(A) Any party to an arbitration within the scope of this chapter may apply to a court of common pleas in order to confirm or vacate any final award of an arbitral tribunal or to declare that the award is not entitled to confirmation by the courts of this state. The court shall dispose of all such applications as provided in division (B) of this section without regard to the law of the place of arbitration, the law governing the award, or whether a court would apply the law or decisional principles applied by the arbitral tribunal or would grant the relief granted in the award.

(B)

(1) The court of common pleas shall grant an application to confirm the award without regard to the place of arbitration unless one of the grounds set forth in section 2712.70 of the Revised Code is established as an affirmative defense. If such an affirmative defense is established and the conditions of division (B)(2) of this section are met, the court shall vacate the award without regard to any time limit contained in this section. If such an affirmative defense is established and the conditions of division (B)(2) of this section are not met, the court shall issue an order declaring the award is not entitled to confirmation by the courts of this state.

(2) The court of common pleas shall grant an application to vacate the award if the applicant establishes one of the grounds set forth in section 2712.70 of the Revised Code and either the place of arbitration was in this state or the arbitration was subject to the laws of this state.

(3) The court of common pleas shall declare that the award is not entitled to confirmation by the courts of this state if the applicant establishes one or more of the grounds set forth in section 2712.70 of the Revised Code, but the place of arbitration was not in this state or the arbitration was not subject to the laws of this state.

(C) In any action under divisions (A) and (B) of this section, the judgment of a court of a foreign nation determining whether one or more of the grounds established in section 2712.70 of the Revised Code is established shall be accorded the effect normally given the judgment of a court of a foreign nation by the courts of this state.

(D) The applications referred to in divisions (A) and (B) of this section shall be brought within the following time limits:

(1) An application to confirm an award shall be brought within the time provided for in the Revised Code for the enforcement of judgments.

(2) An application to vacate an award or for a declaration that the award is not entitled to confirmation by the courts of this state shall be brought within ninety days of receipt of the final award by the applicant or, in the case of an application based on division (A)(4) or (5) of section 2712.70 of the Revised Code, within ninety days of the date when the circumstances giving rise to the application were discovered or, with the exercise of due diligence, should have been discovered by the applicant.

(E) If any party to an arbitration dies or becomes incompetent, a court may extend the time limits set forth in division (D) of this section.

(F) In considering an application filed under divisions (A) and (B) of this section, a court may modify or correct the award for any evident miscalculation or mistake in the description of any person or property or for any imperfection of form not affecting the merits.

(G) A judgment or decree of a court of this state confirming an award, upon application, may be vacated at any time on the ground set forth in division (A)(4) or (5) of section 2712.70 of the Revised Code, provided the application is made within ninety days of the date when the circumstances giving rise to the application were first discovered or, with the exercise of due diligence, should have been discovered by the applicant.

(H) If a final award has been reduced to judgment or made the subject of official action by any court, tribunal, or other governmental authority outside the United States, the courts of this state, except as provided in division (C) of this section, shall confirm, vacate, or declare the award not entitled to confirmation by the courts of this state without regard to any term of the foreign judgment or official action and without regard to whether the award may be deemed merged into the judgment.

(I)

(1) For the purposes of this section and section 2712.70 of the Revised Code, an arbitral award shall be considered a final award unless any of the following applies:

(a) It expressly is designated an interim or interlocutory award or by its terms is not final.

(b) An application to vacate, clarify, correct, or amend the award is pending before the arbitral tribunal.

(c) Under the rules applicable to the arbitration, it is subject to further review by any arbitral authority.

(2) For the purposes of the law of this state, an award that is final as described in division (I)(1) of this section shall be deemed final regardless of whether judicial confirmation or other official action is necessary to render that award final within the contemplation of any foreign law that may be applicable to the arbitration.

Effective Date: 10-23-1991 .