AWARD (Low Latin, awards, awar diem, Old French, agarda, from d girder, to keep, preserve, to be guarded, or kept: so called because it is imposed on the parties to be observed or kept by them. Spelman, Gloss.).
The judgment or decision of arbitrators, or referees, on a matter submitted to them.
The writing containing such judgment. Cowel ; Termes de la Ley ; Jenk. Cent. Cas. 137 ; Billings, Aw. 119; Watson, Arb. 174 ; Russell, Arb. 234; 3 Bouvier, Inst. n. 2402 et seq.
2. Requisites of. To be conclusive, the award should be consonant with and follow the submission, and affect only the parties to the submission ; otherwise, it is an assump tion of power, and not binding, Lutw. 530 (Onyons v. Cheese); Strange, 903; 1 Ch. Cas. 186 ' • Rep. temp. Finch, 141; 24 Eng. L. & Eq. 346; 8 Beay. 361: 5 Barnew. & Ad. 295 ; 13 Johns. N. Y. 27, 268; 11 id. 133; 17 Vt. 9; 3 N. H. 82; 13 Mass. 396 ; 11 id. 447; 22 Pick. Mass. 144; 11 Cush. Mass. 37; 18 Me. 251; 40 id. 194; 25 Conn. 71; 3 Harr. Del. 22 ; 1 Binn. Penn. 109; 5 Penn. St. 274; 12 Gill & J. Md. 156, 456; Litt. Cas. Ky. 83; 13 Miss. 172; 25 Ala. 351; 7 Cranch, 599. See 7 Sim. 1; 2 Q. B. 256; 11 Johns. N. Y. 61; 1 Call. Va. 500; 7 Penn. St. 134.
It must be final and certain, 1 Burr. 275 ; 5 Ad. & E. 147 ; 2 Sim. & S. Ch. 130; 2 Vern. 514; 2 Bulstr. 260; 3 Serg. & R. Penn. 340; 2 Penn. St. 206; 1 id. 395; 9 Johns. N. Y.43; 13 id. 187; 22 Wend. 125; 23 Barb. N. Y.187 ; 3 Sandf. N. Y. 405 ; 7 Metc. Mass. 316; 4 Cush. Mass. 317, 396; 1 Gray, Mass. 418; 13 Vt. 53 ; 40 Me. 194; 2 Green, N. J. 333 ; 2 Halst. N. J. 90; 1 Dutch. N. J. 281; 2 id. 175; 3 Harr. & J. Md. 383; 2 Harr. & G. Md. 67 ; 6 Md. 135 ; 4 Md. Ch. Dec. 199; 1 Gnu!. Va. 92; 2 Patt. & H. Va. 442; 3 Ohio, 266; 5 Blackf. Ind. 128; 4 id. 489; 1 Ired. No. C. 466; Busb. No. C. 173; 3 Cal. 431; 1 Ark. 206; 4 Ill. 428; 2 Fla. 157; 13 Miss. 712; Chaxlt. Ga. 289 ; 2 M'Cord, So. C. 279; 5 Wheat. 394; 11 id. 446; 12 id. 377; and see 4 Conn. 50; 6 Johns. N. Y. 39; 6 Mass. 46;
conclusively adjudicating all the matters sub mitted, 6 Md. 135 ; 1 M'Mull. So. C. 302 ; 2 Cal. 299; and stating the decision in such language as to leave no doubt of the arbitra tor's intention, or the nature and extent of the duties imposed by it on the parties. 2 Cal. 299, and cases above.. An award reserv ing the determination of future disputes, 6 Md. 135, an award directing a bond without naming a penalty, 5 Coke, 77 ; Rolle, Abr. Arbitration, 2, 4, an award that one shall give security for the performance of some act or payment of money, without specifying the kind of security, are invalid. Viner, Ahr. Arbit. 2, 12; Bacon, Abr. Arbit. E 11; and cases above.
3. It must be possible to be performed, and must not direct any thing to be done which is contrary to law. 1 Ch. Cas. 87; 5 Taunt. 454 ; 12 Mod. 585 ; 2 Barnew. & Ald. 528 ; Kirb. Conn. 253 ; 1 Dall. Penn. 364 ; 4 id. 298; 4 Gill & J. Md. 298. It will be void if it direct a party to pay a sum of money at a day past, or direct him to commit a tres pass, felony, or an act which would subject him to an action, 2 Chitt. 594; 1 Mees. & W. 572; or if it be of things nugatory and offer ing no advantage to either of the parties. 6 J. B. Moore, 713.
It must be without palpable or apparent mistake. 2 Gall. C. C. 61; 3 Bos. & P. 371 1 Dall. Penn. 487; 6 Metc. Mass. 131. For if the arbitrator acknowledges that he made a mistake, or if an error (in computation, for instance) is apparent on the face of the award, it will not be good, 4 Zabr. N. J. 647; 2 Stockt. N. J. 45; 2 Dutch. N. J. 130; 32 N. H. 289; 11 Cush. Mass. 549; 18 Barb. N. Y. 344 ; 2 Johns. Ch. N. Y. 399 ; 27 Vt. 241; 8 Md. 208 ; 4 Cal. 345 ; 5 id. 430 ; for, although an arbitrator may decide contrary to law, yet if the award attempts to follow tho law, but fails to do so from the mistake of the arbitrator, it will be void. 3 Md. 353 ; 15 Ill. 421 ; 26 Vt. 416, 630; 4 N. J. 647; 17 How. 344.