Working with evidence is the decisive part of arbitral proceedings. The Law of Georgia on Arbitration regulates this field through several provisions: Article 30 defines the content of the claim and the statement of defense, Article 32 — the form of the hearing and confidentiality, Article 33 — the consequences of a party's non-appearance, Article 34 — the appointment of experts, and Article 35 — the assessment of evidence and court assistance. Each of these provisions is examined below.
The Arbitral Claim and the Statement of Defense — the Written Positions
Under Article 30, within the period agreed by the parties or determined by the tribunal, the claimant must submit in writing an arbitral claim indicating the names and addresses of the parties, the demand, the circumstances and evidence supporting the demand, and a list of the attached documents. The respondent submits a statement of defense on the facts and circumstances indicated in the claim. The parties may submit together with the claim or the defense any document related to the case, or indicate the documents and other evidence they will submit later. During the proceedings a party may amend its claims or the defense, or present additional claims, unless the tribunal considers this a delay of the proceedings.