Arbitrator Status, Independence and Disclosure in Georgia

Arbitrator Status, Independence and Disclosure

Does the law require arbitrator certification?

No — neither a certificate nor a registry is required; written consent, agreed qualifications and the absence of statutory bars are decisive.

What must an arbitrator disclose?

Immediately, from appointment and throughout the hearing, any circumstances casting doubt on their independence and impartiality.

Who may not be an arbitrator?

Persons with limited capacity or under guardianship, civil and public servants and political office holders, convicted persons with unexpunged convictions, and former mediators in the same case.

Can a party unilaterally replace its own arbitrator?

No. The mandate terminates at the arbitrator’s own request or by agreement of the parties, failing which the court decides.

4 min·1 Sep 2026

The Status of an Arbitrator: What the Law Requires of the Person

The arbitrator stands at the centre of an arbitral hearing: the parties entrust the resolution of their dispute to this person, and precisely for that reason the Georgian Law on Arbitration places the arbitrator’s status within a strict legal frame. The law allows as an arbitrator only a person who declares consent in writing, and at the same time it lays down prohibitions, a disclosure duty and rules on termination of mandate — all three designed to guarantee the arbitrator’s independence and impartiality.

It is important to realise that the law requires no certification or special registry for arbitrators: any suitable person who satisfies the law’s requirements may act as arbitrator. The party’s diligence — checking the candidate and fixing qualifications — therefore plays the decisive role.