Local Civil Rules of Court

CIVIL RULE 3 JUDGES ADR PROGRAM

A. ELIGIBILITY/CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION
B. PROCEDURE
C. TIMELINE
D. PERSONS ATTENDING/STATEMENTS
E. MEDIATION
F. SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE
G. FURTHER COURT PROCEEDINGS

Parties may apply at the earliest opportunity to participate in an ADR session with a sitting civil judge. These ADR options include mediation and settlement conferences. The program is governed by the following rules:

A. ELIGIBILITY/CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION

(1) The case, if tried with or without a jury, would consume significant court resources.

(2) The parties and their attorneys represent in good faith that they desire to resolve the case, and that they agree to participate in an ADR session with an agreed-upon judge.

(3) The parties are prepared to complete an ADR session as soon as the case is accepted into the program.

(4) The Court has obtained jurisdiction over all necessary parties so that a resolution resulting from an ADR session will be final.

(5) The Supervising Civil Judge accepts the case for the program despite the failure to satisfy one or more of the above-stated criteria.

B. PROCEDURE

(1) Application must be made on the Judge's ADR Program Stipulation and Order form (see attached form CV-5017). The application must be signed by all counsel and self-represented parties.

(2) The application must be submitted to and approved by the Civil Supervising Judge.

(3) When the application is approved, counsel and/or self-represented parties must promptly contact the department of the judge selected to conduct the ADR session, to schedule the session. ADR sessions will be conducted on Fridays, unless otherwise ordered by the ADR judge.

(4) When the application is approved, all law and motion and discovery proceedings shall be stayed until completion of the ADR session, and all case management conferences shall be vacated, except as otherwise ordered by the Court.

(5) Good faith participation in the ADR session by all parties will satisfy the requirement of Rule 2 that parties participate in alternative dispute resolution before a case is set for trial.

C. TIMELINE

(1) The ADR session shall commence within thirty days of approval of the application, and shall be completed no later than sixty days after approval of the application, except as otherwise ordered by the Court.

(2) The case will be set for Mediation Status Review approximately seventy days after approval of the application.

D. PERSONS ATTENDING/STATEMENTS

(1) Lead counsel, parties, and persons with full authority to settle the case must personally attend the ADR session, unless excused by the ADR judge for good cause. If any consent to settle is required for any reason, the person or persons with that consensual authority must be personally present at the ADR session, unless excused by the ADR judge for good cause.

(Eff. 1/1/08)

(2) Counsel and self-represented parties must submit to the ADR judge and serve on all parties, but not file, full written statements of their position regarding settlement no later than five calendar days before the ADR session.

E. MEDIATION

(1) Mediation conducted under the Judges ADR Program is conducted under Evidence Code Sections 1115-1128, which provide for confidentiality of communication.

(2) If mediation before the ADR judge results in settlement, the parties may place their agreement on the record, or they may report the case settled and privately execute a written settlement agreement. In either case, the parties may stipulate that the Court shall retain jurisdiction over them to enforce the settlement, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure Section 664.6. If the terms of settlement are placed on the record, or if a party moves to enforce the settlement, the terms of settlement shall not be confidential, unless a party seeking confidentiality complies with CRC 2.550, et seq.

F. SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE

(1) A settlement conference conducted under the Judges ADR Program is conducted under CRC 3.1380. There is no provision for confidentiality of communication, except as provided in Evidence Code § 1152(a).

(2) If a settlement conference before the ADR judge results in settlement, the parties may place their agreement on the record, or they may report the case settled and privately execute a written settlement agreement. In either case, the parties may stipulate that the Court shall retain jurisdiction over them to enforce the settlement, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure § 664.6.

G. FURTHER COURT PROCEEDINGS

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs E(2) and F(2) above, the ADR judge will recuse himself or herself from acting in any further court proceedings in the case, unless the parties stipulate in writing that the judge may so act.

(2) The ADR judge shall be subject to the provisions of Evidence Code § 703.5.

(3) ADR judges are bound by the disqualification and recusal requirements of Code of Civil Procedure § 170.1, et seq., and by the disclosure requirements of the Canons of Judicial Ethics.

(Eff. 1/1/08)

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