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Jan 27, 2023

A General Comparison of Mandatory Settlement Conferences Versus Mediations

[Originally published in the January 2023 issue of Orange County Lawyer]

Court rules differ, judges differ, court clerks differ, and lawyers differ, but there is one constant throughout California courts: most civil cases settle. I have heard estimates from various court officials putting the settlement range at 95% to 99.5%. In some types of cases, e.g. ADA cases, rear-enders, wage and hour, lemon law, and more, it seems like 100% of the cases settle. Many settlements are reached at or following mediation or mandatory settlement conferences. While these procedures seem the same, there are notable differences.

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