People’s Court vs. traditional arbitration
Both produce a binding arbitral award a court can enforce under the Federal Arbitration Act. The difference is how you get there. People’s Court decides on a written Record with an AI Tribunal, each phase is capped at seven calendar days, and the fee is 5.67% of the amount in dispute: $567.00 on a $10,000 claim. Traditional arbitration of that claim runs about $10,100 by our estimate, before lawyers.
- Fee on $10,000
- $567.00vs. about $10,100
- Decider
- AI Tribunalor a human, if all parties choose
- Format
- Written Recordno ordinary hearing or discovery
- Review
- Human appealunless both sides waive it
- Law
- FAAseat in Wilmington, Delaware
Side by side
| People’s Court | Traditional arbitration | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides | AI Tribunal (one arbiter below $100, three panelists otherwise), or a human arbitrator with an AI draft if all parties choose | Usually a human arbitrator or panel |
| How you present the case | Written submissions and exhibits | Written submissions, usually plus a hearing |
| Discovery | None. Each side submits what it relies on | Often available, within limits |
| Schedule | Answer, evidence, rebuttal each up to seven calendar days, then 24 hours for Record confirmation | Set case by case, commonly months |
| Fee on a $10,000 claim | $567.00 (AI-only), $877.00 (AI-assisted human) | About $10,100 (estimate) |
| Fee depends on hours | No | Usually yes |
| Internal appeal | One paid human appeal unless all parties waive | Usually none, unless the parties adopt optional appeal rules |
| Court review | Narrow FAA grounds | Narrow FAA grounds |
The traditional figure is an estimate, not a quote. It assumes a $2,600 filing and administration fee plus 15 arbitrator hours at $500 an hour. Real fees vary by provider, claim size, and arbitrator, and exclude lawyers, appeals, and enforcement.
Use People’s Court
- The documents tell the story: contracts, invoices, orders, delivery records, platform logs. File them. The Tribunal decides from that written Record.
- A five-figure process would cost more than the claim. The fee here is a published fraction of the amount.
- You need a decision on a fixed written schedule, not a calendar of hearings.
- A marketplace or agent platform needs the same procedure every time.
Enforceability
The clause names the AI Tribunal expressly, every party accepts the case-opening terms, and the FAA directs courts to follow the parties’ agreed method of appointing the arbitrator (9 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 5). A party can ask a court to confirm the Award within one year (§ 9). Read the full explanation: how Awards are enforced.
Switching
If your contracts already name traditional arbitration, the clause migration guide shows how to move new and renewed agreements to People’s Court, and how to submit an existing dispute without changing the contract.
Common questions
How is People’s Court different from traditional arbitration?
People’s Court decides on a written Record with an AI Tribunal, on a fixed schedule where each phase is seven calendar days at most. Traditional arbitration usually uses a human arbitrator billed by the hour and often includes a hearing. Both produce an arbitral award under the Federal Arbitration Act.
Is an AI arbitration Award as enforceable as a traditional one?
A People’s Court Award is an arbitral award. Judgment may be entered on it in any court having jurisdiction, and a court may vacate it only on the narrow grounds in 9 U.S.C. § 10, the same grounds that apply to any arbitral award.
Is People’s Court cheaper than traditional arbitration?
For most claims, by a wide margin. A $10,000 AI-only case costs $567.00. By our estimate, traditional arbitration of the same claim costs about $10,100, assuming a $2,600 filing and administration fee plus 15 arbitrator hours at $500 an hour.
Can a human still decide my case?
Yes. All parties can choose AI-assisted human, where a human arbitrator decides with an AI draft and signs the Award, for $310.00 plus 5.67%. Every track also keeps one paid human appeal unless all parties waive it.
Do I need a hearing or discovery?
No. File the documents at People’s Court. The Tribunal decides from the written Record. There is no discovery, no deposition, and no ordinary hearing, and each phase is seven calendar days at most.
These answers describe People’s Court procedure and general law. They are not legal advice for a particular dispute.