Obtaining evidence by the court at the request of international commercial arbitration

The article is dedicated to the study of the legal aspects of the procedure for obtaining evidence at the request of the International Commercial Arbitration Court through national courts. The procedure for submitting evidence in international commercial arbitration depends on the rules agreed upon by the parties in the arbitration agreement, as well as the applicable procedural norms of the arbitration institution (e.g., UNCITRAL Rules, ICC, LCIA, etc.). However, there are general principles and stages that are characteristic of most arbitration processes. The participation of national courts in relationships arising in connection with arbitration proceedings is implemented through the exercise of certain functions by the judiciary within the established scope of interaction. It has been determined that the primary goal pursued by the state, by granting national courts the authority to perform functions of assistance and control, is an interest in the implementation of the international commercial arbitration jurisdictional function. These circumstances ensure the effectiveness of arbitration proceedings and their attractiveness for the disputing parties. The general rules for submitting evidence and the powers granted to international commercial arbitration are highlighted, which include the authority to determine the admissibility, relevance, materiality, and significance of any evidence. It is concluded that the general rule is that the international arbitration court has the right to require the parties to submit evidence, as well as the right to request evidence from third parties, which the arbitration tribunal deems necessary for the resolution of the dispute. It is noted that an effective way to obtain the requested evidence is provided by Article 27 of the Law of Ukraine «On International Commercial Arbitration,» which allows the arbitration court to apply to the national court for assistance in obtaining evidence by way of a request for evidence. It is argued that the court’s assistance in obtaining evidence within the context of Article 27 of the Law of Ukraine «On International Commercial Arbitration» should only be considered in the possibility of requesting evidence by the court in accordance with Article 84 of the Civil Procedure Code of Ukraine. The request for evidence, as part of the institution of evidence preservation, in accordance with part 7 of Article 116 of the Civil Procedure Code, is not a form of court assistance to international commercial arbitration, which involves not only obtaining evidence relevant to the subject matter of the case and important for its resolution, but also primarily a way to prevent its potential loss in the future.