9-9-4. Application to court; venue; service of papers; scope of court’s consideration; application for order of attachment or preliminary injunction.

1. (1)

   Any application to the court under this part shall be made to the superior court of the county where venue lies, unless the application is made in a pending court action, in which case it shall be made to the court hearing that action. Subsequent applications shall be made to the court hearing the initial application unless the court otherwise directs.#

2. (2)

   All applications shall be by motion and shall be heard in the manner provided by law and rule of court for the making or hearing of motions, provided that the motion shall be filed in the same manner as a complaint in a civil action.#

Venue for applications to the court shall lie:#

1. (1)

   In the county where the agreement provides for the arbitration hearing to be held; or#

2. (2)

   If the hearing has already been held, in the county where it was held; or#

3. (3)

   In the county where any party resides or does business; or#

4. (4)

   If there is no county as described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this subsection, in any county.#

1. (1)

   A demand for arbitration shall be served on the other parties by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested.#

2. (2)

   The initial application to the court shall be served on the other parties in the same manner as a complaint under Chapter 11 of this title.#

3. (3)

   All other papers required to be served by this part shall be served in the same manner as pleadings subsequent to the original complaint and other papers are served under Chapter 11 of this title.#

In determining any matter arising under this part, the court shall not consider whether the claim with respect to which arbitration is sought is tenable nor otherwise pass upon the merits of the dispute.#

The superior court in the county in which an arbitration is pending, or, if not yet commenced, in a county specified in subsection (b) of this Code section, may entertain an application for an order of attachment or for a preliminary injunction in connection with an arbitrable controversy, but only upon the ground that the award to which the applicant may be entitled may be rendered ineffectual without such provisional relief.#