also liskey oppenheimer discussing dickinson justice white concurring join opinion write separately add words regarding two issues leaves undeveloped premise controversy us respondent claims securities exchange act arbitrable notwithstanding contrary agreement parties opinion rightly concludes question whether us ante nonetheless note matter substantial doubt wilko swan held arbitration agreements unenforceable regard claims act relied three interconnected statutory provisions act voids stipulation binding person acquiring security waive compliance provision act noted creates special right recover misrepresentation differs substantially action allows suit state federal competent jurisdiction provides nationwide service process wilko reasoning mechanically transplanted act act equivalent act counterparts two provisions imperfect absent altogether jurisdiction act narrower restricted federal courts important cause action rule involved implied rather express see herman maclean huddleston nn phrase waive compliance provision chapter emphasis added thus literally inapplicable moreover wilko solicitude federal cause action special right established congress necessarily appropriate cause action judicially implied different action expressed reservations scherk reiterate emphasize question remains open contrary holdings lower courts must viewed doubt opinion makes clear district stay arbitration refuse compel fear preclusive effect perceive possible reasons staying arbitration pending outcome lawsuit belated enforcement arbitration clause though less substantial interference refusal enforce nonetheless significantly disappoints expectations parties frustrates clear purpose agreement addition decided two proceedings go forward independently concern speedy resolution suggests neither delayed impossibility lawyers two places may require accommodation scheduling seems heavy presumption arbitration lawsuit proceed normal course matter remains determined district see nothing record us indicate arbitration present case stayed act explicitly provide private right action victims certain illegal conduct see none sections relied respondent