The Award

(a) Filing the Award. The award shall be in writing, signed by the arbitrator and filed with the clerk within three days after the hearing is concluded or the receipt of post-hearing briefs, whichever is later. The arbitrator shall file a complete award indicating any award, the rate of any applicable interest and any accrued interest. (b) Findings; Conclusions; Opinions. No findings of fact and conclusions of law or opinions supporting an award are required. (c) Scope of Award. The award must resolve all issues raised by the pleadings, may be in any amount supported by the evidence, shall include interest as provided by law, and may include attorney’s fees as allowed by law. (d) Copies of Award to Parties. The arbitrator shall deliver a copy of the award to all of the parties or their counsel at the conclusion of the hearing or the clerk shall serve, in accordance with the N.C. R. Civ. P. 5, the award within three (3) days after filing. A record shall be made by the arbitrator or the court of the date and manner of service. Comment the conclusion of Ordinarily, the arbitrator should issue the If an award is incomplete or unclear, the clerk the hearing. award at should request clarification from the arbitrator See Arb. Rule 7(a). If the arbitrator wants and the arbitrator should amend the award to post-hearing briefs, the arbitrator must receive make the award, including any interest, evident. them within three days, consider them, and file In the event this occurs after the award was thereafter. the award within announced to the parties, the court should serve See Arb. Rule 6(r) and its Comment. If the the amended order on all parties in accordance arbitrator deems it appropriate, the arbitrator with Arb. Rule 7(d). The service of an amended may explain orally the basis of the award. order shall cause the period for demanding a trial de novo to restart in accordance with Arb. Rule 8. three days History Note. 365 N.C. 711.