Sec. 172.002.  DEFINITIONS.  (a)  In this chapter:
(1)  "Arbitration" includes any arbitration without regard to whether it is administered by a permanent arbitration institution.
(2)  "Arbitration agreement" means an agreement to arbitrate a dispute that has arisen or may arise between the parties concerning a defined legal relationship, without regard to whether the legal relationship is contractual.  The term includes an arbitration clause in a contract or a separate agreement.
(3)  "Arbitration award" means a decision of an arbitration tribunal on the substance of a dispute submitted to it and includes an interim, interlocutory, or partial award.
(4)  "Arbitration tribunal" means a sole arbitrator or a panel of arbitrators.
(5)  "Claim" includes a counterclaim.
(6)  "Conciliation" includes any conciliation without regard to whether it is administered by a permanent conciliation institution.
(7)  "Defense" includes a defense to a counterclaim.
(8)  "Party" means a party to an arbitration or conciliation agreement.
(b)  The meanings assigned by this section to "claim" and "defense" do not apply in Sections 172.114(a) and 172.118(b)(1).
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 109, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Redesignated from Vernon's Ann.Civ.St. art. 249-2 and amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 588, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.  Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 5.02, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.