Apart from the well-known advantages of arbitration in the
resolution of family law disputes (accessibility, costs savings,
timely resolution, limited appeal rights and the ability to choose
both the arbitrator and the procedure for the arbitration),
arbitration allows for a number of creative options that can meet
the needs of the parties.
Types of hearings
While most arbitrations will feature a hearing, there are no
limitations on what form that hearing should take. The
Arbitration Act contains no definition of a
"hearing" and allows the arbitrator to determine the
procedure to be followed. Besides the traditional courtroom style
hearing (in which the applicant and then the respondent call
witnesses to give evidence under oath) hearings may follow the
"boardroom style" (in which evidence is led issue by
issue), consist of "documents only" (supplemented by oral
or written arguments), consist of affidavit evidence (either with
or without cross-examination),