An arbitration hearing is an informal legal proceeding held before a neutral court official called an arbitrator. Arbitration hearings are limited by rule to one hour and take place in the courthouse. The hearings are conducted in a serious but relaxed atmosphere, with the rules of evidence serving as a guide. At the hearing, each side of a dispute will have a chance to tell their story to the arbitrator. Each side can present witnesses and documents.
North Carolina Judicial Branch. “Court-Ordered Arbitration.” NCCourts.gov, https://www.nccourts.gov/programs/court-ordered-arbitration. Accessed [Apr 27 2025].
After the evidence has been presented, the arbitrator will, like a judge, make a decision in the case. Once concluded, the arbitrator renders an award, which is filed with the court. A party dissatisfied with the award may proceed to a trial de novo by filing a written request with the court within 30 days of the award. If no action is taken during this time, the court enters judgment on the award.
You can file to be exempt from this. I didn’t because I thought I might get a fair hearing, but this is another process that failed. Frank had filed for a request for a remote hearing because Anna was still going to be Europe during the hearing, which I didn’t object.
There are separate rules that govern arbitration, which can be found here : → Rules for Court-Ordered Arbitration