The Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, is accepting applications from attorneys and retired judges who want to serve as volunteer mediators in the court's new Appellate Mediation Program.

At the court's expense, a mediation training course will be provided to applicants who are accepted to serve as mediators.

To be eligible for selection by the court, applicants must agree to complete the training and to mediate at least four cases at the request of the court by providing, without charge, four hours of mediation for each case. If the parties want to continue with the mediator after four hours, they can agree to compensate the mediator at the mediator's ordinary hourly rates. The court will not pay anything to the mediators under any circumstances.

The mediations will take place at locations in Sacramento or elsewhere, separate from the Library and Courts Building and annex. The Appellate Mediation Program will be administered by a coordinator hired by the court.

Attorneys and retired judges who wish to apply to serve as mediators may obtain an application from Deena Fawcett, the Clerk/Administrator of the Court of Appeal, the Third Appellate District, 900 N Street, Room 400, Sacramento, California, 95814.

Please apply and help make this new program a success.

May / June 2006