§ 7563.Briefs; award; decision
Article 75-A. Health Care Arbitration · Last amended 1986 · Last verified July 21, 2026
Full Text of CPLR 7563
Plain-English Summary
After the hearing wraps up, subdivision (a) gives the panel discretion to order written briefs, due within thirty days of the close of hearings, in which each party can summarize the evidence and testimony and propose a comprehensive award covering the compensatory elements it believes are due. That process gives the panel a structured last word from each side before it decides.
Subdivision (b) then puts a clock on the decision itself. The panel decides by majority vote, and it has to render that decision within thirty days of whichever comes later: the close of the hearing, or receipt of briefs if the panel asked for them. The deadline keeps a case from drifting once the evidentiary record is closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the arbitration panel require written briefs after the hearing?
Yes. The panel may order written briefs within thirty days after the close of hearings, letting each party summarize the evidence and propose a comprehensive award.
How is the arbitration panel's decision made?
By majority vote of the three-member panel.
How long does the panel have to decide after the hearing ends?
Thirty days after the close of the hearing, or thirty days after receiving briefs if the panel requested them.
What can each party include in a brief submitted under CPLR 7563?
A summary of the evidence and testimony and a proposed comprehensive award of compensatory elements, giving the panel a structured statement of each side's position before it decides.
Is the panel required to order written briefs after every hearing?
No. CPLR 7563(a) leaves that decision to the panel, which may order briefs but is not required to.
Amendment History
Add, L 1986, ch 266, § 5, eff July 8, 1986.