This agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable under the prevailing arbitration law. The award rendered by the arbitrators shall be final, and judgment may be entered upon in accordance with applicable law in any court having jurisdiction thereof. Such agreement or provision shall be valid, enforceable, and irrevocable except with the consent of all the parties, without regard to the justiciable character of the controversy. The parties to the contract in the instant case agreed to submit any disputes for arbitration. Accordingly, an agreement to arbitrate exists.
Plaintiffs argue that enforcing an agreement to arbitrate limits access to the courts.
This argument is without merit. The trial court then reenters the dispute arena to confirm, modify, deny or vacate the arbiter's award. On the contrary, an action compelled to arbitration must have the arbiter's decision confirmed by the court. . . . Hence, it would appear that the legislature intended the courts to send certain predetermined issues to arbitration and then to step back until the arbitration proceeding is complete. North Carolina has a strong public policy favoring arbitration of disputes between parties.