A structure has been put in place around gang mediation and police officers will directly engage with students to stem the growth of the gang culture, read


5/17: Charles Schwab Drops Forced-Arbitration Clause From Contracts

After AT&T somehow convinced the U.S. Supreme Court that a couple of sentences buried toward the end of a contract that maybe .05% of customers ever think about reading was all that was needed to preempt class-action lawsuits, many large companies have rushed to pack their user agreements and licenses with clauses that force customers into arbitration. But, stuck in a battle with an industry regulator, the folks at Charles Schwab have decided to go another way, announcing that they have gotten rid of their arbitration clause… for now. read


5/17: More ADR Tools for Shippers

Arbitration, and not litigation, is the driving force behind rules that federal regulators hope will settle simmering disputes between freight railroads and shippers, including coal plant operators.

The Surface Transportation Board announced the policies May 13, after nearly three years of studying prolonged rate challenge cases. “Changes to the arbitration rules are intended to consolidate and simplify formerly separate arbitration procedures and to encourage greater use of arbitration,” the board said. read


5/17: National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM) receives $50,000 grant from JAMS Foundation for development of national Training Resource Center.

The Training Resource Center (TRC) will be the largest compilation of community mediation resources in the country. NAFCM will partner with community mediation centers across the country to collect new and existing resources including but not limited to PowerPoint, handouts, mocks, videos, and more. read


5/17: Kobe Bryant Judge Orders Mediation in Memorabilia Dispute

Kobe Bryant, the All-Star basketball guard, must undergo mediation before a possible June 17 trial to resolve a dispute over whether a New Jersey auctioneer can sell his memorabilia on behalf of his mother. U.S. District Judge Renee Marie Bumb set a mediation session for May 17 in federal court in Camden, New Jersey, to try to settle a lawsuit between Bryant and Goldin Auctions LLC. Bryant, a Los Angeles Laker, seeks to block Goldin Auctions from selling 100 items consigned by his mother, Pamela Bryant. The firm estimates the auction could raise more than $1 million. read


5/17: Bishop Eddie Long Agrees to Mediation (Huff Post Opin)

With little fanfare or news coverage, the four sexual coercion lawsuits confronting Bishop Eddie Long had the first hearing recently, with both sides opting for mediation to avoid a trial.

"Bishop Eddie Long agreeing to mediation of sexual coercion charges is an end-run around the universally accepted moral and ethical responsibilities of any ecumenical leader. Mediation of sexual allegation grievances is tantamount to an admission of "some" guilt, "some" form of ministerial misconduct. Innocent folk don't make deals if the claims against them are baseless and untrue. Mediation for the accused is a forfeiture of the right to ever claim innocence, and readers should be absolutely clear on this point." read


5/17: Amazon wants seller lawsuit to go to arbitration

Amazon.com’s response to two former sellers complaining about tied-up payments can be summed up as: We’ll see you in arbitration.  Seattle-based Amazon, in a 28-page document filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, asks Judge Marsha Pechman to move the case to arbitration. The two sellers claimed in a lawsuit filed in March that Amazon refused to pay them for more than 90 days after it shuttered their accounts. They want full restitution of “monies wrongfully obtained,” plus interest and other unspecified damages.

In its response, Amazon noted that when the plaintiffs signed up to sell products on its website they agreed to arbitrate any disputes.  The suit, which seeks class-action status, says Amazon routinely holds sellers’ money longer than allowed to rack up interest and “reap many tens of millions of dollars annually.” read


5/14: Mediation Myths and Misunderstandings That May Affect Your Decisions in Divorce

The decision to divorce is probably one of the most important -- and most difficult -- decisions one will make during the course of a marriage. The unknowns and avalanche of effects falling like dominoes are often too overwhelming for one person to handle: "How do I start the process? When is the best time for me to initiate the divorce? If and when I make the decision to divorce, should I litigate or mediate?" It can be mind-boggling. read


5/14: Arbitration Fairness Act of 2013 Introduced in Congress

As discussed by the American Association for Justice, the new law seeks to end the abusive practice of so many large corporations, including nursing home conglomerates, that seek to insulate themselves from legal accountability with forced arbitration. As the AAJ summarized, the law is critically needed, because when it comes to arbitration, “The process is secretive, costly and rigged so that corporations cannot be held accountable. By removing access to justice, it grants corporations a license to steal and violate the law.” read


5/14: Discussion stuck? Call in a virtual mediator

Ever find yourself in a collaborative situation that’s gone awry? Maybe one person on the team dominates the conversation or an offhand comment distracts everyone for a whole meeting. Experts in social computing are developing a virtual mediator to turn around unproductive discussions. read