(a) Mandatory Mediated Settlement Conference. All parties to a civil action must
attend a mediated settlement conference, unless otherwise ordered by the Court. A mediated
settlement conference is a pretrial, Court-ordered (by Local Rule) conference of the parties to a
civil action and their representatives conducted by a mediator. The procedure for the conference
is provided in LCvR 16.3. The Court maintains a non-exclusive list of Court-approved mediators.
(b) Cases Not Suitable For ADR. The rules for mandatory ADR do not apply to
habeas corpus proceedings or other actions for extraordinary writs, appeals from rulings of
administrative agencies, forfeitures of seized property, and bankruptcy appeals. The judicial
officer may determine, either sua sponte or on a party’s motion, that any other case is not suitable
for ADR, in which case no ADR procedure will be ordered.
