28 U.S.C. § 653
Section 653 · Neutrals
Current version, with additions and removals from the November 19, 1988 version.
(a) Powers.—An arbitrator to whom an action is referred under section 652 shall have, within the judicial district of the district court which referred the action to arbitration, the power—
(1) to conduct arbitration hearings,
(2) to administer oaths and affirmations, and
(3) to make awards.
(b) Time for Beginning Arbitration Hearing.—An arbitration hearing under this chapter shall begin within a time period specified by the district court, but in no event later than 180 days after the filing of an answer, except that the arbitration proceeding shall not, in the absence of the consent of the parties, commence until 30 days after the disposition by the district court of any motion to dismiss the complaint, motion for judgment on the pleadings, motion to join necessary parties, or motion for summary judgment, if the motion was filed during a time period specified by the district court. The 180-day and 30-day periods specified in the preceding sentence may be modified by the court for good cause shown.
(c) Subpoenas.—Rule 45 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (relating to subpoenas) applies to subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of documentary evidence at an arbitration hearing under this chapter.
(a) Panel of Neutrals.—Each district court that authorizes the use of alternative dispute resolution processes shall adopt appropriate processes for making neutrals available for use by the parties for each category of process offered. Each district court shall promulgate its own procedures and criteria for the selection of neutrals on its panels.
(b) Qualifications and Training.—Each person serving as a neutral in an alternative dispute resolution process should be qualified and trained to serve as a neutral in the appropriate alternative dispute resolution process. For this purpose, the district court may use, among others, magistrate judges who have been trained to serve as neutrals in alternative dispute resolution processes, professional neutrals from the private sector, and persons who have been trained to serve as neutrals in alternative dispute resolution processes. Until such time as rules are adopted under chapter 131 of this title relating to the disqualification of neutrals, each district court shall issue rules under section 2071(a) relating to the disqualification of neutrals (including, where appropriate, disqualification under section 455 of this title, other applicable law, and professional responsibility standards).