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Just Court ADR

The blog of Resolution Systems Institute

Archive for the ‘Court Opinions’ Category

Big News in Court ADR — A Look Back at 2014

Just Court ADR, December 18th, 2014

Our monthly e-newsletter Court ADR Connection has updates on RSI’s activities, cutting-edge ADR research, and the latest court ADR news from across the country. As we wind down 2014, I thought it might be fun to take a look at a few of the most significant news stories we reported on this year.

Detroit Bankruptcy Mediated in “Grand Bargain”

The most-watched court ADR news story of 2014 may have been the mediated settlement that resolved the City of Detroit’s municipal bankruptcy. Without doubt, this riveting drama of competing interests coming together to form a “Grand Bargain” will be studied and discussed for years to come. We reported on facets of this story a few times, both here in our blog and in our newsletter: (more…)

Settlement Conferences and the Price of Contempt

Just Court ADR, May 27th, 2014

In a settlement conference, what is the value of having someone present with full authority to settle? If one party lacks the authority, it can result in aggravation, wasted court fees, and lost time for trial preparation. American Family Insurance (AFI) recently learned this to their cost in a dog-bite case in Washoe County, Nevada. Because Judge Janet Berry did not believe the insurers had complied in good faith with her rules on authority to settle, she found the company in contempt and sanctioned them $50,000. (more…)

In re Lee Part 3: Implications for Stakeholders

Just Court ADR, November 19th, 2013

In this final installment of our series on the Texas family mediation case In re Lee, we’ll examine the implications of the holding upon parents, judges and mediators. To recap, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in In re Le that a trial court judge must enter a mediated settlement agreement (MSA) two parents had made arranging custody for their child, even though the judge believed the MSA was not in the child’s best interests. So what does the ruling mean for the different stakeholders in family mediation? (more…)

In re Lee Part 2: Parental Autonomy vs. Judicial Oversight

Just Court ADR, October 21st, 2013

For the second part of this series on the family court mediation case In re Lee, I’ll examine the laws at issue in the case, then discuss the legal reasoning and policy that the Texas Supreme Court majority and dissent each followed in making their decisions. The crucial statute in the case was Texas Family Code Chapter 153, which relates to custody. Two sections of that code came into conflict in the case.

Best Interest of Child (§153.002) says the best interest of the child should always be the court’s primary consideration in custody issues.

Alternate Dispute Resolution Procedures (§153.0071) includes rules for mediation. Several parts of this section were relevant to Lee’s case. (more…)

In re Lee Part 1: A Child’s Best Interest Comes Second to Mediation Finality

Just Court ADR, October 9th, 2013

The mediation policy and ethics questions encountered in the recent Texas Supreme Court decision In re Lee are enough to fill several blog posts. Over the next few posts, we’ll look at the many policy implications of this remarkable decision. Topics discussed will include:

  • Should the finality of a mediated agreement trump changes for the child’s best interest?
  • In custody policy, do mediation and arbitration differ?
  • When there’s been no intimate partner violence, should settlements be irrevocable?
  • Who decides potential endangerment to a child?
  • What can judges do when parents in mediation act against their child’s interest?
  • When a mediated agreement sets rules over non-parties, what governs their enforcement?

(more…)

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