Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, where, without showing sufficient cause, the respondent fails to communicate his or her statement of defense in accordance with Sections 1297.231 and 1297.232, the arbitral tribunal shall continue the proceedings without treating that failure in itself as an admission of the claimant’s allegations.

(Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 23, Sec. 1. Effective March 7, 1988.)