3.__Hearing.__If an arbitrator orders a hearing, the arbitrator shall set a time and place and give notice of the hearing not less than 5 days before the hearing begins.__ Unless a party to the arbitration proceeding makes an objection to lack or insufficiency of notice not later than the beginning of the hearing, the party's appearance at the hearing waives the objection.__Upon request of a party to the arbitration proceeding and for good cause shown, or upon the arbitrator's own initiative, the arbitrator may adjourn the hearing from time to time as necessary but may not postpone the hearing to a time later than that fixed by the agreement to arbitrate for making the award unless the parties to the arbitration proceeding consent to a later date.__The arbitrator may hear and decide the controversy upon the evidence produced although a party who was duly notified of the arbitration proceeding did not appear.__The court, on request, may direct the arbitrator to conduct the hearing promptly and render a timely decision.

4.__Rights at hearing.__At a hearing under subsection 3, a party to the arbitration proceeding has a right to be heard, to present evidence material to the controversy and to cross- examine witnesses appearing at the hearing.

5.__Replacement arbitrator.__If an arbitrator ceases or is unable to act during the arbitration proceeding, a replacement arbitrator must be appointed in accordance with section 8711 to continue the proceeding and to resolve the controversy.

Uniform Comment

1. Section 15 is a default provision and under Section 4(a) is subject to the agreement of the parties. Section 15(a) is intended to give an arbitrator wide latitude in conducting an arbitration subject to the parties' agreement and to determine what evidence should be considered. It should be noted that the rules of evidence are inapplicable in an arbitration proceeding except that an arbitrator's refusal to consider evidence material to the controversy that substantially prejudices the rights of a party is a ground for vacatur under Section 23(a)(3). See Comment 4 to this section.

2. As the use of arbitration increases, there are more cases that involve complex issues. In such cases arbitrators are often involved in numerous prehearing matters involving conferences,