Connecticut Judicial Branch to Expand Court-Sponsored ADR Program

Connecticut has reportedly announced it will expand and improve the Judicial Branch’s alternative dispute resolution (ADR) program.  According to Chief Justice Chase Rogers, the number of judges and judge trial referees available to serve as mediators will be increased in an effort to keep up with growing civil court demand.  Currently, about 60 individuals are trained to serve in the Judicial Branch’s ADR program.  As part of the expansion, attorneys who possess expertise in a specific or complex area of the law will also be provided with the opportunity to serve in the program on a case-by-case capacity.

Chief Justice Rogers stated many of the individuals currently trained to provide ADR services under the Judicial Branch’s program are unavailable for lengthy mediations.  Because of this, one of the newly announced initiatives includes a pilot mediation docket that is designed to speed the process and more closely mirror private mediation.  She added that the overall goal of the pilot program is to provide parties to a lawsuit with faster and easier access to court-sponsored mediation and other ADR programs.