Virtual arbitration hearing: arbitrator's discretion or the right of the parties?

Authors

  • Serhii Kravtsov Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Ukraine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21564/2414-990X.164.288034

Keywords:

virtual arbitration proceedings, discretionary authority of arbitration, party autonomy of dispute

Abstract

Today, international commercial arbitration remains one of the most effective ways to resolve disputes complicated by a foreign element. Parties to a dispute, preferring arbitration, wish to obtain the desired result in the shortest possible time. This is achieved because the parties to the arbitration proceedings themselves are endowed with an arsenal of rights that are not inherent in national courts: the right to choose a particular arbitration, the composition of the arbitral tribunal, and the law to be applied in the dispute. This is a manifestation of the "autonomy of will" of the parties to the dispute. However, despite such a broad scope of powers, some powers of the arbitral tribunal, which is chosen by the parties, cannot be limited. Although the discretionary powers of international commercial arbitration are regulated by national arbitration laws and rules, their exercise may sometimes contradict the fundamental principles and standards of effective arbitration. One of such powers is the right to determine the format of arbitration hearings, since it is by exercising this right that the arbitral tribunal may make its own decision without taking into account the views of the parties to the dispute. The article provides a comparative legal analysis of arbitration legislation, rules and law enforcement practice of national courts with regard to the possibility of determining a virtual hearing as the most efficient format for consideration of a case. Particular attention is paid to the imperfection of Ukrainian legislative regulation and the lack of a single, consistent court practice on these issues.  Therefore, the conclusions propose to eliminate the shortcomings in the legal consolidation of such definitional constructs as "hearing" and "oral hearing".

References

Young, K. M., Ivers, J. A., & Schroeder, K. (2022). "Chapter 4 The Impact of COVID-19 on International Arbitration Procedure". In The Impact of COVID on International Disputes. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill | Nijhoff. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004514836_006

Young, Kristen M., Jennifer A. Ivers, and Katherine Schroeder. "Chapter 4 The Impact of COVID-19 on International Arbitration Procedure". In The Impact of COVID on International Disputes, (Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill | Nijhoff, 2022) doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004514836_006

Panjwani, P. (2022). "Chapter 2 The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on International Arbitration Practices: Greener Arbitrations with Reduced Due Process Paranoia?". In The Impact of COVID on International Disputes. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill | Nijhoff. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004514836_004

Prytyka, Y. D. (2018). Online-arbitration: the concept, signs and perspectives of implementation in Ukraine. Journal of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, 25(3), 186–195.

Volodymyr NAHNYBIDA (2021). The Influence of Quarantine COVID-Restrictions Related and Policy of Digitalization on Dispute Resolution via International Commercial Arbitration . University research notes, 6 (84), 8-16 https:// doi 10.37491/UNZ.84.1

Does a Right to a Physical Hearing Exist in International Arbitration? Retrieved from :https://cdn.arbitration-icca.org/s3fs-public/document/media_document/ICCA_Reports_no_10_Right_to_a_Physical_Hearing_final_amended_7Nov2022.pdf

Triulzi Cesaresiu, v. Xinyi Group (Glass) Co Ltd, [2014] SGHC 220 Retrieved from https:// www.uncitral.org/docs/clout/SGP/SGP_301014_FT.pdf#

ICC Arbitration Rules 2021 Retrieved from https:// iccwbo.org/dispute-resolution/dispute-resolution-services/arbitration/rules-procedure/2021-arbitration-rules/#block-accordion-26

Note to parties and arbitral tribunals on the conduct of the arbitration under the ICC Rules of Arbitration. Retrieved from https://iccwbo.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/12/icc-note-to-parties-and-arbitral-tribunals-on-the-conduct-of-arbitration-english-2021.pdf

Webster, T. H, & Bühler, M. (2021). Handbook of ICC arbitration : commentary, precedents, materials. London: Sweet & Maxwell

London Court of International Arbitration Rules. Retrieved from https://www.lcia.org/Dispute_Resolution_Services/lcia-arbitration-rules-2020.aspx#Article%2019

The LMAA Intermediate Claims Procedure 2021. Retrieved from https:///lmaa.london/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/LMAA-Intermediate-Claims-Procedure-2021.pdf

ICSID Arbitration Rules 2022. Retrieved from https://icsid.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/Arbitration_Rules.pdf

HKIAC Administered Arbitration Rules. Retrieved from https://www.hkiac.org/arbitration/rules-practice-notes/administered-arbitration-rules/hkiac-administered-2018-1

AAA-ICDR Model Order and Procedures for a Virtual Hearing via Videoconference. Retrieved from https://go.adr.org/rs/294-SFS-516/images/AAA270_AAA-ICDR%20Model%20Order%20and%20Procedures%20for%20a%20Virtual%20Hearing%20via%20Videoconference.pdf

Rules Of The International Commercial Arbitration Court At The Ukrainian Chamber Of Commerce And Industry. Retrieved from https:///icac.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/Reglament_UA_2023.pdf.

Arbitration Rules Of Energy Disputes Arbitration Center. Retrieved from https://arbitrationcenter.org/enerji-tahkim-kurallari/

OGH 18 ONc 3/20S, July 23, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Justiz/JJT_20200723_OGH0002_018ONC00003_20S0000_000/JJT_20200723_OGH0002_018ONC00003_20S0000_000.pdf

DFT 146 in 194, July 6, 2020. Retrieved from http//relevancy.bger.ch/php/clir/http/index.php?highlight_docid=atf%3A%2F%2F146-III-194%3Ade&lang=de&type=show_document

Federal Law No. 6, Issued on 03/05/2018. Retrieved from https://ded.ae/DED_Files/Files/القوانين%20والتشريعات%20PDF/Federal%20Law%20No%20(6)%20of%202018%20on%20Arbitration.pdf

Jaguar Energy Guatemala LLC and AEI Guatemala Jaguar Ltd v. China Machine New Energy Corporation, ICC Case No. 20013/CYK, Judgment of the Court of Appeal of Singapore [2020] SGCA 12, 28 février 2020. Retrieved from https://jusmundi.com/fr/document/decision/en-jaguar-energy-guatemala-llc-and-aei-guatemala-jaguar-ltd-v-china-machine-new-energy-corporation-judgement-of-the-high-court-of-singapore-2018-sghc-101-thursday-26th-april-2018

Vattenfall AB and Οthers v. Federal Republic of Germany (II), ICSID Case No. ARB/12/12, Recommendation Pursuant to the request by ICSID Dated 8 May 2020 on the Respondent's Proposal to Disqualify All Members of the Arbitral Tribunal Dated 16 April 2020, 6 July 2020. Retrieved from https: https://jusmundi.com/en/document/decision/en-vattenfall-ab-and-others-v-federal-republic-of-germany-ii-recommendation-pursuant-to-the-request-by-icsid-dated-8-may-2020-on-the-respondents-proposal-to-disqualify-all-members-of-the-arbitral-tribunal-dated-16-april-2020-monday-6th-july-2020#decision_11756

Published

2024-05-10

How to Cite

Kravtsov, S. (2024). Virtual arbitration hearing: arbitrator’s discretion or the right of the parties?. Problems of Legality, (164), 56–73. https://doi.org/10.21564/2414-990X.164.288034

Issue

Section

Articles