Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co. v. Smith

Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company (Panhandle) appeals a district court judgment granting damages to its former employee Nowlin Smith, Jr., for breach of contract. Panhandle asserts that no contract ever existed. It maintains that the dispute which is here on appeal should have been submitted to arbitration under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. It also maintains that if this court decides a contract did exist, we should nevertheless reverse the damage award because it was not supported by sufficient evidence.