(a) The arbitral proceedings shall be terminated by the final arbitration award or by an order of the arbitration tribunal in accordance with subsection (b) of this Code section.
§ 9-9-54.Termination of arbitral proceedings
Chapter 9. Arbitration · Article 1. General Provisions · Last amended 2012 · Last verified July 17, 2026
In one sentenceSection 9-9-54 ends the proceedings either through a final award or through a tribunal order, and lists three triggers for that order — claimant withdrawal without a legitimate objection, party agreement to stop, or a tribunal finding continuation unnecessary or impossible — after which the tribunal’s mandate ends except for narrow follow-up authority under later sections.
Full Text of § 9-9-54
(b) The arbitration tribunal shall issue an order for the termination of the arbitral proceedings when:
(1) The claimant withdraws his or her claim, unless the respondent objects thereto and the arbitration tribunal recognizes a legitimate interest by the respondent in obtaining a final settlement of the dispute;
(2) The parties agree on the termination of the proceedings; or
(3) The arbitration tribunal finds that the continuation of the proceedings has for any other reason become unnecessary or impossible.
(c) The mandate of the arbitration tribunal shall terminate with the termination of the arbitral proceedings, subject to the provisions of Code Section 9-9-55 and subsection (d) of Code Section 9-9-56.
Plain-English Summary
Every arbitration has to end somewhere, and this section describes the two ways that happens. Most commonly, a final award closes the case. The alternative is a tribunal order terminating the proceedings without ever reaching a decision on the merits.
Three situations trigger that kind of order. A claimant can withdraw its claim, ending things — unless the respondent objects and the tribunal agrees the respondent has a legitimate interest in getting a final resolution rather than being left in limbo. The parties can agree between themselves to stop. Or the tribunal itself can find that continuing has become unnecessary or impossible for some other reason, covering situations the code doesn’t spell out individually.
Termination is not just a formality — it switches off the tribunal’s authority. The tribunal’s mandate ends when the proceedings do, with two narrow exceptions: it keeps authority to correct, interpret, or supplement the award under Code Section 9-9-55, and to resume proceedings if a court suspends a setting-aside action under Code Section 9-9-56 to give the tribunal a chance to fix the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two ways an arbitral proceeding can end?
It ends either through a final arbitration award or through an order of the tribunal terminating the proceedings.
Can a claimant withdraw its claim and end the case?
Usually — but if the respondent objects and the tribunal recognizes a legitimate interest by the respondent in obtaining a final settlement of the dispute, withdrawal alone will not end the proceedings.
Besides withdrawal, what else can trigger a termination order?
The parties can agree to terminate the proceedings, or the tribunal can find that continuing has become unnecessary or impossible for some other reason.
Does the tribunal lose all authority once the proceedings terminate?
Almost — its mandate terminates along with the proceedings, except for the authority it keeps under Code Section 9-9-55 to correct, interpret, or supplement the award, and under Code Section 9-9-56(d) if a court suspends a setting-aside proceeding.
Can the respondent block a claimant’s attempt to withdraw and walk away?
Yes — if the respondent objects and the tribunal recognizes a legitimate interest in obtaining a final settlement, the tribunal need not terminate the proceedings just because the claimant withdrew.
Amendment History
Code 1981, § 9-9-54, 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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