Article 23 of the Model Law governs the submission of statements of claim and defence. The article provides the parties with equal opportunity of arguing their respective cases and, importantly, serves to set out for the arbitral tribunal the facts and issues that will need to be decided. The statements of claim and defence referred to in article 23 are usually less formal than court pleadings. The statement of claim is to complement the request for arbitration that is provided for under article 23.