§ 9-9-47.Effects of failure to state facts supporting claim, failure to put forward statement of defense, or failure to appear at hearing or to produce documentary evidence

Not every party plays along, and this section tells the tribunal what to do when one doesn’t — as long as there’s no sufficient cause for the failure. The three scenarios get different treatment because they carry different consequences.

If the claimant never files its statement of claim, the case has nothing to run on, so the tribunal terminates the proceedings outright. A missing defense is treated more gently: the case continues, but the respondent’s silence doesn’t automatically count as agreeing with the claimant’s allegations — the claimant still has to prove its case. And if either party skips a hearing or withholds documentary evidence, the tribunal isn’t stuck; it can push forward and decide the case on whatever evidence is before it.

The common thread is that arbitration doesn’t grind to a halt because one side stops participating. A party cannot derail the process, or force delay, by going quiet — though a party with a legitimate excuse for missing a deadline or hearing still gets the chance to show sufficient cause.