Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, all oral hearings and meetings in arbitral proceedings shall be held in camera.
§ 1297.245.Held In Camera
Title 9.3. Arbitration and Conciliation of International Commercial Disputes · Chapter 5. Manner and Conduct of Arbitration · Article 7. Hearings and Written Proceedings · Enacted 1988 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1297.245 provides that, unless the parties have agreed otherwise, all oral hearings and meetings held during the arbitral proceedings take place in camera, meaning privately rather than in open, public session.
Full Text of § 1297.245
Plain-English Summary
Confidentiality is one of the features that draws commercial parties to arbitration in the first place, and this section builds it into the default procedure for hearings. Unless the parties agree otherwise, all oral hearings and meetings in the arbitral proceedings are held in camera -- privately, without the public access that would attend a court trial.
That default matches what most parties want out of international commercial arbitration: a forum to resolve the dispute without airing business dealings, pricing, or strategy in open court. As with much of this chapter, the parties can still choose a different arrangement if they prefer more openness, but privacy is where the statute starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are international arbitration hearings open to the public?
No, not by default. Section 1297.245 provides that all oral hearings and meetings are held in camera unless the parties have agreed otherwise.
Can the parties choose to hold hearings publicly instead?
Yes. The in camera default applies unless otherwise agreed by the parties.
Does this section cover tribunal meetings as well as hearings?
Yes. It applies to all oral hearings and meetings in the arbitral proceedings, not hearings alone.
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: arbitration hearings private in camera californiaconfidentiality of international arbitration hearings