Hearings
Hearings are an important part of any arbitral proceeding. Though parties may agree to decide their dispute on documents only, the majority of cases administered under the SCC Rules include hearings conducted in person. The participation of witnesses and experts by videolink/conference is also possible subject to permission of the arbitral tribunal. Depending on the complexity of the case, hearings may vary in length, from one day to a week, or even longer.
Generally, hearings in SCC arbitrations are conducted either online or at a facility offering hearing rooms for arbitration hearings. There are a number of good options in Stockholm, such as Stockholms International Hearing Centre, Convendum, IVA Konferenscenter, Grand Hotel, and Radisson. Another option for parties to consider when choosing a suitable facility for their hearing may be to hold their hearing at either the law firms of either Counsel or one of the Arbitrators. There is also a possibility to hold a hearing at the SCC Arbitration Institute’s Hearing Facility. This is suitable for arbitrations with one arbitrator in the arbitral tribunal. Read more about the SCC Hearing Facilities here.
Place of Hearings
A hearing may be conducted at the legal seat of arbitration, or elsewhere in the world.
For instance, in an arbitration seated in Stockholm, a hearing may be held in Stockholm or in any other city anywhere in the world convenient to the parties and the tribunal. The Swedish Arbitration Act will apply regardless. In practice, the SCC has had arbitrations seated in Stockholm while the hearings have been held in Paris, London, and other cities around the world.
Costs of Hearings
The costs relating to any hearings are borne by the parties. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the parties to organise any relevant logistical matters, including booking hotels, conference rooms, catering, audio-visual equipment, court reports, and interpreters.
The parties have autonomy in relation to how much the hearing will cost and what kind of technical and logistical requirements are required. The SCC does not provide any standard requirements in relation to hearings.
Court Reporters
A court reporter creates a record of the hearing. This transcript is often essential for arbitrators, counsel, and parties involved. Since a few years, there are good digital services for these transcripts. However, individual court reporters are still used and can be retained through various language-service agencies. In addition to that, independent service providers can be found in the UK and the USA. Please note that these court reporters usually work in English.
