Rule 13.130 Restrictions on Communication Between Arbitrator, Parties, and Attorneys

Once a case goes to arbitration, both sides have to keep the arbitrator in the dark about any settlement offers until after the award is announced. This keeps the arbitrator's decision fair and based only on the facts and arguments presented, not on what either side was willing to accept in a deal.

Attorneys and parties also cannot talk to the arbitrator about the actual case unless everyone else is there too, or has been given fair notice ahead of time. This stops any one side from getting special access or trying to influence the arbitrator behind closed doors.

Finally, the arbitration process still follows most of the same ethics rules that apply to judges and lawyers in regular court. A few specific rules are set aside, but for the most part, everyone involved is expected to act with the same honesty and fairness required in a courtroom.