The powers of the arbitrators may be exercised by a majority unless otherwise provided by the agreement or by the Uniform Arbitration Act.
§ 25-2605.Majority action by arbitrators.
Article 26: Uniform Arbitration Act · Last amended 1987 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section lets a majority of the arbitrators exercise the arbitrators’ powers on any matter, unless the parties’ agreement or the Uniform Arbitration Act itself says otherwise.
Full Text of § 25-2605
Source
Laws 1987, LB 71, § 5.
Plain-English Summary
Section 25-2605 keeps a multi-member arbitration panel from grinding to a halt over a single holdout. The powers of the arbitrators may be exercised by a majority, unless the arbitration agreement or the act provides otherwise for a particular decision.
This default majority rule runs through the rest of the act — it is the same principle behind a majority conducting the hearing and rendering the final award under section 25-2606, and behind a majority signing the award under section 25-2609. Parties who want unanimous decision-making, or some other voting arrangement, need to say so in their arbitration agreement, since the statutory default favors majority action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every arbitrator on a panel have to agree before a ruling counts?
No. Section 25-2605 lets a majority of the arbitrators exercise the panel’s powers unless the agreement or the act requires something different.
Can parties require unanimous decisions instead of majority rule?
Yes. The statute’s majority rule applies only in the absence of a contrary provision in the arbitration agreement or elsewhere in the act.
Does this majority rule apply to signing the final award?
Yes, in effect — section 25-2609 requires the award to be signed by the arbitrators joining in it, consistent with majority action under this section.
What if the arbitration agreement is silent on how decisions get made?
Then the default under section 25-2605 governs, and a majority of the arbitrators can exercise the panel’s powers.
Does this section apply to a single arbitrator?
The majority-action rule matters when there is more than one arbitrator; a sole arbitrator exercises the full powers of the panel alone.
Source & verification. Section text and the amendment-history citation are
reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Legislature, Revisor of Statutes, enacted by the
Nebraska Legislature. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
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