Bill Text: CA SB1078 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Civil procedure: arbitration.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2016-11-30 - Last day to consider Governor's veto pursuant to Joint Rule 58.5. [SB1078 Detail]

Download: California-2015-SB1078-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 1078	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 10, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 14, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 4, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Jackson

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2016

   An act to amend Sections 1281.85 and 1281.9 of, and to add Section
1281.65 to, the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to arbitration.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1078, as amended, Jackson. Civil procedure: arbitration.
   Existing law governs arbitration in civil proceedings. Under
existing law, a neutral arbitrator is defined as one who is selected
jointly by the parties or by the parties' arbitrators, or is
appointed by the court if the parties or their arbitrators cannot
jointly select an arbitrator. Existing law requires a person selected
to serve as a neutral arbitrator to disclose all matters that could
cause a person aware of the facts to reasonably entertain a doubt as
to the proposed neutral arbitrator's impartiality. Existing law
requires the disclosure to include, among other things, whether or
not the proposed neutral arbitrator has a current arrangement
concerning prospective employment or other compensated service as a
dispute resolution neutral with a party to the proceeding, or is
participating in, or has participated within the last 2 years in,
discussions regarding such prospective employment or service.
   This bill, in a consumer arbitration case, would also require the
disclosure of any solicitation made within the last 2 years by, or at
the direction of, a private arbitration company to a party or lawyer
for a party. The bill would prohibit the solicitation of a party or
lawyer for a party during the pendency of the arbitration. The bill
would also prohibit an arbitrator, from the time of appointment until
the conclusion of the arbitration, from entertaining or accepting
any offers of employment, offers of new professional relationships,
or offers of employment as a dispute resolution neutral in another
case from a party or lawyer for a party in the pending arbitration.
   Existing law requires a court to vacate an arbitration award if it
determines  certain that a specified circumstance exists.
  that certain circumstances exist. 
   This bill would authorize a party to recover arbitration
proceeding costs from a private arbitration company  or
arbitrator  if the arbitration award is vacated by the court
based on a determination  of the existence of one of these
circumstances. The bill would also authorize a party to petition the
court to recover arbitration proceeding costs from a private
arbitration company if the arbitrator is dismissed during the
pendency of the arbitration because of a violation of the Judicial
Council ethical standards or a violation of the disclosure
requirements described above.   that there was
corruption in any of the arbitrators, the rights of the party were
substantially prejudiced by misconduct of a neutral arbitrator, or
the arbitrator making the award either failed to timely disclose a
ground for disqualification, as specified, or the arbitrator was
subject to disqualification, as specified, but failed to disqualify
himself or herself after receiving   a timely demand to
disqualify. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1281.65 is added to the Code of Civil
Procedure, to read:
   1281.65.  From the time of appointment until the conclusion of the
arbitration, an arbitrator shall not entertain or accept either of
the following:
   (a) Any offers of employment or new professional relationships as
a lawyer, expert witness, or consultant from a party or lawyer for a
party in the pending arbitration.
   (b) Any offers of employment as a dispute resolution neutral in
another case involving a party or lawyer for a party in the pending
arbitration unless all parties to the pending arbitration, including
the lawyers in the arbitration, have conferred and agreed in writing,
before any solicitation of the arbitrator, to allow offers of future
employment as a dispute resolution neutral to be made to the
arbitrator.
  SEC. 2.  Section 1281.85 of the Code of Civil Procedure is amended
to read:
   1281.85.  (a) Beginning July 1, 2002, a person serving as a
neutral arbitrator pursuant to an arbitration agreement shall comply
with the ethics standards for arbitrators adopted by the Judicial
Council pursuant to this section. The Judicial Council shall adopt
ethical standards for all neutral arbitrators effective July 1, 2002.
These standards shall be consistent with the standards established
for arbitrators in the judicial arbitration program and may expand
but shall not limit the disclosure and disqualification requirements
established by this chapter. The standards shall address the
disclosure of interests, relationships, or affiliations that may
constitute conflicts of interest, including prior service as an
arbitrator or other dispute resolution neutral entity,
disqualifications, acceptance of gifts, and establishment of future
professional relationships.
   (b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to an arbitration conducted
pursuant to the terms of a public or private sector collective
bargaining agreement.
   (c) The ethics requirements and standards of this chapter are
nonnegotiable and shall not be waived. 
   (d) A party may recover costs incurred in an arbitration
proceeding from a private arbitration company if the arbitration
award is vacated pursuant to Section 1286.2. A party may also
petition the court to recover costs incurred in an arbitration
proceeding from a private arbitration company if the arbitrator is
dismissed during the pendency of the arbitration because of a
violation of the ethical standards adopted by the Judicial Council
pursuant to this section or a violation of the disclosure
requirements established by this chapter.  
   (d) If an arbitration award is vacated pursuant to paragraph (2),
(3), or (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 1286.2 because of a
violation of the ethical standards adopted by the Judicial Council
pursuant to this section or a violation of the disclosure
requirements established by this chapter, a party may recover any
costs incurred in the arbitration proceeding from the private
arbitration company or from the arbitrator to whom the costs were
paid. For purposes of this paragraph, "costs" include filing fees,
administrative costs, arbitrator fees, or any other fees paid to the
private arbitration company or arbitrator. 
  SEC. 3.  Section 1281.9 of the Code of Civil Procedure is amended
to read:
   1281.9.  (a) In any arbitration pursuant to an arbitration
agreement, when a person is to serve as a neutral arbitrator, the
proposed neutral arbitrator shall disclose all matters that could
cause a person aware of the facts to reasonably entertain a doubt
that the proposed neutral arbitrator would be able to be impartial,
including all of the following:
   (1) The existence of any ground specified in Section 170.1 for
disqualification of a judge. For purposes of paragraph (8) of
subdivision (a) of Section 170.1, the proposed neutral arbitrator
shall disclose whether or not he or she has a current arrangement
concerning prospective employment or other compensated service as a
dispute resolution neutral or is participating in, or, within the
last two years, has participated in, discussions regarding such
prospective employment or service with a party to the proceeding.
   (2) Any matters required to be disclosed by the ethics standards
for neutral arbitrators adopted by the Judicial Council pursuant to
this chapter.
   (3) The names of the parties to all prior or pending noncollective
bargaining cases in which the proposed neutral arbitrator served or
is serving as a party arbitrator for  any   a
 party to the arbitration proceeding or for a lawyer for a party
and the results of each case arbitrated to conclusion, including the
date of the arbitration award, identification of the prevailing
party, the names of the parties' attorneys, and the amount of
monetary damages awarded, if any. In order to preserve
confidentiality, it shall be sufficient to give the name of any party
who is not a party to the pending arbitration as "claimant" or
"respondent" if the party is an individual and not a business or
corporate entity.
   (4) The names of the parties to all prior or pending noncollective
bargaining cases involving  any   a  party
to the arbitration or lawyer for a party for which the proposed
neutral arbitrator served or is serving as neutral arbitrator, and
the results of each case arbitrated to conclusion, including the date
of the arbitration award, identification of the prevailing party,
the names of the parties' attorneys and the amount of monetary
damages awarded, if any. In order to preserve confidentiality, it
shall be sufficient to give the name of any party not a party to the
pending arbitration as "claimant" or "respondent" if the party is an
individual and not a business or corporate entity.
   (5) Any attorney-client relationship the proposed neutral
arbitrator has or had with  any   a  party
or lawyer for a party to the arbitration proceeding.
   (6) Any professional or significant personal relationship the
proposed neutral arbitrator or his or her spouse or minor child
living in the household has or has had with  any 
 a  party to the arbitration proceeding or lawyer for a
party.
   (7) For a consumer arbitration case, any solicitation made within
the last two years by, or at the direction of, the private
arbitration company to a party or lawyer for a party to the consumer
arbitration. During the pendency of the consumer arbitration, no
solicitation shall made of a party to the arbitration or of a lawyer
for a party to the arbitration. For purposes of this paragraph,
"solicitation" includes an oral or written request for arbitration
business, but does not include advertising directed to the general
public or communications indicating a general willingness to serve as
an arbitrator or private arbitration company.
   (b) Subject only to the disclosure requirements of law, the
proposed neutral arbitrator shall disclose all matters required to be
disclosed pursuant to this section to all parties in writing within
10 calendar days of service of notice of the proposed nomination or
appointment.
   (c) For purposes of this section, "lawyer for a party" includes
any lawyer or law firm currently associated in the practice of law
with the lawyer hired to represent a party.
   (d) For purposes of this section, "prior cases" means
noncollective bargaining cases in which an arbitration award was
rendered within five years  prior to   before
 the date of the proposed nomination or appointment.
   (e) For purposes of this section, "any arbitration" does not
include an arbitration conducted pursuant to the terms of a public or
private sector collective bargaining agreement.