Circuit ADR Programs - Overview

Both the U.S. Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Court have dispute resolution programs that provide mediation services in selected cases. Although the rules governing the two programs differ to some extent, the programs share important characteristics: both programs have been in operation for well over a decade; both provide mediation services on a pro bono basis; both successfully mediate a wide range of cases, including complex regulatory, multi-party, and government cases; and, most importantly, over the years, both have enabled scores of litigants to resolve their disputes consensually, thereby obviating the need for extensive, time-consuming, and costly legal proceedings.