Duhaime's Law Dictionary Arbiter Definition: An alternate term for arbitrator; preferred in some jurisdictions such as Scotland. Related Terms: Arbitration Same as arbitrator; the presiding and deciding officer(s) of an arbitration. Scotland has a few twists in alternative dispute resolution terminology. Preferring arbiter to arbitrator is one; using the term oversman (umpire) is another. Some translation of Roman law documents, such as the Twelve Tables, defer to this spelling as well: arbiter. The Romans used the word arbiter interchangeably with judex to refer to the office of judge in early Roman law. Categories & Topics: Duhaime's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Law Dictionary Scots Law Dictionary Always looking up definitions? Save time with our search provider (modern browsers only) If you find an error or omission in Duhaime's Law Dictionary, or if you have suggestion for a legal term, we'd love to hear from you!