Southern California Appellate News reports that the American Arbitration Association has released optional rules that will allow appellate review within the arbitration process for arbitrations conducted under AAA rules. From the AAA press release:
AAA President and CEO India Johnson explains that traditionally, an arbitration award is set aside by a court only where narrowly-designed statutory grounds exist. These new rules provide for an appeal within the arbitration process and are consistent with the objective of an expedited, cost-effective and just appellate arbitral process. Ms. Johnson states, “The appellate arbitral panel called for under the new rules applies a standard of review more expansive than that allowed by existing federal and state statutes to vacate an award. In this regard, the optional rules were developed for the types of large, complex cases where the parties agree that the ability to appeal is particularly important.”
Ms. Johnson expects the new optional rules will be well received by parties who desire a broader ability to appeal. “These rules and the process they govern are well thought out, practical and anticipate a process that can be completed in about three months.”
Three months! That’s really something.
See the press release for a bullet-point summary of the rules and a link to the actual rules.