International arbitration-specialized courts are not new. For years, different variants of these courts existed in international arbitration hubs such as Paris,1 Singapore,2 Madrid,3 and Hong Kong.4 Last year, they were introduced in New York, the leading and most frequently-chosen international arbitration seat in the United States.5
On Sept. 16, 2013, the Chief Administrative Judge of the Courts of New York State designated Judge Charles Ramos of the state Supreme Court to hear all international arbitration disputes arising before the Commercial Division of New York County.6 These include “all proceedings brought under CPLR Article 75 or under the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1 et seq.,” but generally exclude most matters “arising out of a relationship which is entirely between citizens of the United States.”7 A subsequent administrative order clarified that, if an international arbitration issue arises before a state judge in New York County other than Ramos, the case may be transferred to Ramos.8
