As impartial third parties, they hear and decide disputes between opposing parties. Arbitrators may work alone or on a panel with other arbitrators. In some cases, arbitrators may decide procedural issues, such as what evidence may be submitted and when hearings will be held.
Unlike an arbitrator, a mediator has no power to decide a dispute. Rather, the mediator's role is to facilitate conversations between the parties to help them come to a resolution.
An arbitrator plays the role of a neutral person, who makes decisions on a dispute based on evidence presented by the parties. The decision the arbitrator makes is not always legally binding, but if it is, individuals and/or businesses are not able to go to court later if they do not agree with the outcome.
What does a FINRA arbitrator do? Arbitrators serve as dispute decision makers. They hear all sides of the case, study the evidence and render a final and binding decision. Arbitrators may serve as the sole arbitrator or as a member of a three-person arbitration panel.
The Statement of Claim is a document you compose that provides the following: Name(s) of the claimant(s) — who is filing the claim. Name(s) of the respondent(s) — whom the claim is against. Details of the dispute.
Submission Agreement: The Submission Agreement lists the parties in the arbitration case and confirms that FINRA will administer it. It also establishes that, if the case ends with a hearing, the parties all agree to abide by the arbitrators' decisions.
A submission agreement will contain details of the dispute and the issues between the parties, and record that it is being referred to arbitration.
A “submission agreement” (also called an “agreement to arbitrate”) is a written agreement between two parties that establishes the use of arbitration to settle a dispute (or any and all disputes) that may arise between them.
Arbitration agreements require that persons who signed them resolve any disputes by binding arbitration, rather than in court before a judge and/or jury. What is binding arbitration? Binding arbitration involves the submission of a dispute to a neutral party who hears the case and makes a decision.