What Is an Arbitration Case Management System?
An Arbitration Case Management System is the software application that manages the complete lifecycle of an arbitration case — from the moment an arbitration request is submitted through to final award archiving. It encompasses: status tracking, document management, arbitrator management, scheduling, procedural communications, and reporting.
Core Functional Components of a Case Management System
1. Central Dashboard
A comprehensive view of all active cases with status indicators, overdue cases, upcoming deadlines, and pending procedure alerts. It must be customized for each role: administrator, secretary, arbitrator, and party representative.
2. Case Lifecycle Management
A system that tracks each case through its pre-defined procedural stages, with the ability to customize workflows for different types of disputes (commercial, labor, real estate, etc.).
3. Secured Document Management
Document upload, authenticity verification, electronic signature, and archiving — with a precise access permission system ensuring each party sees only what they are entitled to see.
4. Arbitral Tribunal Management
Arbitrator database, selection and appointment mechanism, conflict-of-interest management, and arbitrator fee tracking and payment.
5. Scheduling and Session Management
Session schedule coordination, automated invitation dispatch, integrated video session management, and minutes recording.
6. Notifications and Procedural Communications
Automated notifications via email and SMS for every procedure: memorandum delivery, hearing date, response deadline expiry. With a documented record of every notification.
7. Reports and Statistics
Periodic reports on center performance: case count, average duration, settlement rate, arbitrator workloads. Data that enables leadership to make evidence-based decisions.
A good case management system does not just manage the current case — it builds data that enables the center to analyze and continuously improve its performance.
Common Mistakes in Choosing a Case Management System
- Choosing a generic document management system: SharePoint and similar systems lack the procedural workflow specific to arbitration
- Ignoring scalability: A system that works with 50 cases may collapse with 500
- Neglecting the party interface: Lawyers and parties interact with the system daily — ease of use determines their satisfaction
- Buying without an integration plan: A system disconnected from the hearings platform and accounting systems creates data silos
Designed specifically for arbitration, with a complete case lifecycle, role-specific dashboards, and instant reports.
See also our e-arbitration platform selection guide and the complete Tahkeem platform.