The parties shall be free to determine the number of arbitrators, and if no determination is stated, the number of arbitrators shall be one.
§ 9-9-31.Number of arbitrators
Chapter 9. Arbitration · Article 1. General Provisions · Last amended 2012 · Last verified July 17, 2026
In one sentenceThis short section lets the parties decide for themselves how many arbitrators will hear their dispute, and if the arbitration agreement is silent on the point, it supplies a default of a single arbitrator rather than a panel.
Full Text of § 9-9-31
Plain-English Summary
One sentence, one rule. The parties can pick any number of arbitrators they want — one, three, five, whatever fits the size and stakes of the dispute.
If they never say, the Code does not leave the question open. It sets the default at a single arbitrator, which keeps a case from stalling out for lack of an agreed structure and tends to keep smaller disputes cheaper and faster to resolve.
This default matters most when parties draft an arbitration clause without thinking through the mechanics — a common gap in contracts that focus on the promise to arbitrate but skip the details of how that arbitration will run.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many arbitrators hear a case if the arbitration agreement does not say?
The default is one arbitrator.
Can the parties agree to use a panel of three or more arbitrators instead?
Yes. The section says the parties are free to determine the number of arbitrators.
Does this section set any maximum number of arbitrators?
No. It addresses only the default when the parties have not determined a number, without capping how many the parties may agree to use.
Does this section explain how the arbitrator or arbitrators get chosen?
No, it addresses only how many arbitrators there will be; Code Section 9-9-32 covers the appointment procedure.
Why would this default matter in a real case?
If an arbitration clause never specifies the number of arbitrators, this section supplies the answer automatically, avoiding a dispute over the tribunal’s composition before the case can even begin.
Amendment History
Code 1981, § 9-9-31, enacted by Ga. L. 2012, p. 961, § 1/SB 383.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, published by the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Georgia Code Revision Commission / LexisNexis. Last verified July 17, 2026.
· Official source
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