Arbitration hearings are limited to one hour, which means that each side has up to 30 minutes to testify and present witnesses and evidence. In North Carolina, arbitration may either be binding or non-binding.In some cases, parties voluntarily agree to arbitrate their dispute. To be eligible for court-ordered arbitration, a dispute must have been filed as a complaint in the North Carolina court system. In considering whether the parties' arbitration agreement is valid, the court applies general principles of North Carolina contract law. See. Written contracts may contain an arbitration clause. By using such a clause, the parties agree to arbitrate any future disputes. Attorney Jason McGrath shares some items to consider when your contract has an arbitration provision but the other party has already filed a formal lawsuit. (a) The arbitral tribunal may rule on its own jurisdiction, including any objections with respect to the existence or validity of the arbitration agreement. When an agreement to arbitrate is included in a contract, it can serve to expedite peaceful settlement without the necessity of going through the arbitration.