(1) Before accepting an appointment, an individual who is requested to serve as an arbitrator, after making a reasonable inquiry, shall disclose to all parties to the agreement to arbitrate and arbitration proceeding and to any other arbitrators any known facts that a reasonable person would consider likely to affect the impartiality of the arbitrator in the arbitration proceeding, including:
A financial or personal interest in the outcome of the arbitration proceeding; and
A current or previous relationship with any of the parties to the agreement to arbitrate or the arbitration proceeding, their counsel or representatives, a witness, or another arbitrator.
An arbitrator shall have a continuing obligation to disclose to all parties to the agreement to arbitrate and to the arbitration proceeding and to any other arbitrators any facts that the arbitrator learns after accepting appointment that a reasonable person would consider likely to affect the impartiality of the arbitrator.
If an arbitrator discloses a fact required to be disclosed by subsection (1) or (2) ofthis section and a party timely objects to the appointment or continued service of the arbitrator based upon the fact disclosed, the objection may be a ground under section 13-22-223 (1)(b) for vacating an award made by an arbitrator.
If the arbitrator does not disclose a fact as required by subsection (1) or (2) of thissection, upon timely objection by a party, the court may vacate an award under section 13-22223 (1)(b).
An arbitrator appointed as a neutral arbitrator who does not disclose a known, direct,and material interest in the outcome of the arbitration proceeding or a known, existing, and substantial relationship with a party shall be presumed to act with evident partiality under section 13-22-223 (1)(b).
If the parties to an arbitration proceeding agree to the procedures of an arbitrationorganization or any other procedures for challenges to arbitrators before an award is made, substantial compliance with those procedures is a condition precedent to a motion to vacate an award on that ground under section 13-22-223 (1)(b).
Source: L. 2004: Entire part R&RE, p. 1723, § 1, effective August 4.