Art
A mini-trial, which may be for a lawsuit ready to go to trial, held in an attempt to avoid a court trial and conducted by a person or a panel of people who are not judges. the arbitration may be agreed to by the parties, may be required by a provision in a contract for settling disputes, or may be provided for under statute. to avoid clogged court calendars the parties often agree to have the matter determined by a panel such as one provided by the american arbitration association (which has a specific set of rules), a retired judge, some other respected lawyer, or some organization that provides these services. usually contract-required arbitration may be converted into a legal judgment on petition to the court, unless some party has protested that there has been a gross injustice, collusion or fraud. many states provide for mandatory arbitration of cases on a non-binding basis in the hope that these “mini-trials” (proceedings) conducted by experienced attorneys will give the parties a clearer picture of the probable result and lead to acceptance of the arbitrator’s decision.
