(a)Filing the Award. The award shall be in writing, signed by the arbitrator and filed with the clerk within three days after the hearing is concluded or the receipt of post-hearing briefs, whichever is later. The arbitrator shall file a complete award indicating any award, the rate of any applicable interest and any accrued interest. (b)Findings; Conclusions; Opinions. No findings of fact and conclusions of law or opinions supporting an award are required.(c)Scope of Award. The award must resolve all issues raised by the pleadings, may be in any amount supported by the evidence, shall include interest as provided by law, and may include attorney's fees as allowed by law.(d)Copies of Award to Parties. The arbitrator shall deliver a copy of the award to all of the parties or their counsel at the conclusion of the hearing or the clerk shall serve, in accordance with the N.C. R. Civ. P. 5, the award within three (3) days after filing. A record shall be made by the arbitrator or the court of the date and manner of service.Amended effective 12/23/2020. COMMENT
Ordinarily, the arbitrator should issue the award at the conclusion of the hearing. See Arb. Rule 7(a). If the arbitrator wants post-hearing briefs, the arbitrator must receive them within three days, consider them, and file the award within three days thereafter. See Arb. Rule 6(r) and its Comment. If the arbitrator deems it appropriate, the arbitrator may explain orally the basis of the award.
If an award is incomplete or unclear, the clerk should request clarification from the arbitrator and the arbitrator should amend the award to make the award, including any interest, evident. In the event this occurs after the award was announced to the parties, the court should serve the amended order on all parties in accordance with Arb. Rule 7(d). The service of an amended order shall cause the period for demanding a trial de novo to restart in accordance with Arb. Rule 8.
.