Parties are entitled to subpoenas, depositions and interrogatories. See Code of Procedure Rule 29. All Forum arbitration awards are reviewable by the courts. Federal and state arbitration laws generally list the reasons for reviewing, or appealing, an arbitration award. The parties must agree in advance whether an arbitration award will be final and binding.
Most contractual agreements provide for binding arbitration.
Some parties require a three-member arbitration panel to review the arbitration opinion of a single arbitrator. In that instance, a party also can appeal the award to a three-arbitrator panel administered by The Forum. Legal studies show that individuals prevail in arbitration at rates equal to or greater than in lawsuits. Courts across the country, including the Supreme Court, have extolled the benefits of arbitration for consumers. Many consumer advocate organizations, such as the ACLU and the Better Business Bureau, also recommend arbitration.