Article 1 - Definition and Form of Arbitration Agreements

California Code of Civil Procedure — §§ 1297.71-1297.73

Sections (3)

Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 23, Sec. 1. Effective March 7, 1988.

An “arbitration agreement” is an agreement by the parties to submit to arbitration all or certain disputes which have arisen or which may arise between them in respect of a defined legal relationship, whether contractual or not. An arbitration agreement may be in the form of an arbitration clause in a contract or in the form of a separate agreement.

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 90, Sec. 3. (AB 1903) Effective January 1, 2025.

An arbitration agreement shall be in writing.

Added by Stats. 2024, Ch. 90, Sec. 4. (AB 1903) Effective January 1, 2025.

(a)An arbitration agreement is in writing if its content is recorded in any form, including, but not limited to, in a document signed by the parties or in an exchange of letters, telex, telegrams, electronic mail, or other means of telecommunication accessible for subsequent reference that provides a record of the agreement.
(b)The requirement that an arbitration agreement be in writing is met by an electronic communication if the information contained therein is accessible so as to be usable for subsequent reference.
(1)“Electronic communication” means any communication that the parties make by means of data messages.
(2)“Data message” means information generated, sent, received, or stored by electronic, magnetic, optical, or similar means, including, but not limited to, electronic data interchange (EDI), electronic mail, telegram, telex, or telecopy.
(c)An arbitration agreement is in writing if it is contained in an exchange of statements of claim and defense in which the existence of an agreement is alleged by one party and not denied by the other.
(d)The reference in a contract to any document containing an arbitration clause constitutes an arbitration agreement in writing, provided that the reference is such as to make that clause part of the contract.