STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT ALLCO, LLC & ALLCO VIRGIN NO. 2020 CW 0396 ISLANDS, LLC VERSUS APTIM ENVIRONMENTAL & INFRASTRUCTURE, LLC F/K/A APTIM ENVIRONMENTAL & INFRASTRUCTURE, INC. & JONATHON HUNT AUGUST 3, 2020 In Re: Aptim Environmental & Infrastructure, LLC & Jonathon Hunt, applying for supervisory writs, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, No. 683404.

BEFORE : HIGGINBOTHAM, PENZATO, AND LANIER, JJ.

WRIT GRANTED. The trial court’s November 12, 2019 judgment denying the defendants’, Aptim Environmental & Infrastructure, LLC and Jonathan Hunt’s, dilatory exception of prematurity is reversed. The subcontract agreement between Aptim Environmental & Infrastructure, LLC (hereinafter “Aptim”) and the plaintiffs, Allco, LLC & Allco Virgin Islands, LLC (hereinafter “Allco”), contained an arbitration agreement wherein the parties adopted the American Arbitration Association’s {*“AAA”) Construction Industry Arbitration Rules. Rule R-9 of the AAA’s Construction industry Rules provides in pertinent part that “[t]lhe arbitrator Shall have the power to rule on his or her own jurisdiction, including any objections with respect to the existence, scope, or validity of the arbitration agreement.” Accordingly, the trial court erred by addressing Allco’s objections to the subject arbitration clause’s existence, scope or validity. See Fla. Gas Transmission Co., LLC v. Texas Brine Co., LLC, 2017- 0304 (La App. ist Cir. 12/6/18), 267 So.3d 633, writ denied, 2019-0333 (La, 6/26/19), 275 So.3d 876; see also Jasper Contractors, Ine. v. E-Claim.com, LLC, 2011-0978 (La. App lst Cir. 5/4/12), 94 So.3d 123. The exception of prematurity filed by the defendants is granted and Allco’s claims against the defendants are dismissed without prejudice.

COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT ial Rul { DEPUTY CIUERK OF COURT FOR THE COURT