§ 657. — Arbitration award and judgment.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 28USC657]
TITLE 28--JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
PART III--COURT OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
CHAPTER 44--ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Sec. 657. Arbitration award and judgment
(a) Filing and Effect of Arbitration Award.--An arbitration award
made by an arbitrator under this chapter, along with proof of service of
such award on the other party by the prevailing party or by the
plaintiff, shall be filed promptly after the arbitration hearing is
concluded with the clerk of the district court that referred the case to
arbitration. Such award shall be entered as the judgment of the court
after the time has expired for requesting a trial de novo. The judgment
so entered shall be subject to the same provisions of law and shall have
the same force and effect as a judgment of the court in a civil action,
except that the judgment shall not be subject to review in any other
court by appeal or otherwise.
(b) Sealing of Arbitration Award.--The district court shall provide,
by local rule adopted under section 2071(a), that the contents of any
arbitration award made under this chapter shall not be made known to any
judge who might be assigned to the case until the district court has
entered final judgment in the action or the action has otherwise
terminated.
(c) Trial de Novo of Arbitration Awards.--
(1) Time for filing demand.--Within 30 days after the filing of
an arbitration award with a district court under subsection (a), any
party may file a written demand for a trial de novo in the district
court.
(2) Action restored to court docket.--Upon a demand for a trial
de novo, the action shall be restored to the docket of the court and
treated for all purposes as if it had not been referred to
arbitration.
(3) Exclusion of evidence of arbitration.--The court shall not
admit at the trial de novo any evidence that there has been an
arbitration proceeding, the nature or amount of any award, or any
other matter concerning the conduct of the arbitration proceeding,
unless--
(A) the evidence would otherwise be admissible in the court
under the Federal Rules of Evidence; or
(B) the parties have otherwise stipulated.
(Added Pub. L. 100-702, title IX, Sec. 901(a), Nov. 19, 1988, 102 Stat.
4662; amended Pub. L. 105-315, Sec. 9, Oct. 30, 1998, 112 Stat. 2997.)
References in Text
The Federal Rules of Evidence, referred to in subsec. (c)(3)(A), are
set out in the Appendix to this title.
Amendments
1998--Pub. L. 105-315 amended section generally, substituting
provisions relating to arbitration award and judgment for provisions
relating to compensation of arbitrators.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 651, 652 of this title.
