9 U.S.C. § 2
Section 2 · Validity, irrevocability, and enforcement of agreements to arbitrate
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 3,795 court decisions — leading case Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital v. Mercury Construction Corp. (1983)
Most recently applied in Cook, N. v. Philadelphia Federal Credit Union (March 2026)
Applied most in the First Circuit Circuit (138 decisions)
Cases citing this section usually also cite 9 U.S.C. § 1 · 9 U.S.C. § 3 · 9 U.S.C. § 4
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
A written provision in any maritime transaction or a contract evidencing a transaction involving commerce to settle by arbitration a controversy thereafter arising out of such contract or transaction, or the refusal to perform the whole or any part thereof, or an agreement in writing to submit to arbitration an existing controversy arising out of such a contract, transaction, or refusal, shall be valid, irrevocable, and enforceable, save upon such grounds as exist at law or in equity for the revocation of any contract or as otherwise provided in chapter 4.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Derivation
Act Feb. 12, 1925, ch. 213, § 2, 43 Stat. 883.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2022—Pub. L. 117–90 inserted “or as otherwise provided in chapter 4” before period at end.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2022 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 117–90 applicable with respect to any dispute or claim that arises or accrues on or after Mar. 3, 2022, see section 3 of Pub. L. 117–90, set out as an Effective Date note under section 401 of this title.