Georgetown Law
Georgetown Law Library

International Commercial Arbitration Research Guide

This guide introduces researchers to primary and secondary sources for international commercial arbitration research.

Arbitral Awards & Court Decisions


Brief Overview

Locating a decision or award issued by an arbitral tribunal in an international commercial dispute is often an exercise in frustration.  Many decisions and awards are not published due to confidentiality provisions in arbitration agreements, and some that are published have the names of the parties redacted.  

In addition, commercial publishers are highly selective in choosing which arbitral decisions and awards to publish, often focusing on a single arbitral institution, particular types of disputes or a specific geographic region.  Therefore, when searching for arbitral decisions and awards, it is essential to consult multiple sources.

It is easier to find court decisions involving the oversight of arbitral proceedings or the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards.  Decisions issued by courts in common law jurisdictions usually are available in full-text.  For decisions issued by civil law courts, a summary or abstract may be the only option.  If a full text-opinion is provided, it may only be available in the language of the jurisdiction, not in English translation.

Use the Electronic Resources and Print Resources described on the following pages to locate arbitral decisions and awards, as well as court opinions related to international commercial arbitration.