  The Supreme Court in Oklahoma has ruled the party requesting
the appraisal is bound by the decision while the non-requesting
party is not.  The rule makes sense from the perspective of both
the insurance industry as well as the individuals or companies
having purchased the coverage in the sense that neither side can
be forced into a binding appraisal award.  The right to jury
trial is a constitutionally protected right in Oklahoma.   If
you want to insist upon forcing the other side through the
appraisal process, then you have to agree to be bound by the
decision of the appraisers and/or umpire.  On the other hand, if
you are forced to go through the appraisal process, you will
not be bound by the decision.   Does the appraisal process
always work?  No.  Just like the jury system and any other
dispute resolution device created by man, it is imperfect.  On
the other hand, when a dispute needs to be resolved without
years of litigation, expert witnesses, depositions, appeals, and
legal maneuvering, the apprai