Art. R44: Procedure before the Panel
R44.1 Written Submissions
The proceedings before the Panel comprise written submissions and, in principle, an oral hearing. Upon receipt of the file and if necessary, the President of the Panel shall issue directions in connection with the written submissions. As a general rule, there shall be one statement of claim, one response and, if the circumstances so require, one reply and one second response. The parties may, in the statement of claim and in the response, raise claims not contained in the request for arbitration and in the answer to the request. Thereafter, no party may raise any new claim without the consent of the other party.
Together with their written submissions, the parties shall produce all written evidence upon which they intend to rely. After the exchange of the written submissions, the parties shall not be authorized to produce further written evidence, except by mutual agreement, or if the Panel so permits, on the basis of exceptional circumstances.
In their written submissions, the parties shall list the name(s) of any witnesses, whom they intend to call, including a brief summary of their expected testimony, and the name(s) of any experts, stating their area of expertise, and shall state any other evidentiary measure which they request. Any witness statements shall be filed together with the parties’ submissions, unless the President of the Panel decides otherwise.
If a counterclaim and/or jurisdictional objection is filed, the CAS Court Office shall fix a time limit for the Claimant to file an answer to the counterclaim and/or jurisdictional objection.
R44.2 Hearing
If a hearing is to be held, the President of the Panel shall issue directions with respect to the hearing as soon as possible and set the hearing date. As a general rule, there shall be one hearing during which the Panel hears the parties, any witnesses and any experts, as well as the parties’ final oral arguments, for which the Respondent is heard last.
The President of the Panel shall conduct the hearing and ensure that the statements made are concise and limited to the subject of the written presentations, to the extent that these presentations are relevant. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the hearings are not public. The hearing may be recorded. Any person heard by the Panel may be assisted by an interpreter at the cost of the party which called such person.
The parties may only call such witnesses and experts which they have specified in their written submissions. Each party is responsible for the availability and costs of the witnesses and experts it has called.
The President of the Panel may decide to conduct a hearing by video-conference or to hear some parties, witnesses and experts via tele-conference or video-conference. With the agreement of the parties, she/he may also exempt a witness or expert from appearing at the hearing if the witness or expert has previously filed a statement.
The Panel may limit or disallow the appearance of any witness or expert, or any part of their testimony, on the grounds of irrelevance.
Before hearing any witness, expert or interpreter, the Panel shall solemnly invite such person to tell the truth, subject to the sanctions of perjury.
Once the hearing is closed, the parties shall not be authorized to produce further written pleadings, unless the Panel so orders.
After consulting the parties, the Panel may, if it deems itself to be sufficiently well informed, decide not to hold a hearing.
R44.3 Evidentiary Proceedings Ordered by the Panel
A party may request the Panel to order the other party to produce documents in its custody or under its control. The party seeking such production shall demonstrate that such documents are likely to exist and to be relevant.
If it deems it appropriate to supplement the presentations of the parties, the Panel may at any time order the production of additional documents or the examination of witnesses, appoint and hear experts, and proceed with any other procedural step. The Panel may order the parties to contribute to any additional costs related to the hearing of witnesses and experts.
The Panel shall consult the parties with respect to the appointment and terms of reference of any expert. The expert shall be independent of the parties. Before appointing her/him, the Panel shall invite her/him to immediately disclose any circumstances likely to affect her/his independence with respect to any of the parties.
R44.4 Expedited Procedure
With the consent of the parties, the Division President or the Panel may proceed in an expedited manner and may issue appropriate directions therefor. The time limits and procedural calendar agreed by the parties are binding for CAS provided that they have been validated first by the Division President or the Panel.
R44.5 Default
If the Claimant fails to submit its statement of claim in accordance with Article R44.1 of the Code, the request for arbitration shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.
If the Respondent fails to submit its response in accordance with Article R44.1 of the Code, the Panel may nevertheless proceed with the arbitration and deliver an award.
If any of the parties, or its witnesses, has been duly summoned and fails to appear at the hearing, the Panel may nevertheless proceed with the hearing and deliver an award.