Opinion ID: 559879
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: NPC's Motion for Reconsideration

Text: 22 In 1982, NPC asked the panel to hear additional evidence on the liability question, arguing that Trade had presented false evidence at the December 18 hearing. In connection with this motion, the panel conducted two hearings. In an Interim Opinion dated August 10, 1983 (Interim Opinion), the panel unanimously denied the motion on both substantive and procedural grounds. The panel rejected NPC's contention that the December 1981 Award could be reconsidered as nonfinal: 23 At page 208 of the transcript, the panel stated that it would render a partial final award. The decision was final with respect to the liability with the determination of damages to be dealt with at a later date. To remove the element of finality, which [NPC is] suggesting, would strip the partial final award of any significance at all. 24 Interim Opinion at 5. Given the finality of the December 1981 Award, the panel stated that it was, with respect to that award, functus officio, i.e., without power to modify it. The Interim Opinion stated that [i]t is the panel's understanding that the state of the law is such that it does not permit a panel to review or modify a Partial Final Award which has the same finality and effect as a Final Award. Id. at 4 n.. The panel stated that it had acceded to NPC's request for a further hearing only because of the special circumstances, i.e., that 25 (1) both counsel represented to us that the Federal Court had requested the expedited hearing for the purpose of our making a finding of fact on a material issue; (2) a Partial Final Award was issued; (3) the Federal Court may have in its proceeding been guided or influenced by this Partial Final Award and (4) counsel for [NPC] alleged that the panel received false testimony and/or fraudulent evidence. 26 We believe that when an arbitration award is rendered as a final award or, as in this instance, a partial final award, the arbitrators become functus officio as to the issue upon which the Final or Partial Final Award was made. 27 Id. at 4. The panel also concluded that the award had not been based on fraudulent evidence. See id.