Local Rule LR 16.04: ADR: JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT CONFERENCES

LR 16.04 – ADR: JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT CONFERENCES

(a) Settlement Judge. Settlement conferences will ordinarily be conducted by a Magistrate Judge other than the Judge to whom the case is assigned, except when requested and agreed upon by the parties that the Magistrate Judge to whom the case is assigned should handle the settlement conference or the Magistrate Judge to whom the case is assigned deems it appropriate to preside over the settlement conference because of the exigencies of the case. All district judges, magistrate judges, and bankruptcy judges are authorized to act as settlement judges, mediators, or neutrals.

(b) Scheduling Settlement Conferences. A Judge who is assigned to the case may schedule a settlement conference as part of the case management order or as a result of discussions during a case management conference, with or without the consent of any or all parties. A party may file a motion requesting a settlement conference, if a settlement conference is not otherwise provided in the case management order.