As I review court ADR websites across the country for our CourtADR.org resources, I’m truly impressed by the number of inventive, extensive and helpful offerings I’ve found. Many sites offer ADR information and resources that would be useful beyond their own boundaries. Over the next few weeks I plan to spotlight several of these resources. Here are the first three.
Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution
Affiliated with: Alabama Supreme Court
This website includes a wide array of ADR information. Their District court information includes manuals for those developing district and small claims ADR programs. A new resource summarizes key state case law relevant to mediation, and soon will offer arbitration as well. ADR offerings at every court level in the state are explained, and the site also provides program forms, court rules, and relevant legislation.
Alternate Dispute Resolution
Affiliated with: the Judicial Council of California
Perhaps it’s no surprise that this California website includes many videos designed to educate parties about several common ADR processes, and an extensive multilingual video series offered to familiarize viewers with the typical resolution of civil harassment, small claims, and unlawful detainer cases. The reports and resources section contains evaluations on several different aspects of ADR programs.
Florida Dispute Resolution Center
Affiliated with: Florida State Courts
The Florida Dispute Resolution Center directs many of its resources towards mediators, with information on training, certification, ethics and continuing education. The ADR Resource Handbook is a great example of a one-stop resource for state statutes and court rules affecting different ADR programs. Meanwhile, the Fiscal Year Compendium, most recently published in 2009-10, puts together a wealth of information and statistics describing ADR by the numbers.
These three sites represent some of the great variety of useful and interesting sites provided by court ADR programs. I’ll follow up with some more great sites next week. If you know of a state court ADR site that you find helpful, mention it in the comments and I’ll include it in a future post.
Tags: court programs, state courts, websites
Ms. Knovak, thanks for including the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution’s website in your court website overview. We work hard to promote our neutrals’ on-line profiles, and to keep things fresh. I am sometimes amazed at all the information. As you aptly state, there is a lot of variety in the professional sites provided by our colleagues.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post, Ms. Keegan. I was very impressed by the scope of information your website has to offer.
What led you to begin the Case Law review on your site? Do you have any idea which areas are used the most?