Aren't arbitration hearings governed by the same rules of evidence as court proceedings?

Arbitration hearings are generally not governed by the same formal rules of evidence that apply in court proceedings. Unlike court, where strict adherence to established rules of evidence is enforced to ensure fairness, arbitration is designed to be a more flexible and expedited process.

In arbitration, the arbitrator has significant discretion regarding the admissibility of evidence and testimony, and they may allow evidence that would typically be excluded in a court setting. This flexibility aims to facilitate a quicker resolution to disputes, aligning with the overarching goal of arbitration to be a less formal and more efficient alternative to litigation.

The differences in procedure also reflect the nature of arbitration, which is often guided by the rules specified in the arbitration agreement itself or the arbitration institution's rules, rather than the formal rules of civil procedure that govern court cases.