5. Section 9(a) also includes a content requirement that the initiating party inform the other parties of "the nature of the controversy and the remedy sought." Similar requirements are found in the Florida and Indiana statutes and in the arbitration rules of organizations such as the American Arbitration Association, the Center for Public Resources, JAMS, NASD Regulation, Inc., and the New York Stock Exchange (although slightly different language may be used in the organizations' rules). This language in Section 9(a) is intended to insure that parties provide sufficient information in the notice to inform opposing parties of the arbitration claims while recognizing that this notice is not a formal pleading and that persons who are not attorneys often draft such notices.

6. Section 23(a)(6) allows a court to vacate an award if there is not proper notice under Section 9 and the rights of the other party were substantially prejudiced. Section 9(b) requires that the complaining party make a timely objection to the lack or insufficiency of notice of initiation of the arbitration; this requirement is similar to that found in Section 15(c) regarding notice of the arbitration hearing. Section 9(b) requires the party to object "no later than the beginning of the hearing" under Section 15(c), which is a time certain in the arbitration process.

If the appearance at the arbitration hearing is for the purpose of raising the objection as to notice and such objection has not otherwise been waived, the party's appearance for the purpose of raising that objection should not be construed as untimely.

§8710.__Consolidation of separate arbitration proceedings

1.__Consolidation by court.__Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, upon motion of a party to an agreement to arbitrate or to an arbitration proceeding, the court may order consolidation of separate arbitration proceedings as to all or some of the claims if:

A.__There are separate agreements to arbitrate or separate arbitration proceedings between the same persons or one of