An arbitration award is not self-executing. A prevailing party confirms it into a judgment; a losing party may move to vacate on limited grounds.
Confirmation is largely ministerial. The court must confirm unless the award is vacated, modified or corrected, and the application must generally be made within a statutory period — one year under the federal act.
Vacatur grounds are corruption or fraud in procuring the award; evident partiality or corruption of an arbitrator; misconduct in refusing to postpone on sufficient cause or to hear pertinent evidence, or other misbehaviour prejudicing a party; and the arbitrators exceeding their powers or so imperfectly executing them that a mutual, final and definite award was not made.
Manifest disregard of the law survives as a doctrine in some circuits and has been rejected in others; where it survives, it requires that the arbitrator knew the governing law and deliberately ignored it, not that they got it wrong.
Evident partiality most often concerns undisclosed relationships. Arbitrator disclosure obligations are continuing, and a party learning of a relationship must object promptly or waive.
Timing is short. The period to move to vacate is measured in months and is strictly enforced; failing to move in time forecloses the defence even in opposition to confirmation.
Modification is available for evident miscalculation and for awards on matters not submitted.