{"id":7458,"date":"2025-10-02T10:00:44","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T03:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/the-issue-of-the-authenticity-of-evidence-in-arbitral-proceedings\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T15:25:45","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T08:25:45","slug":"the-issue-of-the-authenticity-of-evidence-in-arbitral-proceedings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/the-issue-of-the-authenticity-of-evidence-in-arbitral-proceedings\/","title":{"rendered":"The Issue of the Authenticity of Evidence in Arbitral Proceedings"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>1. Collection of Evidence in Commercial Arbitration<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>1.1. What are the differences between evidence in civil proceedings and in arbitral proceedings?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The collection of evidence in arbitral proceedings must comply with the provisions of the Law on Commercial Arbitration 2010 and the procedural rules of the arbitral institution chosen by the parties. Article 46 of the Law on Commercial Arbitration 2010 expressly stipulates the parties\u2019 obligation to provide evidence as well as the arbitral tribunal\u2019s authority to request the collection of evidence. In certain necessary circumstances, particularly when the arbitral tribunal encounters obstacles beyond its competence, the 2015 Civil Procedure Code may be applied by reference, allowing the arbitral tribunal to submit a written request to the Court for assistance in collecting evidence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fundamental difference between arbitral proceedings and civil proceedings lies in the jurisdiction of the dispute-resolution authority.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the Court, judges have the authority to actively collect evidence, apply coercive measures, request expert examinations, or require agencies and organizations to provide documents (pursuant to the 2015 Civil Procedure Code). <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In arbitration, evidence is primarily provided voluntarily by the parties; the arbitral tribunal does not possess coercive powers like the Court but is limited to assessing and evaluating the evidence submitted.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition, there are several other notable differences:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Source of Evidence:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Civil Procedure Code provides strict regulations and an exhaustive list of lawful types of evidence; in contrast, the Law on Commercial Arbitration adopts a more flexible approach, accepting various forms of documents, electronic data, commercial customs, and international trade practices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Burden of Proof:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In both mechanisms, the parties bear the burden of proof; however, in arbitration, this responsibility is heavier since the arbitral tribunal seldom takes the initiative to collect evidence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Evaluation of Evidence:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Courts must assess evidence objectively, comprehensively, and in accordance with the law, whereas arbitral tribunals enjoy greater discretion in evaluating evidence, provided that fairness and the parties\u2019 agreement are maintained.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Coercive Power:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Courts operate with the support of state authority, enabling them to enforce measures for evidence collection; arbitral tribunals, however, must rely on court assistance when the collection of evidence exceeds their competence (Article 46 of the Law on Commercial Arbitration).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accordingly, the collection of evidence in arbitral proceedings is characterized by flexibility, autonomy, and conformity with international commercial practices, yet remains limited by the tribunal\u2019s jurisdiction. Therefore, when difficulties arise, the parties or the arbitral tribunal may seek court assistance to ensure procedural efficiency and fairness.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>1.2. The Authority of Arbitrators to Collect Evidence<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In arbitral proceedings, arbitrators have the authority to request the parties to provide documents and evidence, conduct on-site inspections, seek expert opinions, order asset valuation, summon witnesses, or consult specialists to clarify the matters in dispute. However, unlike judges of the Court, arbitrators do not possess coercive power to compel agencies or organizations to produce documents. When the collection of evidence exceeds their competence, the arbitral tribunal or arbitrators may submit a written request to the Court for assistance pursuant to Article 46 of the Law on Commercial Arbitration 2010.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>1.3. Requesting the Court to Collect Evidence<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In arbitral proceedings, when the arbitral tribunal or the parties have taken all necessary measures but are still unable to obtain the required evidence, they have the right to request the Court\u2019s assistance. Pursuant to Article 46 of the Law on Commercial Arbitration 2010, the arbitral tribunal or a disputing party may submit a written request to the competent Court, asking it to require the individual, agency, or organization in possession of the evidence to provide it. In such cases, the Court shall proceed in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the 2015 Civil Procedure Code to collect the evidence and deliver it to the arbitral tribunal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This mechanism reflects the cooperation between arbitration and the Court: since arbitral tribunals lack coercive authority, judicial assistance is necessary to ensure that the dispute resolution process remains objective, supported by sufficient evidence, and carries practical legal validity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>1.4. The Authenticity of Evidence in Arbitral Proceedings<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In arbitral proceedings, the authenticity of evidence is ensured through various means, such as requiring that evidence originate from a lawful source, be presented in its original form or as a certified copy, and that electronic data bear a digital signature. When disputes arise regarding the reliability of evidence, the arbitral tribunal may seek expert appraisal, summon witnesses, or verify consistency with commercial customs and international trade practices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike in civil proceedings\u2014where authenticity is primarily guaranteed through certification and verification by state authorities\u2014arbitral proceedings grant the arbitral tribunal greater discretion to assess evidence based on the case file and the parties\u2019 submissions. However, since the arbitral tribunal lacks coercive powers, in necessary circumstances it must request assistance from the competent Court to verify the evidence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If an arbitral award is based on falsified evidence provided by one of the parties, this may constitute one of the grounds for the Court to set aside the arbitral award.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b style=\"font-style: inherit;\">2. Types of Evidence in Arbitral Proceedings<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>2.1. Documents and Written Materials<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Commercial contracts, appendices, minutes, invoices, bills of lading, payment documents, certificates of origin, and customs papers are among the most important types of evidence, as they directly reflect the rights, obligations, and transactions between the parties.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>2.2. Electronic Evidence<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emails, messages, faxes, audio or video recordings, and data from ERP systems, management software, or electronic transaction platforms are widely used in international commercial disputes. They are particularly recognized as valid evidence when accompanied by digital signatures or system authentication.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>2.3. Testimonies of the Parties and Witnesses<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Statements of the claimant, respondent, or their legal representatives, as well as testimonies of witnesses (such as employees, business partners, or experts), may be summoned by the arbitral tribunal to clarify specific facts of the case.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>2.4. Expert Appraisal Reports and Expert Opinions<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expert examinations may involve the verification of signatures, seals, product quality, machinery conditions, or damage valuation. In technical or specialized disputes (such as those involving chemicals, construction, or software), expert opinions play a crucial role. Obtaining expert opinions is common in cases concerning technical, legal, financial, or other specialized matters. These expert reports and assessments assist the arbitral tribunal in reaching an accurate and well-grounded decision.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>2.5. On-site inspection records and physical evidence<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inspection of the condition of goods, construction works, or storage facilities; physical evidence refers to the actual goods or materials that remain in custody.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7044\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7044\" style=\"width: 1100px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7044 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Van-de-tinh-xac-thuc-chung-cu-trong-trong-tai-thuong-mai.png\" alt=\"The Issue of the Authenticity of Evidence in Arbitral Proceedings\" width=\"1100\" height=\"750\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Van-de-tinh-xac-thuc-chung-cu-trong-trong-tai-thuong-mai.png 1100w, https:\/\/bbiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Van-de-tinh-xac-thuc-chung-cu-trong-trong-tai-thuong-mai-300x205.png 300w, https:\/\/bbiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Van-de-tinh-xac-thuc-chung-cu-trong-trong-tai-thuong-mai-1024x698.png 1024w, https:\/\/bbiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Van-de-tinh-xac-thuc-chung-cu-trong-trong-tai-thuong-mai-768x524.png 768w, https:\/\/bbiac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Van-de-tinh-xac-thuc-chung-cu-trong-trong-tai-thuong-mai-600x409.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7044\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">BigBoss International Arbitration Center (BBIAC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b style=\"font-style: inherit;\">3. Procedures for Collecting Documentary Evidence in Arbitration<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In arbitral proceedings, the process of collecting evidence is conducted under the principle that the parties are autonomous and bear responsibility for proving their claims. Initially, each party is obliged to provide documents and evidence to substantiate its claims or to refute those of the opposing party (Article 30 of the Law on Commercial Arbitration 2010). When the arbitral tribunal deems the evidence insufficient or requires clarification, it may request the parties to submit additional materials and may also directly take measures such as on-site inspection, expert appraisal, or summoning witnesses (Articles 34 and 35).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In cases where the parties or the arbitral tribunal have taken all necessary measures but are still unable to obtain the required evidence, the arbitral tribunal or one of the parties has the right to submit a written request to the competent Court for assistance in evidence collection (Article 46). The Court shall then apply the procedures prescribed in the 2015 Civil Procedure Code to require agencies, organizations, or individuals to provide the evidence and deliver it to the arbitral tribunal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All evidence collected shall be examined and evaluated by the arbitral tribunal in accordance with the principles of independence, objectivity, fairness, and consistency with the parties\u2019 agreement as well as the procedural rules of the arbitral institution. This highlights the flexibility of the arbitral mechanism while maintaining coordination with the Court to remedy the arbitral tribunal\u2019s lack of coercive authority.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b style=\"font-style: inherit;\">4. Judicial Involvement in the Verification of Evidence during Arbitral Proceedings<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The provincial-level Court where the evidence is located shall have jurisdiction to provide assistance if the parties have not agreed otherwise. Within seven working days from the date of receiving the written request for evidence collection, the Chief Justice of the competent Court shall assign a Judge to review and handle the request. Within five working days from the date of assignment, the Judge must issue a written request to the agency, organization, or individual managing or holding the evidence to provide it to the Court, and must also send this document to the People\u2019s Procuracy of the same level for the performance of its functions and duties in accordance with the law.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agencies, organizations, or individuals managing or holding the evidence are responsible for providing the requested evidence fully and promptly to the Court within fifteen days from the date of receiving the request. Within five working days from the date of receiving the evidence provided by such agencies, organizations, or individuals, the Court must notify the arbitral tribunal and the requesting party to proceed with the handover of the evidence. If the evidence is not provided within the prescribed time limit, the Court must immediately inform the arbitral tribunal and the requesting party, and concurrently issue a written request to the competent authority to take action in accordance with the law.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b style=\"font-style: inherit;\">5. How to Resolve Disputes through the BigBoss International Arbitration Center (BBIAC)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To resolve disputes through arbitration at BBIAC, parties may include one of the following sample clauses in their contracts:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>5.1. Standard Arbitration Clause<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u201cAll disputes arising out of or in connection with this contract shall be settled by arbitration at the BigBoss International Arbitration Center (BBIAC) in accordance with its Arbitration Rules.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Optional additions:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (a) Number of arbitrators: [one or three];<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (b) Seat of arbitration: [city and\/or country];<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (c) Governing law: [ ];*<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (d) Language of arbitration: [ ].**<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">*Note: (a) and (b) apply where foreign elements are involved;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> *<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(c) applies where at least one party is a foreign-invested enterprise.<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>5.2. Expedited Procedure Clause<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u201cAll disputes arising out of or in connection with this contract shall be settled by arbitration at the BigBoss International Arbitration Center (BBIAC) in accordance with its Arbitration Rules. The parties agree that the arbitration shall be conducted under the Expedited Procedure set forth in Article 37 of the BBIAC Arbitration Rules.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Optional additions:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (a) Seat of arbitration: [city and\/or country];<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (b) Governing law: [ ];*<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (c) Language of arbitration: [ ].**<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notes as above apply.<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Contact: +84 979 133 955 for consultation.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1. Collection of Evidence in Commercial Arbitration 1.1. What are the differences between evidence in civil proceedings and in arbitral proceedings? The collection of evidence in arbitral proceedings must comply with the provisions of the Law on Commercial Arbitration 2010 and the procedural rules of the arbitral institution chosen by the parties. Article 46 of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[88,85],"tags":[850],"class_list":["post-7458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legal-knowledge","category-library","tag-evidence-arbitral-proceedings-commercial-arbitration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7458"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7458\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7460,"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7458\/revisions\/7460"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbiac.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}