The parties may agree on the number of arbitrators. Otherwise, there shall be one arbitrator.
§ 1297.101.Generally
Title 9.3. Arbitration and Conciliation of International Commercial Disputes · Chapter 3. Composition of Arbitral Tribunals · Article 1. Number of Arbitrators · Enacted 1988 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1297.101 lets the parties agree on how many arbitrators will hear their dispute, and sets the default at one arbitrator when the parties have not agreed on a number.
Full Text of § 1297.101
Plain-English Summary
This section opens the chapter on building the arbitral tribunal with the simplest possible rule. The parties are free to agree on the number of arbitrators who will decide their case -- one, three, or any other number they choose. That agreement controls.
Absent one, the default is a single arbitrator. That default keeps costs and complexity down for parties who never got around to specifying a panel size, while still leaving room for parties who want a larger panel -- commonly three, matching the appointment mechanism the next article supplies -- to say so.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many arbitrators hear an international commercial arbitration in California by default?
One, unless the parties have agreed on a different number.
Can the parties choose a panel of three or more arbitrators instead?
Yes -- the parties may agree on any number of arbitrators they want.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 23, Sec. 1. Effective March 7, 1988.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: number of arbitrators international arbitration californiadefault single arbitrator rule