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Mediator Selection
To select a primary and alternate mediator, use the following form: Mediator Selection Form  and submit it to the court within five (5) court days following the Case Management Conference (or before) by either:
(1) E-mailing the completed Mediator Selection Form to: adr@sdcourt.ca.gov (remember to include the case number and assigned judge in the subject line of your e-mail). IMPORTANT: To email a completed Mediator Selection Form, you MUST use Adobe Acrobat Professional or another program or software that can save the information entered on the form (for additional help, click here). The San Diego Superior Court does not warrant or guaranty any such program or software and is not responsible for any costs, damages, and/or fees associated with their use.
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(2) Print the completed form and hand-deliver it to the appropriate Mediation Program Office or Civil Business Office (for directions, click on a link below).
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For Mediators
- Mediator Update
- Next Open Application Period will be in the fall of 2008.
- The Mediator Manual and Application are in the process of being revised and will soon be posted on this webpage.
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Judicial Arbitration
Judicial Arbitration is a binding or non-binding process where an arbitrator applies the law to the facts of the case and issues an award.
The goal of judicial arbitration is to provide parties with an adjudication that is earlier, faster, less formal and less expensive than trial. The arbitrator's award may either become the judgment in the case if all parties accept or if no trial de novo is requested within the required time. Either party may reject the award and request a trial de novo before the assigned judge if the arbitration was non-binding. If a trial de novo is requested, the trial will usually be scheduled within a year of the filing date.
San Diego Superior Court's Arbitration Panel
Parties may stipulate to binding or non-binding judicial arbitration or the judge may order the matter to arbitration at the case management conference, held approximately 150 days after filing, if a case is valued at under $50,000 and is "at issue". The court maintains a panel of approved judicial arbitrators who have practiced law for a minimum of five years and who have a certain amount of trial and/or arbitration experience. Superior Court Local Rules Division II Chapter III and Code of Civil Procedure 1141.10 et seq. address this program specifically.
Online Arbitrator List coming soon: This portion of the court's ADR webpage will soon be updated to include a list of arbitrators on the court's panel. In the interim, a list of arbitrators on the court's panel is available at the Arbitration Office or Civil Business Office at each court location.
For Arbitrators
The Court's ADR Program Office is in the process of reviewing its list of available arbitrators. In order to remain on the Court's Arbitration Panel list, you must complete and submit the following forms to the ADR Program Office on or before June 16, 2008:
Mail the completed and executed original Arbitrator Certification and Oath form  to:
ADR Program Office
Attn: Kelly Breckenridge
330 W. Broadway, Room 241
San Diego, CA 92101
Please mail a hard-copy of your Arbitrator Profile form to the ADR Program Office at the above address and submit it in electronic format (as a Word or pdf document) via email to Kelly.Breckenridge@sdcourt.ca.gov.
To email a completed Arbitrator Proflile form, you MUST use Adobe Acrobat Professional or another program or software that can save the information entered on the form. The San Diego Superior Court does not warrant or guaranty any such program or software and is not responsible for any costs, damages, and/or fees associated with their use.
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Settlement Conferences
The goal of a settlement conference is to assist the parties in their efforts to negotiate a settlement of all or part of the dispute.
Parties may, at any time, request a settlement conference before the judge assigned to their case; request another assigned judge or a pro tem to act as settlement officer; or may privately utilize the services of a retired judge. The court may also order a case to a mandatory settlement conference prior to trial before the court's assigned Settlement Conference judge.
Private Alternative Dispute Resolution
Parties may voluntarily stipulate to private mediation, private binding or non-binding arbitration, private early neutral evaluation or private judging outside the court system at any time. Parties may also utilize mediation services offered by programs that are partially funded by the county's Dispute Resolution Programs Act. These services are available at no cost or on a sliding scale based on need.
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Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
