What is Arbitration?
Arbitration is a private dispute resolution process in which parties submit their dispute to a neutral arbitrator outside traditional court proceedings. In binding arbitration, the arbitrator reviews the evidence, considers legal arguments, and issues a written decision – known as an arbitration award – that may be final and enforceable, subject to limited judicial review. In non-binding arbitration, the award is advisory unless the parties’ agreement, court order, or written submission provides otherwise.
Unlike litigation, arbitration offers parties greater flexibility in process design, enhanced confidentiality, and a more efficient path to a definitive resolution.
Arbitration is widely used in commercial contracts, healthcare agreements, employment matters, construction disputes, partnership conflicts, and complex civil litigation — essentially wherever parties seek a binding decision outside the courtroom.
The Process: How Do Arbitrations Work?
Throughout the proceeding, the arbitrator exercises active oversight of the process — resolving discovery disputes, ruling on procedural applications, deciding dispositive motions where appropriate, issuing scheduling and evidentiary orders, and addressing jurisdictional or arbitrability challenges. The arbitrator’s authority is defined by the parties’ agreement and governed by applicable arbitration law.
Upon confirmation by a court of competent jurisdiction, the award may be entered as a judgment and enforced in accordance with applicable law.
Types of Arbitration
High-Low (Bracketed) Arbitration
Baseball (Final-Offer) Arbitration
Non-Binding Arbitration
Benefits of Arbitration
Privacy and Confidentiality
Arbitration is generally private and may help protect sensitive business, financial, medical, and personal information from unnecessary public disclosure.
Efficiency and Cost Control
Decision-Maker Expertise
Procedural Flexibility
Finality
Arbitration Services at Our Firm
Integrity in Every Step. Impartial in Every Decision.
Saviñón Mediation & Arbitration Services provides private, high-integrity arbitration services for complex civil disputes — including healthcare matters involving long-term care, skilled nursing, assisted living, and post-acute providers, as well as broader negligence and professional liability claims. When litigation risk is significant and the stakes demand a decisive, enforceable outcome, proceedings are structured to deliver clarity, efficiency, and finality.
Arbitration proceedings are managed with the rigor of a courtroom and the efficiency of a private forum — ensuring every party receives a fair, thorough hearing without unnecessary procedural delay.
This is not volume-driven dispute resolution. Each matter receives deliberate attention, structured oversight, and decisional precision.
For parties and counsel who value preparation, discretion, and decisional integrity, Saviñón Mediation & Arbitration Services offers a private forum built for serious disputes.
Arbitration Fees & Terms
Hourly Rate: $350 per hour, billed in 0.25-hour (15-minute) increments, plus reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the arbitration. Hourly rate applies to hearings, conferences, documentation review and study time, order/award drafting, administrative case management, and any additional consultation that a party to the arbitration requests or the arbitrator deems necessary.
Allocation of Fees: Unless otherwise provided by the parties’ arbitration agreement, court order, or final award, the Plaintiff side and Defendant side are each responsible for 50% of the Arbitrator’s fees and expenses. Multiple parties on the same side are responsible for allocating that side’s share among themselves unless otherwise agreed. If side-based allocation is impractical, the Arbitrator may establish an interim administrative billing allocation after giving the parties an opportunity to be heard.
Invoicing: Invoices are generally issued monthly unless otherwise agreed or required by the needs of the arbitration. Payment is due within 30 calendar days after the invoice date.
Late Payment: Any unpaid balance remaining after 30 calendar days may accrue interest at 12% per annum, or the maximum rate permitted by law, whichever is less.
Nonpayment. If an invoice is not timely paid, the Arbitrator may provide written notice of nonpayment to all counsel and affected parties. If the unpaid amount is not cured within 15 calendar days after notice, the Arbitrator may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, suspend non-emergency work, vacate deadlines, decline to reserve hearing dates, or take other reasonable administrative action.
Final Hearing Total Reservation Fee: Upon reservation of final hearing date(s), the parties shall pay a Final Hearing Reservation Fee of $2,450 per reserved hearing day. Each reserved hearing day includes up to seven hours of hearing time. Time exceeding seven hours in a hearing day, and any additional hearing days, will be billed at the Arbitrator’s hourly rate.
Cancellation Policy (Strict): If the final arbitration hearing is cancelled in writing more than 30 calendar days before the first scheduled hearing day, 50% of the applicable Final Hearing Total Reservation Fee will be refunded. If the final hearing is cancelled 30 calendar days or fewer before the first scheduled hearing day, no portion of the Final Hearing Total Reservation Fee will be refunded.
Rescheduling: If the final arbitration hearing is rescheduled and new hearing date(s) are reserved, the Arbitrator may require payment of a new reservation fee for the newly reserved date(s), unless the rescheduling is caused by the Arbitrator’s unavailability or other circumstances attributable to the Arbitrator.
Court Reporter & Transcript: A certified court reporter is required for the final evidentiary hearing unless all parties waive that requirement before the hearing. Unless otherwise agreed, the reasonable cost of the court reporter’s attendance and the original transcript will be allocated in the same manner as the Arbitrator’s fees and expenses. Any party requesting expedited transcripts, additional copies, real-time reporting, video recording, or other enhanced services bears the incremental cost of such request.
Administrative & Scheduling Authority: Final hearing dates may be rescheduled only upon a showing of good cause and with prior written consent of the Arbitrator.
Controlling Agreement. The Arbitration Engagement Agreement governs the Arbitrator’s engagement, compensation, disclosures, administrative procedures, confidentiality obligations, AI-use protocols, and related terms.
Expedited Arbitration – Flat Fee Program
Did you know we offer expedited binding arbitration for a flat fee of $5,000 for disputes with an amount in controversy of $50,000 or less?
For smaller disputes where efficiency and cost predictability matter most, Saviñón Mediation & Arbitration Services offers Expedited Arbitration for a flat fee of $5,000 for claims valued at $50,000 or less. This program is designed to provide a streamlined, business-focused resolution without the time and expense associated with full-scale arbitration or litigation.
Key Features
A prompt scheduling conference is held to:
- Address any threshold or procedural issues
- Define the scope of the hearing
- Establish deadlines
- Set the final hearing date
The evidentiary hearing is limited to one day. If the arbitrator determines that additional time is necessary for fairness or completeness, additional time will be scheduled and billed accordingly.
Expedited arbitrations are typically resolved within approximately 90 days from appointment of the arbitrator.
For additional details, including eligibility, fee structure, and program features, please review the Expedited Arbitration – Flat Fee Program under Custom ADR Services.
Engaging Our Arbitration Services
Parties seeking to engage Saviñón Mediation & Arbitration Services for arbitration should submit a completed Arbitration Intake Form, together with a copy of the applicable arbitration agreement(s) and any pleadings or court orders referring the matter to arbitration, to intake@savinonADR.com
Upon receipt and review of the submission, we will contact the parties to confirm availability, circulate the Arbitration Engagement Agreement, address any preliminary case management considerations, and coordinate next steps.
Disclaimer: Submission of this Arbitration Intake Form does not create an attorney-client relationship. The arbitrator acts solely as a neutral and does not represent or provide legal advice to any party. Submission does not constitute acceptance of an appointment. Information submitted may be used for conflicts checks and availability and may not be treated as confidential unless and until the arbitrator has been formally appointed and an Arbitration Engagement Agreement has been executed.