PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF RULES
(a) These Rules govern the administration of the United States District Court Mediation
Program. The Mediation Program was designed to give litigants an opportunity to
discuss settlement of their claims with the help of a trained, neutral third party.
Mediation, while not appropriate in all cases, can benefit many litigants. It can, for
example, lead to resolutions more quickly, with less expense and with results that are
more satisfying to the litigants than those that result from judicial disposition of a claim.
The Court makes mediation services available to litigants on a pro bono basis.
(b) These Rules apply only to mediation proceedings that are formally conducted through the
United States District Court's Mediation Program. Nothing in these Rules shall preclude
litigants from independently retaining a private mediator or other ADR professional to
facilitate negotiations in their case.
