Common use of Authority of the Arbitrators Clause in Contracts

Authority of the Arbitrators. The validity, construction, and interpretation of this agreement to arbitrate, and all procedural aspects of the arbitration conducted pursuant to this agreement to arbitrate, including, but not limited to, the determination of the issues that are subject to arbitration (i.e., arbitrability), the scope of the arbitrable issues, allegations of "fraud in the inducement" to enter into this agreement to arbitrate, allegations of waiver, delay or other defenses to arbitrability, the appropriateness of summary judgment and the rules governing the conduct of the arbitration (including the time for filing an answer, the time for the filing of counterclaims, the times for amending the pleadings, the specificity of the pleadings, the extent and scope of discovery, the issuance of subpoenas, the times for the designation of experts, whether the arbitration is to be stayed pending resolution of related litigation involving third parties not bound by this agreement to arbitrate, the receipt of evidence, and the like) shall be decided by the arbitrators. The arbitrators shall have the authority to assess the costs and expenses of the arbitration proceeding (including the arbitrators' fees and expenses) against one or more of the Disputing Parties in whatever manner or allocation the arbitrators deem appropriate, provided that each Disputing Party shall bear its own attorneys' fees, and the arbitrators shall have no authority to award attorneys' fees.