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Just Court ADR

The blog of Resolution Systems Institute

Posts Tagged ‘budget’

Using Foreclosure Settlement Funds for Effective Mortgage Dispute Resolution

Just Court ADR, May 21st, 2012

The settlement was huge. Five major banks signed an agreement with 49 Attorneys General after the AGs instigated an investigation into the foreclosure crisis and the banks’ involvement in it. The result: an unprecedented $25 billion is flowing into states over the next three years to repair the damage the foreclosure crisis has caused to infrastructure, lending and homes. The settlement agreement earmarks $2.66 billion of this money for foreclosure prevention efforts, which could include increased housing counseling availability and more robust dispute resolution programs.

So where is the money going? (more…)

Part 2 of 3: Foreclosure Mediation Best Practices

Just Court ADR, March 7th, 2012

PRE-MEDIATION SESSION ELEMENTS

Conduct Extensive, Personalized Outreach to Borrowers

Outreach to borrowers is key to getting participation in the program. Most people do not open their mail or answer the phone when they are in foreclosure. For those that do, legal notices should be written in simple language with a clear instruction for what borrowers should do next. Programs should find ways other than mail to help borrowers access mediation programs.

One jurisdiction has dedicated funds for (more…)

Blaming ADR

Just Court ADR, February 14th, 2012

When Mayanne Downs took office as President of The Florida Bar in June 2010, she stated that under her watch, a special committee would examine the decline in the number of jury trials and its impact on the judicial system, the public and lawyers. Especially in the face of drastic cuts to the judiciary’s budget, both at a state and federal level, this exploration seems timely. Getting a snapshot of why trends occur helps courts, the bar, and litigants consciously plan for what lies ahead.

The resulting report, however, speaks ominously (more…)

How Do You Deal with the Dilemma of Data Tracking?

Jennifer Shack, February 6th, 2012

So much data, too little time and money. That’s been RSI’s takeaway from courts as we’ve worked with them in Illinois and beyond to develop and improve their ADR programs. We’ve been told one of two things: “We’d love to track our program, but we don’t have anyone who can enter the data.” Or, “We’ve got a whole lot of data, just no way to enter it.” It’s a dilemma we know is difficult to overcome even as we encourage courts to maintain monitoring systems and conduct evaluations so they can keep tabs on how well their program is doing and remain accountable to funders and the public. (more…)

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