S 2312Civil Procedure

Courts and Civil Procedures - Procedure in Particular Actions - Arbitration

This bill allows courts to appoint arbitrators if parties delay and shortens the deadline to challenge arbitration awards to 30 days.

Held for study

Population
Affected

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Introduced Jan 23, 2026Committee Senate Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This bill modifies the laws regarding arbitration in Rhode Island to make the process more efficient. First, it authorizes a court to appoint an arbitrator or appraiser if one of the parties involved in a dispute refuses to make a selection or causes unreasonable delays. This prevents one side from stalling the process. Second, the legislation reduces the timeframe for filing a motion to vacate, modify, or correct an arbitration award. Previously, a party had 60 days to challenge a decision; this bill shortens that window to 30 days after the award is delivered.

For younger readers

When people have a serious disagreement, they sometimes use a "referee" called an arbitrator to solve it instead of going to court. This bill says that if one person refuses to pick a referee just to slow things down, a judge can pick one for them so the problem gets fixed faster. Also, once the referee makes a final decision, if someone wants to complain about it to a judge, they used to have two months to do so. Now, this bill says they only have one month (30 days) to speak up.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Plaintiffs involved in civil disputesDefendants involved in civil disputesAttorneysArbitrators and AppraisersBusiness Owners

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

None

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Empowers courts to intervene when powerful entities use stalling tactics to delay arbitration, ensuring that disputes involving workers or consumers are not indefinitely halted by non-compliant parties.
Promotes a more efficient resolution of legal disputes, allowing individuals to receive judgments, settlements, or closure more quickly without unnecessary procedural delays.
Standardizes the process for filling vacancies in arbitration, preventing the erosion of agreed-upon dispute resolution mechanisms that might otherwise leave a disadvantaged party without recourse.
Reduces the window to challenge an arbitration award from 60 to 30 days, which may disproportionately harm low-income individuals who need more time to find affordable legal counsel to file a motion.
Strengthens the binding arbitration system, which is often viewed as a mechanism that favors corporations over individuals and lacks the transparency and protections of the public court system.
Does not implement any new protections against forced arbitration clauses in employment or consumer contracts, focusing only on procedural speed rather than systemic fairness.

For Conservatives

Upholds the sanctity of contracts by ensuring that agreements to arbitrate are enforced and that parties cannot simply ignore their contractual obligations to select an arbitrator.
Increases the efficiency of the legal system and reduces uncertainty for businesses by shortening the window for challenging awards, allowing for faster finality of decisions.
Reduces the potential burden on the court system by ensuring private dispute resolution proceeds without requiring excessive judicial oversight after the initial appointment.
Expands judicial power by allowing courts to appoint arbitrators for private parties, which could be viewed as government interference in private business disputes.
The shortened 30-day appeal window might restrict a business's ability to thoroughly review complex arbitration findings before deciding whether to legally challenge the result.
Could result in the appointment of arbitrators who do not align with the specific values or expertise desired by the private parties, undermining the voluntary nature of the selection process.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 15 additions · 1 deletion

SECTION 1. Sections 10-3-6 and 10-3-15 of the General Laws in Chapter 10-3 entitled "Arbitration" are hereby amended to read as follows: 10-3-6. Judicial appointment of arbitrators.

(a) If, in the agreement, provision is made for a method of naming or appointing an arbitrator or arbitrators or an umpire, the method shall be followed; but if no method is provided in the agreement, or if a method is provided and any party thereto shall fail to avail himself or herself of such method, or if for any other reason there shall be a lapse in the naming of an arbitrator or arbitrators or an umpire, or in filling a vacancy, then, upon the application of either party to the controversy, the court, as described in § 10-3-4, shall designate and appoint an arbitrator or arbitrators or umpire, as the case may require, who shall act under the agreement with the same force and effect as if he, she, or they had been specifically named in the agreement; and, unless otherwise provided in the agreement, the arbitration shall be by a single arbitrator.

(b) The court shall appoint an arbitrator, appraiser, or umpire under this section upon a showing that any party has failed, refused, or neglected to make a required appointment under the agreement, or has otherwise caused an unreasonable delay in the naming or selection thereof. Where the agreement contemplates that each party shall appoint an arbitrator or appraiser and that the two (2) so appointed shall thereafter select an umpire or third arbitrator, the court shall, upon application, appoint both an arbitrator or appraiser on behalf of the non-complying party and an umpire or third arbitrator if necessary, to ensure that the arbitration or appraisal may proceed. Judicial appointment under this section shall not be withheld on the ground that one party has failed to make an appointment required by the agreement. The purpose of judicial appointment under this section is to ensure that arbitration or appraisal proceedings proceed expeditiously and without prejudice to the party that has complied with the agreement. 10-3-15. Notice of motion to vacate, modify, or correct award. Notice of a motion to vacate, modify, or correct an award must be served upon the adverse party or his or her attorney within ~~sixty (60)~~ thirty (30) days after the award is filed or delivered, and before the award is confirmed, as prescribed by law for service of notice of a motion in an action at law. The court may make an order, to be served with the notice of the motion, staying the proceedings of the adverse party to enforce the award.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.