Online arbitration FAQ

Judial is a digital arbitration platform for international B2B disputes. Businesses can use Judial to assess whether a dispute is suitable for arbitration, submit relevant documents online and seek a decision from a neutral arbitrator when the contractual and legal requirements are met. Learn more about the Judial platform and the online arbitration process.

Judial may be suitable for an unpaid international B2B invoice when there is a valid arbitration agreement or the other party later agrees to arbitrate. The assessment normally depends on the contract, arbitration clause, invoice, performance evidence, correspondence, applicable law and the country in which enforcement may be needed. See the unpaid invoice arbitration page and start a case review. Judial does not guarantee payment or successful enforcement.

Sending the invitation is free. Fees are only due once the other party accepts. The proceedings start once the claimant has paid the fee in advance. The arbitrator decides in the award who bears the costs; as a rule the losing party, unless the parties agree otherwise (e.g. a 50/50 split). Judial publishes a dispute-value-based fee schedule. For a dispute value under EUR 10,000, the fee is EUR 500 flat. From EUR 10,000 to EUR 100,000, the fee is 5 percent, capped at EUR 3,000. From EUR 100,000 to EUR 1,000,000, the fee is 2 percent, capped at EUR 10,000. For disputes above EUR 1,000,000, Judial provides a custom offer. An expedited award with a three-day procedural target is listed as an additional 25 percent, and a bilingual award in English, German or Polish as an additional EUR 400. Check the full Judial fee schedule before filing because the applicable fee and any additional services must be confirmed for the specific case. Post-award mediation is available for an additional EUR 300.

The duration depends on the dispute, service of documents, the parties' cooperation and the applicable procedural rules. For suitable cases, Judial describes a typical decision period of four to five weeks, but this is not a guaranteed deadline and does not remove the required procedural steps. The process overview explains the main stages.

Usually, arbitration requires an agreement between the parties, such as an arbitration clause in the contract or a later agreement to arbitrate. One party normally cannot force the other party into arbitration simply by submitting a form. The UNCITRAL New York Convention addresses the recognition of arbitration agreements and foreign arbitral awards. Judial can help identify the relevant contractual question, but the specific agreement must be assessed in context.

The consequences depend on the arbitration agreement, proper notice and the applicable procedural rules. A lack of response does not automatically end a case, but it also does not automatically justify a decision against the other party. Judial should explain the available procedural steps after reviewing the agreement and evidence of notice. See the process overview for the general sequence.

An arbitral award may be recognized and enforced in states that apply the New York Convention, subject to the requirements and possible refusal grounds of the enforcing jurisdiction. The Convention provides common standards for recognition of arbitration agreements and foreign awards. In Germany, section 1061 of the Code of Civil Procedure refers to the New York Convention for recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards. This does not mean that enforcement or payment is automatic. The relevant agreement, procedure, award and enforcing country must be reviewed.

Judial will normally need the contract and arbitration clause, invoices, delivery or performance evidence, relevant correspondence, payment records and a clear explanation of the claim. The exact documents depend on the dispute. The contract disputes page explains the types of contractual issues that may need to be documented.

Judial provides an online arbitration process for international B2B disputes. Arbitration is intended to lead to a decision by a neutral arbitrator, while mediation helps the parties seek a voluntary settlement and a state court decides under state court procedure. The right option depends on the contract, consent, evidence, urgency, cost structure and enforcement needs. Judial explains the arbitration route in its process overview.

Arbitration is generally designed as a private form of dispute resolution, but the exact confidentiality obligations depend on the applicable rules and agreements. Judial should explain the data it processes, the purpose of processing and the applicable safeguards in its privacy information. The EU General Data Protection Regulation is the relevant official European framework for the processing of personal data where it applies. See Judial's privacy policy for the platform-specific information.

If the losing party does not pay voluntarily, the successful party may need to seek recognition and enforcement in the relevant jurisdiction. The steps depend on the country, the award, the arbitration agreement and possible grounds for refusal. Judial can explain the procedural outcome, but it cannot guarantee voluntary payment or successful enforcement. The official UNCITRAL Convention text and the German rule on foreign awards provide the legal starting points.