Colorado Arbitration Laws

Pursuant to the Uniform Arbitration Act as adopted in Colorado (UAA), an arbitration award may be set aside only if it was obtained through fraud or corruption, there was no agreement to arbitrate, or the arbitrators were not impartial, exceeded their powers, or otherwise conducted the proceedings in a manner that prejudiced the substantial rights of a party. Section 13-22-214(1), C.R.S. 1999; McNaughton & Rodgers v. Besser, 932 P.2d 819 (Colo. App. 1996). Arbitrators are not bound by any particular substantive or procedural rules of law unless the agreement to arbitrate so provides. Cabus v. Dairyland Insurance Co., 656 P.2d 54 (Colo. App. 1982). The arbitrators do not exceed their powers by rendering a decision that is contrary to the rules of law that would have been applied by a court, so long as there is no violation of an express term of the agreement to arbitrate. Giraldi v. Morrell, 892 P.2d 422 (Colo. App. 1994). Unless the agreement to arbitrate provides otherwise, the arbitrators have the authority to decide all contested issues of fact and law properly presented for decision. Container Technology Corp. v. J. Gadsden Pty., Ltd., 781 P.2d 119 (Colo. App. 1989).