Terminology

Arbitration glossary

Concise definitions with links to a fuller explanation of each concept.

Arbitration

Resolution of a dispute by an arbitral tribunal and the making of an award.

An individual selected or appointed to decide a dispute.

The sole arbitrator or panel hearing the dispute.

An agreement to submit specified existing or future disputes to arbitration.

An arbitration agreement included as a clause in a contract.

Arbitration for a particular dispute without general institutional administration.

Organisational support for arbitration within the applicable legal framework.

The legal eligibility of a category of dispute for arbitration.

The tribunal’s authority to decide a particular dispute.

The legal home of the arbitration, relevant to the governing framework and court supervision.

The physical location of a particular hearing.

Assessment of relationships and circumstances relevant to an arbitrator’s autonomy.

Absence of bias towards a party or the subject matter of the dispute.

Communicating circumstances that may give rise to justifiable doubts about independence or impartiality.

The tribunal’s decision on the claims within its jurisdiction.

A state court instrument supporting compulsory execution under the law.

Giving an award legal effect in a jurisdiction under the applicable rules.

A procedure challenging an award before the competent state court.

Fundamental legal principles considered by the court within the applicable legal framework.

The 1958 Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards.

Sources and legal references