Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution GEORGIA OFFICE OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION 244 WASHINGTON STREET, S.W., SUITE 300 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30334-5900 OFFICE: 404-463-3788 FAX: 404-463-3790 www.godr.org SHINJI MOROKUMA DIRECTOR WRITER'S E-MAIL: morokumas@godr.org September 30, 2008 Dear ADR Supporter, We are pleased to present you with the FY2006 Annual Report on Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Georgia Courts. It is a comprehensive compilation of statistics on the state and volume of ADR activity in the counties and courts of Georgia from July 2005 through June 2006. It also contains general information on our state-registered ADR practitioners, who number nearly 2,400 today. You may well ask why this report is being released so long after FY2006. Severe budget cuts in FY2007 and uncertainty about whether our office would remain open forced us to halt production of the report. Now that our fiscal situation has stabilized somewhat, we are returning our attention to our annual reports. In the coming months, we plan to complete the FY2007 and FY2008 annual reports and return to our schedule of producing annual reports as soon as possible after the end of the fiscal years they represent. We appreciate your understanding, and we thank you for your interest in and support of ADR in the Georgia courts. Best wishes, Shinji Morokuma Director FY 2006 Annual Report 1 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution June 2006 Judge Joseph C. Iannazzone, Chairperson Justice Hugh Thompson Judge Louisa Abbot Ansley Barton, Esq. Wade Coleman, Esq. George B. Collins III Robert Glenn, Esq. Patrice A. Harris, M.D. Judge David B. Irwin Judge David M. Pierce Raytheon M. Rawls, Esq. (Raye) Freeman Walker, Jr. Judge Cynthia D. Wright Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution June 2006 Leila Taaffe, Esq., Director Christina Petrig, Esq., Program Coordinator Nathelia Davenport, Program Coordinator Ashley Franklin, Administrative Assistant Donia Miles, Information Systems Coordinator FY 2006 Annual Report 2 Table of Contents Foreword Commission on Dispute Resolution Members Table of Contents Registered Neutrals Preface to the Neutral Statistics Registered Neutral Statistics ADR Programs by County Map of Court-Connected ADR Programs ADR Services by County and Courts Served Court-Connected ADR Activity Cases Referred to an ADR Process Cases Completing the ADR Process Total Court-Connected ADR Activity by Year Superior Court Superior Court ADR Activity State Court State Court ADR Activity Magistrate Court Magistrate Court ADR Activity Probate Court Probate Court ADR Activity Juvenile Court Juvenile Court ADR Activity Other Court Cases Other ADR Activity Court-Connected ADR Programs Alapaha Judicial Circuit ADR Program Carroll County Juvenile Court Mediation Program Clayton Judicial Circuit ADR Program Clayton County Juvenile Court Mediation Diversion Program Cobb County Juvenile Court ADR Program Cobb County Magistrate Court ADR Program Cobb County Superior Court ADR Program FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 1 2 3 5 7 9 10 14 16 21 26 34 39 45 49 55 59 61 62 64 66 68 70 3 Conasauga Circuit Superior Courts ADR Program Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program DeKalb County Courts Dispute Resolution Center DeKalb County Juvenile Court Mediation Program Dublin Judicial Circuit Mediation Program Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Floyd County Magistrate Court Mediation Program Fulton County ADR Program Fulton County Juvenile Court Mediation Program Fulton County Magistrate Court Mediation Fulton County Probate ADR Program Fulton County State/Magistrate Court Landlord / Tenant Mediation Program Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program Henry County Juvenile Court ADR Program Houston County Juvenile Court Mediation Program Houston and Macon Judicial Circuit Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Office of State Administrative Hearings Ogeechee Judicial Circuit ADR Program Rockdale County Juvenile Court Mediation Program Seventh Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Seventh JAD Juvenile Mediation Program Sixth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program South Georgia Circuit ADR Program Southern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Southwestern Circuit ADR Program Tenth Judicial District ADR Program Third Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Waycross Circuit Juvenile Whitfield County Magistrate Court Mediation Program Whitfield County Juvenile Court Mediation Program FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 112 114 116 118 120 122 124 126 128 130 132 134 4 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Preface to Registered Neutral Information The Georgia Supreme Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules charge the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution with registering neutrals that serve court programs. See ADR Rule II.A.2.e. "Neutral" is defined in the ADR Rules as "an impartial person who facilitates discussions and dispute resolution between disputants in mediation, case evaluation or early neutral evaluation, and arbitration, or who presides over a summary jury trial or mini trial. Thus, mediators, case evaluators, and arbitrators are all classified as "neutrals." ADR Rule I. To register as a neutral, an individual must complete an application that reflects required training. In addition, mediators must also establish that they have observed mediations or participated in an approved practicum. All applicants must pass a criminal background check and pay a modest application fee. Registered neutrals must renew their registration every two years. During the two-year renewal cycle, a registered neutral must take at least 6 hours of continuing education. By far, the greatest number of registered neutrals are general mediators. (See Table 1. 1) Approved general mediation training is at least twenty-eight hours in length and includes 11 core content areas. Following their training, general mediators must observe five mediations or participate in an approved 12-hour practicum before registration. Registration as a domestic relations mediator requires an additional approved 40-hour domestic relations mediation course after the requirements for general mediation have been met. Although there is no education requirement for general mediation, a domestic relations mediator must have at least a bachelor's degree. An applicant for registration in this category must then co-mediate at least two divorce or custody case and observe a mediation of a divorce or custody case. In lieu of the this co-mediation and observation experience, an applicant may complete an approved 8-hour practicum. Only 613 of the 1778 individuals registered as general mediators are also registered as domestic relations mediators. (See Table 1.1) Non-binding arbitration is another ADR process available to litigants in some jurisdictions. An applicant who wants to register as an arbitrator must complete at least six hours of arbitration training which qualifies for continuing legal education credit. All early neutral evaluators must be attorneys who have extensive subject matter expertise in the area of the litigation in question as well as six hours of training as early neutral evaluators. Forty-six percent of registered neutrals have a law degree. Fifty-one percent of the registered neutrals in Georgia are female and forty-nine percent are male. They range in age from under 30 to more than 60 years old. Sixty-nine percent identify themselves as white and twenty-one percent identify themselves as black or African American. Three percent of the registered mediators identify themselves as Asian/Asian American and one percent identify themselves as Hispanic. (See Table 1.4) FY 2006 Annual Report 5 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 6 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Registered Neutral Information FY 2006 NUMBER OF REGISTERED NEUTRALS FY 2006 NUMBER OF NEW REGISTRATIONS FY 2006 Table 1.1 Neutrals by Registration Category 2,193 409 Number of Neutrals 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 1778 613 General Mediation Domestic Relations Mediation 312 Arbitration 518 139 209 Early Neutral Evaluation Specialized Registered in more Domestic Violence than one category General Mediation Early Neutral Evaluation Registration Category Domestic Relations Mediation Specialized Domestic Violence Arbitration Registered in more than one category Table 1.2 Degree Attained HIGH SCHOOL SOME COLLEGE ASSOCIATE'S BACHELOR'S MASTER'S LAW DOCTORATE UNDISCLOSED TOTAL Education - Highest Degree Attained Number of Percent of Neutrals Total 22 114 48 391 391 995 100 132 2,193 1% 5% 2% 18% 18% 46% 5% 6% 100% MASTER'S 18% BACHELOR'S 18% ASSOCIATE'S 2% SOME COLLEGE 5% HIGH SCHOOL 1% UNDISCLOSED 6% LAW 46% DOCTORATE 5% FY 2006 Annual Reporrt 7 Table 1.3 Gender MALE FEMALE UNDISCLOSED TOTAL Gender Number of Percent of Neutrals Total 1064 1129 0 2,193 49% 51% 0% 100% FEMALE 51% Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution UNDISCLOSED 0% MALE 49% Table 1.4 Ethnicity NATIVE AMERICAN/ ALASKAN NATIVE ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER/ASIAN-AMERICAN BLACK/AFRICAN-AMERICAN/ NON-HISPANIC HISPANIC WHITE/CAUCASIAN/ NON-HISPANIC OTHER UNDISCLOSED TOTAL Ethnicity Number of Percent of Neutrals Total 19 73 469 30 1518 64 20 2,193 1% 3% 21% 1% 69% 3% 1% 100% HISPANIC 1% BLACK/AFRICANAMERICAN/ NON- HISPANIC 21% ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER/ASIAN -AMERICAN 3% W HITE/CAUCASI AN/ NONHISPANIC 69% OTHER 3% UNDISCLOSED NATIVE 1% AMERICAN/ ALASKAN NATIVE 1% Table 1.5 Ages UNDER 30 AGES 30 - 39 AGES 40 - 49 AGES 50 - 59 AGES 60 AND OVER UNDISCLOSED TOTAL Ages Number of Percent of Neutrals Total 97 295 520 724 554 3 2193 4% 13% 24% 33% 25% 0% 100% AGES 50 - 59 33% AGES 40 - 49 24% AGES 60 AND OVER 25% UNDISCLOSED 0% UNDER 30 4% AGES 30 - 39 13% FY 2006 Annual Report 8 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Counties Served By ADR Programs July 2005 - June 2006 * Map by Ashley G. Stollar Yellow Counties served by ADR programs prior to the appointment of the Joint Commission on Alternative Dispute Resolution, by the order of the Supreme Court: September 26, 1990. Blue Counties served by ADR programs after the appointment of the Joint Commission on Alternative Dispute Resolution, by the order of the Supreme Court: September 26, 1990. FY 2006 Annual Report 9 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 10 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution County Atkinson Baker Bartow Ben Hill Berrien Bibb Brooks Bulloch Burke Butts Calhoun Carroll Chatham Chattahoochee Cherokee Clarke Clayton Clinch Cobb Colquitt Columbia Cook Coweta Crawford Crisp Dawson Decatur DeKalb Dooly Douglas Echols Effingham Elbert Fannin Fayette Floyd Forsyth Franklin Fulton Grady Gilmer Gordon Gwinnett Habersham Hall Harris ADR Processes Offered by County Superior State Probate Magistrate Other M M M M M M M M M M M M M M MA M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M MA E MA E MA E MA E MA E M M M M M M M M M M MA M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M EM M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M MA E MA E MA E MA E M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M MA E MA E MA E MA E MA E M M M M M M M M M M M M M MA E MA E M M M M M M M M M M M MA E MA E MA E MA E M M M M M M M M M MA E M M - Mediation M M A - Arbitration M E - ENE Juvenile M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M FY 2006 Annual Report 10 County Haralson Hart Heard Henry Houston Johnson Jenkins Lamar Lanier Laurens Lee Lowndes Lumpkin Macon Madison Marion Meriwether Mitchell Monroe Murray Muscogee Newton Oconee Oglethorpe Paulding Peach Pickens Pike Polk Rabun Richmond Rockdale Schley Screven Spalding Stephens Stewart Sumter Talbot Taylor Thomas Towns Treutlen Troup Twiggs Union Upson Walker Walton Webster White Whitfield Wilcox FY 2006 Annual Report Superior M M M MA E M M M MA E M M M M MA E M M M M M MA E M MA M M M M M M MA E M M M State M M MA E M M MA E M M M M M M MA E M M M M M M MA E M M M M M M MA E MA E M M M M MA M M M M M M M M M M M M M M MA E MA E M M M M M M M M - Mediation Probate Magistrate M M M M MA E MA E M M M M M M MA E MA E M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M MA E MA E M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M MA E MA E M M M M M M M M M M MA E MA E M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M MA E MA E M M M M M M M M M M A - Arbitration Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Other M M Juvenile M M M M MA E M M M M M M M M MA E M M M M M MA E M M M M M MA E M M M M M M M M M M M MA E M M M M E - ENE 11 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Preface to Statistic Tables The Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution's annual report, Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Georgia Courts, tracks the cases filed in Georgia trial courts that are referred to ADR by that court or upon the request of the parties at some point between the date the complaint is filed and the trial date. There are several terms/concepts that recur in the tables and graphs that follow that will benefit from explanation. Types of courts: There are five classes of trial courts in Georgia: superior, state, probate, magistrate and juvenile. The tables and graphs reflect cumulative court-connected ADR activity as well as ADR activity for each class of trial court. Each of the tables and graphs also includes an "other" category. This category includes cases referred to court-connected mediation by an entity other than a trial court. For example, in some counties, the district attorney or solicitor's office might refer cases to a court ADR program. This category also includes case referred to mediation through an internal program at the Office of State Administrative Hearings. Jurisdictional identification: There are 159 counties in Georgia. These counties are divided into 49 judicial circuits in reference to the jurisdiction and sessions of courts. Judicial circuits can be composed of one or more counties. There are 10 judicial administrative districts in Georgia which reflect the1976 boundaries of the then 10 U.S. congressional districts. There are one or more circuits in each judicial district. Court-connected alternative dispute resolution programs may be organized on a county, circuit or a judicial administrative district level. The ADR activity for each class of trial court lists the name of the jurisdiction from which the data are submitted. The profiles of the courtconnected ADR programs in the second part of this annual report identify whether the named ADR program operates on a county, circuit or judicial administrative district basis. Data years: The data on which this annual report is based were collected on a fiscal year basis as were data for the previous three years. In the formative years of data collection 1997 and 1998-data were gathered on a calendar year basis. In 1998, data are shown only for the first six months of the year. This was done to standardize future data collection by fiscal year. Data for the last six months of 1998 are captured in the FY 1999 data. Slash marks separate the 1997 and 1998 reports and tables to bring the reader's attention to the fact that the information displayed does not reflect the same periods of time. Fiscal Year: This term refers to the twelve month period from July 1st through the following June 30th. Court-connected alternative dispute resolution processes: For purposes of this annual report, court-connected alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes include mediation, arbitration, and early neutral evaluation (ENE). All of the tables contain columns for each of the three types of ADR processes. The data column for a type of ADR process will be empty, however, if that court does not use this type of ADR process. The column may also be blank, if during the fiscal year, no cases were referred to that process even though it is available as part of an array of ADR processes available in that court. Only a few court programs offer all three ADR processes to litigants. Many more offer only mediation or a combination of mediation and non-binding arbitration. FY 2006 Annual Report 12 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution It is important to note that the total number of cases that completed an ADR process in any given year does not equal the number of cases referred by the court to an ADR process combined with the number of cases that are "settled/dismissed" prior to reaching an ADR process. There are several reasons for this discrepancy. The most significant reason is that cases referred to an ADR process in one reporting year may not actually complete the process until the next fiscal year. While the referral data are captured in one year, the disposition may not be recorded until the following year. A program's inability to contact a party or a bankruptcy filing are examples of other reasons that cases initially referred to an ADR process may not actually go through the process. Also note that there is no "Resolution Rate" provided for ENE because in this process a case evaluator or early neutral evaluator assesses the strengths of each party's and assists the parties in narrowing the legal and factual issues. The neutral's evaluation is a starting point for settlement discussions. Typically, there is neither tangible evidence of a resolution resulting from the ENE (such as a mediation agreement) nor a specific point after the process, like a demand for trial in the case of arbitration, that lends itself to identifying a resolution outcome from that process. Nonetheless, ENE like mediation and arbitration plays a valuable role in helping parties understand each other's position and provides them with a firm foundation to consider resolution outside of trial. FY 2006 Annual Report 13 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 14 The following tables reflect the total number of cases referred to a court-connected ADR process broken out by class of trial court as well as "other" referrals to court-connected ADR. Total Number of Cases Referred to an ADR Process FY 2006 Cases Referred 2006 July 2005 - June 2006 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT # of % of cases total 14,637 2,264 160 12,878 4,501 42% 7% 0% 37% 13% MAGISTRATE COURT 38% JUVENILE COURT 13% OTHER 1% SUPERIOR COURT 42% OTHER REFERRALS 209 1% TOTAL 34,649 100% PROBATE COURT 0% STATE COURT 7% Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Total Number of Cases Referred to an ADR Process FY 2005 Cases Referred 2005 July 2004 - June 2005 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT # of % of cases total 14,035 2,712 44% 9% MAGISTRATE 35% JUVENILE 12% OTHER 1% SUPERIOR 44% PROBATE COURT 173 1% MAGISTRATE COURT 11,065 35% JUVENILE COURT 3,722 12% OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 191 1% 31,898 100% PROBATE 1% STATE 9% Total Number of Cases Referred to an ADR Process FY 2004 Cases Referred 2004 July 2003 - June 2004 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT # of % of cases total 14,221 2,930 50% 10% MAGISTRATE 28% JUVENILE 11% OTHER 1% SUPERIOR 50% PROBATE COURT 188 1% MAGISTRATE COURT 7,924 28% JUVENILE COURT 3,193 11% OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 225 1% 28,681 100% PROBATE 1% STATE 10% Total Number of Cases Referred to an ADR Process FY 2003 Cases Referred 2003 July 2002 - June 2003 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT # of % of cases total 13,746 2,998 49% 11% MAGISTRATE 28% JUVENILE 11% OTHER 1% SUPERIOR 49% PROBATE COURT 178 1% MAGISTRATE COURT 7,876 28% JUVENILE COURT 3,091 11% OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 217 1% 28,106 100% PROBATE 1% STATE 11% FY 2006 Annual Report 14 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Total Number of Cases Referred to an ADR Process FY 2002 Cases Referred 2002 July 2001 - June 2002 # of % of cases total SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 13,089 2,718 148 6,781 3,240 345 26,321 50% 10% 1% 26% 12% 1% 100% MAGISTRATE 26% JUVENILE 12% PROBATE 1% STATE 10% OTHER 1% SUPERIOR 50% Total Number of Cases Referred an ADR Process FY 2001 Cases Referred 2001 July 2000 - June 2001 # of % of cases total SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 11,523 2,223 267 6,991 2,934 394 24,332 47% 9% 1% 29% 12% 2% 100% MAGISTRATE 29% JUVENILE 12% OTHER 2% SUPERIOR 47% PROBATE 1% STATE 9% Total Number of Cases Referred to an ADR Process FY 2000 Cases Referred 2000 July 1999 - June 2000 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT # of % of cases total 12,085 2,591 129 49% 11% 1% MAGISTRATE 26% JUVENILE 11% OTHER 2% SUPERIOR 49% MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT 6,356 2,771 26% 11% OTHER REFERRALS 538 2% TOTAL 24,470 100% PROBATE 1% STATE 11% Total Number of Cases Referred to an ADR Process FY 1999 Cases Referred 1999 July 1998 - June 1999 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL # of % of cases total 9,938 2,741 148 5,790 2,506 97 21,220 47% 13% 1% 27% 12% <1% 100% MAGISTRATE 27% JUVENILE 12% OTHER <1% PROBATE 1% STATE 13% SUPERIOR 47% FY 2006 Annual Report 15 Total Number of Cases Referred to an ADR Process Base Year 1998 Cases Referred 1998* January 1998 - June 1998 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT # of % of cases total 5,166 792 50% 8% MAGISTRATE 24% JUVENILE 12% OTHER 5% SUPERIOR 50% PROBATE COURT 74 1% MAGISTRATE COURT 2,390 24% JUVENILE COURT 1,236 12% OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 471 10,129 * In 1998, data is shown for the first six months of the year to standardize future data collection 5% 100% PROBATE 1% STATE 8% by fiscal year. The remainder of the 1998 data is captured in the FY 1999 data. Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Total Number of Cases Referred to an ADR Process Calendar Year 1997 Cases Referred 1997 January 1997 - December 1997 # of % of cases total SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT 7,914 680 110 4,876 2,089 48% 4% 1% 30% 13% MAGISTRATE 30% JUVENILE 13% OTHER 4% SUPERIOR 48% OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 694 4% 16,363 100% PROBATE STATE 1% 4% FY 2006 Annual Report 16 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Total Number of Cases Completing ADR Process FY 2006 Cases Completing ADR 2005 July 2004 - June 2005 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL # of cases 9,695 1,470 141 11,159 2,604 129 25,198 MAGISTRATE 45% JUVENILE 10% OTHER 0% SUPERIOR 38% PROBATE 1% STATE 6% Total Number of Cases Completing ADR Process FY 2005 Cases Completing ADR 2005 July 2004 - June 2005 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL # of cases 8,574 1,466 143 8,901 2,551 141 21,776 MAGISTRATE 41% JUVENILE 12% OTHER 1% SUPERIOR 39% PROBATE 1% STATE 7% Total Number of Cases Completing ADR Process FY 2004 Cases Completing ADR 2004 July 2003 - June 2004 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT # of cases 8,737 1,405 MAGISTRATE 36% JUVENILE 12% OTHER 1% SUPERIOR 43% PROBATE COURT 141 MAGISTRATE COURT 7,316 JUVENILE COURT 2,466 OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 149 20,214 PROBATE 1% STATE 7% Total Number of Cases Completing ADR Process FY 2003 Cases Completing ADR 2003 July 2002 - June 2003 # of cases SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 8,590 1,316 149 7,181 2,329 151 19,716 MAGISTRATE 36% JUVENILE 12% OTHER 1% SUPERIOR 43% PROBATE 1% STATE 7% FY 2006 Annual Report 17 Total Number of Cases Completing ADR Process FY 2002 Cases Completing ADR 2002 July 2001 - June 2002 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL # of cases 7,576 1,029 111 5,965 2,418 190 17,289 MAGISTRATE 34% JUVENILE 14% OTHER 1% SUPERIOR 44% PROBATE 1% STATE 6% Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Total Number of Cases Completing ADR Process FY 2001 Cases Completing ADR 2001 July 2000 - June 2001 # of cases SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 6,803 892 229 5,280 1,963 240 15,407 MAGISTRATE 34% JUVENILE 13% OTHER 2% SUPERIOR 44% PROBATE 1% STATE 6% Total Number of Cases Completing ADR Process FY 2000 Cases Completing ADR 2000 July 1999 - June 2000 # of cases SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 5,895 1,030 103 5,472 1,895 296 14,691 MAGISTRATE 37% JUVENILE 13% OTHER 2% SUPERIOR 40% PROBATE 1% STATE 7% Total Number of Cases Completing ADR Process FY 1999 Cases Completing ADR 1999 July 1998 - June 1999 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL # of cases 5,422 1,387 114 4,880 1,727 10 13,540 MAGISTRATE 34% JUVENILE 15% OTHER 5% PROBATE 1% STATE 5% SUPERIOR 40% FY 2006 Annual Report 18 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Total Number of Cases Completing ADR Process Transition Period 1998 Cases Completing ADR 1998* January 1998 - June 1998 # of cases SUPERIOR COURT 2,421 STATE COURT 284 PROBATE COURT 58 MAGISTRATE COURT 2,034 JUVENILE COURT 890 OTHER REFERRALS 272 TOTAL 5,959 * In 1998, data is shown for the first six months of the year to standardize future data collection by fiscal year. The remainder of the 1998 data is captured in the FY 1999. MAGISTRATE 36% JUVENILE 13% OTHER 4% SUPERIOR 42% PROBATE 1% STATE 4% Total Number of Cases Completing ADR Process Calendar Year 1997 Cases Completing ADR 1997 January 1997 - December 1997 # of cases SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 4,392 444 77 3,781 1,398 411 10,503 MAGISTRATE 36% JUVENILE 13% OTHER 4% SUPERIOR 42% PROBATE 1% STATE 4% FY 2006 Annual Report 19 Number of Cases ADR Activity Summary Graph Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Total ADR Activity Summary by Year 40000 35000 34649 31898 30000 25000 24470 24332 26321 28106 28681 25198 20000 21220 15000 13,540 15069 15463 17415 20214 21775 10000 9716 5000 0 FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 Cases Referred to an ADR Process Cases Completing an ADR Process FY 1999 - FY 2006 Years of Activity FY refers to the twelve month period from July 1st through the following June 30th. FY 2006 Annual Report 21 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution The following tables reflect the total court-connected ADR activity broken out by class of trial court. These tables also display data from "other" types of referrals to court-connected ADR Activity FY 2006 July 2005 June 2006 Total ADR Activity Summary FY 2006 Cases Referred Settled / Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution For Trial Rate ENE MEDIATION Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement Impasse SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL 14,637 2,264 160 12,878 4,501 209 34,649 3,489 512 16 642 474 36 5,169 3 - 100% 2 9,695 5,637 887 3,134 25 8 68% 1 1,470 902 70 412 141 90 - 47 11,159 8,388 82 2,388 2,604 2,433 7 162 129 87 10 31 28 8 84% 3 25,198 17,537 1,056 6,174 ADR Activity FY 2005 July 2004 June 2005 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL Total ADR Activity Summary FY 2005 Cases Referred Settled / Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution For Trial Rate ENE Cases Mediated Full Agreement MEDIATION Partial Agreement Impasse 14,035 3,250 7 2,712 1,124 30 173 11 - 11,065 719 - 3,722 1,029 191 21 - 31,898 6,154 37 1 86% 5 83% - - - - - - - - 6 39% 2 8,574 2 1,466 - 143 - 8,901 - 2,551 - 141 4 21,776 4,714 1,020 80 6,320 2,425 62 14,621 749 3,102 12 657 1 42 71 2,148 12 114 7 43 852 6,106 ADR Activity FY 2004 July 2003 June 2004 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL Total ADR Activity Summary FY 2004 Cases Referred Settled / Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution For Trial Rate ENE Cases Mediated Full Agreement MEDIATION Partial Agreement Impasse 14,221 3,587 29 9 78% 2 8,706 4,696 580 3,424 2,930 995 36 13 68% 6 1,363 661 25 657 188 10 - - - - 141 94 5 42 7,924 621 - - - - 7,316 5,071 52 2,148 3,193 501 - - - - 2,466 2,373 5 75 225 44 - - - - 149 91 10 43 28,681 5,758 65 22 39% 8 20,141 12,986 677 6,389 FY 2006 Annual Report 22 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2003 July 2002 June 2003 Total ADR Activity Summary FY 2003 Cases Referred Settled / Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution For Trial Rate ENE Cases Mediated Full Agreement MEDIATION Partial Agreement Impasse SUPERIOR COURT 13,746 3,338 13 7 53% 1 8,576 4,646 566 3,316 STATE COURT 2,998 1,036 33 11 33% 9 1,274 663 7 603 PROBATE COURT 178 10 - - - - 149 82 5 44 MAGISTRATE COURT 7,876 570 - - - - 7,181 4,950 55 2,129 JUVENILE COURT 3,091 514 - - - - 2,329 2,198 7 62 OTHER REFERRALS 217 22 - - - - 151 89 11 48 TOTAL 28,106 5,490 46 18 39% 10 19,660 12,628 651 6,202 ADR Activity FY 2002 July 2001 June 2002 Total ADR Activity Summary FY 2002 Cases Referred Settled / Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution For Trial Rate ENE Cases Mediated Full Agreement MEDIATION Partial Agreement Impasse SUPERIOR COURT 13,089 2,662 60 STATE COURT 2,718 776 54 PROBATE COURT 148 4 - MAGISTRATE COURT 6,781 371 - JUVENILE COURT 3,240 475 - OTHER REFERRALS 345 25 - TOTAL 26,321 4,313 114 47 78% 4 7% - - - - - - - - 51 45% 3 7,576 9 1,029 - 111 - 5,965 - 2,418 - 190 12 17,289 4,090 526 68 4,150 2,329 150 11,313 394 3,090 6 497 2 32 11 1,792 3 78 4 36 420 5,525 ADR Activity FY 2001 July 2000 June 2001 Total ADR Activity Summary FY 2001 Cases Referred Settled / Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution For Trial Rate ENE Cases Mediated MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement Impasse SUPERIOR COURT 11,523 2,290 187 106 43% 2 6,123 3,668 STATE COURT 2,223 703 85 30 65% 20 803 371 PROBATE COURT 267 14 - - - - 229 143 MAGISTRATE COURT 6,991 663 - - - - 5,807 4,183 JUVENILE COURT 2,934 473 - - - - 1,967 1,899 OTHER REFERRALS 394 28 - - - - 240 195 TOTAL 24,332 4,174 272 136 54% 22 15,169 10,459 2,455 518 86 1,624 68 45 4,796 FY 2006 Annual Report 23 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2000 July 1998 June 2000 Total ADR Activity Summary FY 2000 Cases Referred Settled / Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution For Trial Rate ENE Cases Mediated MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement Impasse SUPERIOR COURT 12,085 2,902 153 121 21% 34 5,895 3,401 STATE COURT 2,591 668 121 47 61% 70 1,030 484 PROBATE COURT 129 5 - - - - 103 53 MAGISTRATE COURT 6,356 301 - - - - 5,472 3,941 JUVENILE COURT 2,771 316 - - - - 1,895 1,822 OTHER REFERRALS 538 53 - - - - 296 247 TOTAL 24,470 4,245 274 168 41% 104 14,691 9,948 2,494 546 50 1,531 73 49 4,743 ADR Activity FY 1999 July 1998 June 1999 Total ADR Activity Summary FY 1999 Cases Referred Settled / Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution For Trial Rate ENE Cases Mediated MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement Impasse SUPERIOR COURT 9,938 2,561 235 184 22% 33 5,154 3,030 STATE COURT 2,741 896 211 109 48% 73 1,103 569 PROBATE COURT 148 7 - - - - 114 64 MAGISTRATE COURT 5,790 343 - - - - 4,880 3,614 JUVENILE COURT 2,506 194 - - - - 1,727 1,649 OTHER REFERRALS 97 8 - - - - 10 6 TOTAL 21,220 4,009 446 293 35% 106 12,988 8,932 2,124 534 50 1,266 78 4 4,056 Total ADR Activity Summary Transition Period 1998* ADR Activity 1998* January 1998 June 1998 Cases Referred Settled / Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution For Trial Rate ENE Cases Mediated MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement Impasse SUPERIOR COURT 5,166 860 13 79 0% 14 2,394 1,401 STATE COURT 792 94 - - - - 284 150 PROBATE COURT 74 14 - - - - 58 31 MAGISTRATE COURT 2,390 52 - - - - 2,034 1,546 JUVENILE COURT 1,236 28 - - - - 890 - OTHER REFERRALS 471 19 - - - - 272 227 TOTAL 10,129 1,067 13 79 0% 14 5,932 3,355 * In 1998, data is shown for the first six months of the year to standardize future data collection by fiscal year. The remainder of the 1998 data is captured in FY 1999. 993 134 27 488 45 1,687 FY 2006 Annual Report 24 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Total ADR Activity Summary Calendar Year 1997 ADR Activity 1997 January 1997 December 1997 SUPERIOR COURT STATE COURT PROBATE COURT MAGISTRATE COURT JUVENILE COURT OTHER REFERRALS TOTAL Cases Referred 7,914 680 110 4,876 2,089 694 16,363 Settled / Dismissed Prior 1,746 84 3 15 50 11 1,909 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution For Trial Rate 535 299 44% 20 6 70% - - - - - - - - - - - - 555 305 57% ENE Cases Mediated - 3,857 2 422 - 77 - 3,781 - 1,398 - 411 2 9,946 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 2,175 230 54 2,864 - 343 5,666 Impasse 1,682 192 23 917 68 2,882 FY 2006 Annual Report 25 Resolution Rate 67% 66% 64% 76% 94% 135% 74% Resolution Rate 64% 70% 57% 72% 96% 65% 71% Resolution Rate 61% 50% 70% 70% 96% 68% 68% FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 26 Resolution Rate 61% 53% 58% 70% 95% 66% 68% Resolution Rate 59% 52% 64% 70% 96% 81% 65% Resolution Rate 60% 46% 62% 72% 97% 81% 69% FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 27 Resolution Rate 58% 47% 51% 72% 96% 83% 68% Resolution Rate 59% 52% 56% 74% 95% 60% 69% Resolution Rate 59% 53% 53% 76% 83% 67% FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 28 Resolution Rate 56% 55% 70% 76% 83% 66% Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 29 Number of Cases ADR Activity Summary Graph Superior Court Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Superior Court ADR Activity Summary by Year 16,000 14,000 12,000 12,085 11,523 13,089 13,746 14,221 14,035 14,637 10,000 9,938 8,000 6,000 5,422 6,082 6,312 7,576 8,588 8,706 8,574 9,695 4,000 2,000 FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 Cases Referred to an ADR Process Cases Completing an ADR Process FY 2006 FY 1999 - FY 2006 Years of Activity FY 2006 Annual Report FY refers to the twelve month period from July 1st through the following June 30th. 26 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2006 July 2005 June 2006 Cases Referred Superior Court ADR Activity FY 2006 Settled/ Dismissed Prior Cases Arbitrated ARBITRATION Demands for Trial Resolution Rate ENE Cases Mediated MEDIATION Partial Full Agreement Agreement Alapaha Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Houston and Macon* Ogeechee Sixth Southern Third Total Civil 36 28 7 0 321 127 8 1 12 1 142 29 71 10 339 46 57 11 121 40 30 4 26 8 374 29 196 96 1,740 430 CIVIL - -- - 8 4 1 - -- - 5 2 0 - -- - 176 51 2 - -- - 5 2 0 - -- - 11 8 0 1 0 100% 2 48 39 5 - -- - 51 28 2 2 0 83% - 184 83 3 - -- - 40 21 1 - -- - 81 50 0 - -- - 17 10 0 - -- - 18 8 1 - -- - 284 255 2 - -- - 100 64 3 3 1 89% 2 1028 625 20 Alapaha Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Houston and Macon* Ogeechee Sixth Southern Third Total Domestic 191 1,126 993 54 472 848 156 1,753 435 165 52 1,399 291 168 8,103 165 221 284 17 18 38 20 43 60 76 4 440 68 55 1509 DOMESTIC - -- - 26 14 7 - -- - 470 199 55 - -- - 650 323 43 - -- - 20 16 0 - -- - 454 313 24 - -- 2 707 424 106 - -- 106 64 2 - -- - 1532 846 276 - -- - 309 139 49 - -- - 89 73 0 - -- - 33 26 0 - -- - 959 319 120 - -- - 219 207 0 - -- - 113 78 5 - -- 2 5687 3041 687 Conasauga Dublin Ninth Seventh South Georgia Southwestern Tenth** Total General 160 72 1127 2405 13 86 931 4,794 46 25 24 1156 1 42 256 1550 GENERAL - -- - 106 68 6 - -- - 43 28 1 - -- - 1089 845 71 - -- - 916 468 90 - -- - 12 7 0 - -- - 44 41 0 - -- - 770 514 12 2980 1971 180 Total FY 2006 Annual Report 14,637 3,489 TOTAL 3 1 89% 4 9,695 5,637 887 27 * New Program ** formerly Western, Alcovy, Northern Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 28 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2005 July 2004 June 2005 Cases Referred Superior Court ADR Activity FY 2005 Settled/ Dismissed Prior Cases Arbitrated ARBITRATION Demands for Trial Resolution Rate ENE Cases Mediated MEDIATION Partial Full Agreement Agreement Alapaha Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Macon* Ogeechee Sixth Southern Third Total Civil 43 39 2 0 326 119 19 7 8 3 80 11 91 14 213 40 74 12 111 41 26 4 17 4 493 0 170 89 1,673 383 CIVIL - -- - 7 4 0 - -- - 1 1 0 - -- - 180 51 7 - -- - 12 3 0 - -- - 5 4 0 1 0 100% 2 40 16 1 - -- - 47 36 0 6 1 83% - 106 50 3 - -- - 50 33 2 - -- - 70 41 0 - -- - 17 10 0 - -- - 13 6 0 - -- - 288 254 1 - -- - 81 48 6 7 1 89% 2 917 557 20 Alapaha Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Macon* Ogeechee Sixth Southern Third Total Domestic 187 1,186 970 52 427 1032 135 1,205 442 62 42 1,391 483 129 7,743 164 280 306 30 21 29 18 18 18 29 4 454 0 51 1422 DOMESTIC - -- - 20 11 4 - -- - 453 169 57 - -- - 593 296 45 - -- - 22 15 0 - -- - 403 265 20 - -- 2 798 484 89 - -- - 122 68 3 - -- - 1274 730 221 - -- - 342 154 56 - -- - 33 22 0 - -- - 33 26 0 - -- - 937 347 74 - -- - 278 245 0 - -- - 78 45 1 - -- 2 5386 2877 570 Conasauga Dublin Ninth Seventh South Georgia Southwestern Tenth** Total General 159 34 1024 2350 15 121 916 4,619 39 12 121 942 0 74 257 1445 GENERAL - -- - 107 56 6 - -- - 22 14 1 - -- - 820 503 82 - -- - 753 343 51 - -- - 10 8 0 - -- - 47 43 0 - -- - 512 313 19 2271 1280 159 TOTAL 14,035 * New Program ** formerly Western, Alcovy, Northern 3,250 TOTAL 7 1 89% - 8,574 4,714 749 FY 2006 Annual Report 29 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2004 July 2003 June 2004 Alapaha Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Macon Ogeechee Sixth Southern Third Total Civil Alapaha Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Macon Ogeechee Sixth Southern Third Total Domestic Conasauga Dublin Ninth Seventh South Georgia Southwestern WAN* Total General TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Cases Referred Superior Court ADR Activity FY 2004 Settled/ Dismissed Prior Cases Arbitrated ARBITRATION Demands for Trial Resolution Rate ENE Cases Mediated MEDIATION Partial Full Agreement Agreement CIVIL 55 38 - -- - 11 3 0 8 0 - -- - 5 4 0 420 171 - -- - 249 60 9 20 6 - -- - 14 8 0 12 0 5 0 100% - 12 8 2 137 10 - -- 2 64 27 4 74 7 8 7 2% - 42 16 3 127 28 16 2 98% - 99 39 6 70 18 - -- - 52 22 0 102 0 0 0 0 20 2 18 9 0 27 6 - -- - 21 12 0 439 0 - -- - 288 252 0 267 39 - -- - 159 109 9 1,778 325 29 9 89% 2 1034 569 33 DOMESTIC 190 167 - -- - 18 7 0 1,185 305 - -- - 501 190 75 1,098 445 - -- - 779 359 70 51 15 - -- - 33 26 0 442 44 - -- - 272 147 37 632 42 - -- - 520 243 76 260 42 - -- - 133 59 0 1,567 11 - -- - 1480 979 54 375 80 - -- - 288 155 42 0 0 - -- - 0 0 0 7 0 - -- - 6 2 1 1,414 444 185 7,850 139 80 644 2319 15 96 1300 4,593 14,221 388 31 373 1943 35 21 115 1000 0 60 88 1319 3,587 - -- - 1031 429 81 - -- - 269 248 2 - -- - 111 46 2 - -- - 5441 2890 440 GENERAL - -- - 105 50 8 - -- - 36 28 2 - -- - 529 301 34 - -- - 708 348 60 - -- - 15 8 0 - -- - 36 32 0 - -- - 802 470 3 2231 1237 107 TOTAL 29 9 78% 2 8,706 4,696 580 FY 2006 Annual Report 30 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2003 July 2002 June 2003 Alapaha Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta DeKalb Fulton Gwinnett Macon Sixth Southern Third Total Civil Alapaha Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta DeKalb Superior Court ADR Activity FY 2003 Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior 55 38 2 0 418 170 13 2 12 0 134 9 150 40 68 16 0 0 27 5 431 41 270 128 1,580 449 190 167 1,087 305 1,099 445 47 15 442 44 629 42 Cases Arbitrated ARBITRATION Demands for Trial Resolution Rate ENE CIVIL - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - 5 0 100% - - -- 1 8 7 88% - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - 13 7 54% 1 DOMESTIC - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - Cases Mediated MEDIATION Partial Full Agreement Agreement 11 3 0 0 1 0 223 69 4 12 5 3 12 8 2 61 24 2 92 46 2 50 24 0 0 0 0 22 12 0 218 196 0 142 81 7 843 469 20 18 7 0 445 171 64 772 356 61 36 15 5 272 147 37 517 239 73 Fulton Gwinnett Macon Sixth Southern Third Total Domestic Conasauga Dublin Eastern Ninth Seventh South Georgia WAN* Total General TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern 1,488 382 0 1,420 475 660 7,919 152 88 302 645 1,835 7 1,218 4,247 13,746 11 80 0 388 31 373 1901 31 30 45 98 691 1 92 988 3,338 - -- - 1,475 955 14 - -- - 290 146 46 - -- - 0 0 0 - -- - 1032 430 81 - -- - 248 226 1 - -- - 287 177 28 - -- - 5392 2869 410 GENERAL - -- - 83 38 6 - -- - 39 25 4 - -- - 181 94 1 - -- - 520 296 44 - -- - 807 399 80 - -- - 7 5 0 - -- - 702 451 1 2339 1308 136 TOTAL 13 7 78% 1 8,574 4,646 566 FY 2006 Annual Report 31 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2002 July 2001 June 2002 Alapaha Clayton Cobb Conasauga Cordele Coweta DeKalb Dublin Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Ninth Seventh Sixth South Georgia Southern Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Superior Court ADR Activity FY 2002 Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior 320 173 1,101 313 Cases Arbitrated ARBITRATION Demands for Trial Resolution Rate ENE - -- - - -- - Cases Mediated MEDIATION Partial Full Agreement Agreement 23 11 0 498 191 57 1,465 150 59 427 690 59 347 1,567 425 592 1,778 1,409 6 970 512 1,212 13,089 544 20 14 41 45 11 51 100 102 50 585 427 0 56 33 97 2,662 - -- - 921 380 77 - -- - 104 51 10 - -- - 45 19 5 - -- - 265 136 34 - -- 3 509 256 66 - -- - 32 14 2 - -- - 188 96 2 60 47 78% - 1,171 765 7 - -- - 299 163 24 - -- - 331 132 39 - -- - 734 366 55 - -- - 982 500 0 - -- - 6 5 0 - -- - 443 389 3 - -- - 319 163 11 - -- - 706 453 2 60 47 78% 3 7,576 4,090 394 ADR Activity FY 2001 July 2000 June 2001 Alapaha Clayton Cobb Conasauga Cordele Coweta DeKalb Dublin Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Ninth Seventh Sixth South Georgia Southern Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Superior Court ADR Activity FY 2001 ARBITRATION MEDIATION Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior 222 117 1,087 370 Cases Arbitrated ENE Demands for Trial Resolution Rate - -- - - -- - Cases Mediated 32 497 Full / Partial Agreement 26 266 1,181 157 71 425 682 118 394 1,375 383 566 711 1,326 1 1,448 576 800 11,523 357 19 11 47 43 46 194 200 103 56 98 302 0 0 256 71 2,290 - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- 2 - -- - - -- - 187 106 57% - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - 187 106 57% 2 671 76 60 254 462 72 125 905 275 303 321 981 0 439 139 511 6,123 327 52 36 150 259 42 33 627 145 178 231 510 0 369 74 343 3,668 FY 2006 Annual Report 32 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 33 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2000 July 1998 June 2000 Alapaha Clayton Cobb Conasauga Cordele Coweta DeKalb Douglas Dublin Eastern Sixth Fulton Gwinnett Ninth Paulding Southern Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Superior Court ADR Activity FY 2000 Cases Referred 255 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 96 1,168 431 1,357 416 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial Resolution Rate - -- ENE - - -- - - -- 30 135 48 489 728 243 87 383 1,043 1,379 338 600 768 1,492 803 769 12,085 29 10 31 26 96 32 87 163 206 69 232 457 63 307 151 2,902 - -- - - -- - - -- - 2 - 100% 2 - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - 149 120 81% - 2 1 50% 2 - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - 153 121 79% 34 Cases Mediated 36 528 706 85 35 247 429 147 37 161 759 934 265 332 179 524 154 337 5,895 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 17 276 328 44 25 125 266 37 21 78 419 647 147 201 118 435 93 124 3,401 Superior Court ADR Activity FY 1999* ADR Activity FY 1999 July 1998 June 1999 Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior Cases Arbitrated ARBITRATION Demands for Trial Resolution Rate ENE Cases Mediated MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement Alapaha Clayton Cobb Conasauga Cordele Coweta DeKalb Douglas Dublin Eastern Sixth Fulton Gwinnett Ninth Paulding Southern Third Western / Northern TOTAL 142 1,020 1,424 196 82 340 655 48 84 379 1,324 1,213 294 667 135 562 898 475 9,938 41 368 538 43 32 15 279 13 22 80 311 256 63 93 0 32 309 66 2,561 - -- - 43 26 - -- - 450 271 - -- 29 701 355 - -- - 142 69 - -- - 43 33 - -- - 218 142 12 - 100% 4 495 280 - -- - 10 6 - -- - 52 25 - -- - 161 77 - -- - 856 463 216 182 84% - 595 359 7 2 29% - 227 128 - -- - 391 229 - -- - 11 10 - -- - 273 232 - -- - 286 201 - -- - 200 124 235 184 78% 33 5,154 3,030 FY 2006 Annual Report 34 * Data collection based on fiscal year beginning July 1998. Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 35 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity 1998* January 1998 June 1998 Alapaha Clayton Cobb Conasauga Cordele Coweta DeKalb Douglas** Dougherty** Dublin Eastern Flint/Griffin Fulton Gwinnett** Ninth Southern Third Superior Court ADR Activity Transition Period 1998* Cases Referred 25 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 12 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial Resolution Rate - -- ENE - Cases Mediated 10 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 9 574 218 - -- - 205 104 827 217 - -- - 269 95 131 24 - -- - 80 37 52 8 - -- - 31 20 179 13 - -- - 97 62 223 31 13 79 - 14 117 55 - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - 64 4 - -- - 23 8 106 7 - -- - 30 19 631 - - -- - 521 331 771 109 - -- - 314 191 - - - -- - - - 312 78 - -- - 179 96 534 36 - -- - 231 193 436 81 - -- - 157 103 Western / Northern 301 22 - -- - TOTAL 5,166 860 13 79 - 14 * In 1998, data is shown for the first six months of the year to standardize future data collection by fiscal year. The remainder of the 1998 data is captured in FY 1999. ** Statistics not available 130 2,394 78 1,401 ADR Activity 1997 January 1997 December 1997 Alapaha Clayton Cobb Conasauga Cordele Coweta DeKalb* Douglas* Dougherty* Dublin Eastern Flint/Griffin Fulton Gwinnett Ninth Southern Third Superior Court ADR Activity Calendar Year 1997 Cases Referred 14 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 4 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial Resolution Rate - -- ENE - Cases Mediated 10 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 7 1,222 340 - -- - 461 260 1,560 603 - -- - 725 318 208 36 - -- - 152 76 58 15 - -- - 27 19 304 50 - -- - 195 114 - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - 86 28 - -- - 45 25 50 0 - -- - 49 22 1,108 74 - -- - 547 335 1,213 296 534 298 56% - 540 291 202 11 1 1- - 191 115 637 111 - -- - 389 217 450 43 - -- - 207 176 470 115 - -- - 154 102 Western / Northern TOTAL * Statistics not available 332 7,914 20 1,746 - -- - 535 299 56% - 165 3,857 98 2,175 FY 2006 Annual Report 36 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 37 Impasse Resolution Rate 3 63% 3 40% 123 30% 3 40% 3 73% 34 92% 21 59% 98 47% 18 55% 31 62% 7 59% 9 50% 27 90% 33 67% 413 63% 5 81% 221 54% 284 56% 4 80% 117 74% 176 75% 40 62% 410 73% 121 61% 16 7 520 12 30 1963 82% 79% 46% 95% 73% 66% 49 70% 14 67% 173 84% 358 61% 2 58% 3 93% 159 68% 758 72% 3,134 67% FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 38 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 39 Impasse Resolution Rate 3 57% 0 100% 122 32% 9 25% 1 80% 23 43% 11 77% 53 50% 15 70% 29 59% 7 59% 7 46% 33 89% 27 67% 340 63% 5 227 252 7 118 216 51 323 132 11 7 516 33 32 1930 75% 50% 58% 68% 71% 72% 58% 75% 61% 67% 79% 45% 88% 59% 64% 45 58% 7 68% 235 71% 359 52% 2 80% 4 91% 180 65% 832 63% 3,102 64% FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 40 Impasse Resolution Rate 8 27% 1 0% 180 28% 6 57% 1 83% 33 48% 23 45% 54 45% 30 42% 0 0% 6 0% 9 57% 36 88% 62 74% 449 58% 11 39% 236 53% 350 55% 7 79% 88 68% 201 61% 74 44% 447 70% 91 68% 0 0% 2 0% 521 19 42 2089 49% 93% 43% 61% 47 55% 6 83% 194 63% 300 58% 5 53% 4 89% 330 59% 886 3,424 61% FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 41 Impasse Resolution Rate 8 27% 1 0% 150 33% 6 67% 1 83% 35 43% 45 52% 26 48% 0 0% 10 55% 22 90% 54 62% 358 58% 11 39% 196 53% 355 54% 16 56% 88 68% 205 60% 473 98 0 521 21 82 2066 66% 66% 0% 50% 92% 71% 61% 39 53% 10 74% 86 52% 180 65% 328 59% 1 71% 248 64% 892 3,316 61% FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 42 Impasse 12 248 Resolution Rate 48% 50% 464 43 21 95 187 16 90 399 112 160 313 482 1 51 145 251 3,090 50% 59% 53% 64% 63% 50% 52% 66% 63% 52% 57% 51% 83% 88% 55% 64% 59% Impasse 6 231 Resolution Rate 81% 54% 344 24 24 104 203 30 92 278 130 125 90 471 0 70 65 168 2,455 49% 68% 60% 59% 56% 58% 26% 69% 53% 59% 72% 52% 0% 84% 53% 67% 60% FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 43 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 44 Impasse 19 Resolution Rate 47% 252 52% 378 46% 41 10 122 163 110 16 83 340 287 118 131 61 89 61 213 2,494 52% 71% 51% 62% 25% 57% 48% 55% 69% 55% 61% 66% 83% 60% 37% 58% Impasse Resolution Rate 17 179 346 73 10 76 215 4 27 84 393 236 99 162 1 41 85 76 2,124 60% 60% 51% 49% 77% 65% 57% 60% 48% 48% 54% 60% 56% 59% 91% 85% 70% 62% 59% FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 45 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 46 Impasse 1 101 174 43 11 35 62 15 11 190 123 83 38 54 Resolution Rate 90% 51% 35% 46% 65% 64% 47% 35% 63% 64% 61% 54% 84% 66% 52 60% 993 59% Impasse 3 201 407 76 8 81 - 20 27 212 249 76 172 31 52 Resolution Rate 70% 56% 44% 50% 70% 58% 56% 45% 61% 54% 60% 56% 85% 66% 67 59% 1,682 56% FY 2006 Annual Report Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 47 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 48 Number of Cases ADR Activity Summary Graph State Court Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution State Court ADR Activity Summary by Year 3,500 3,000 2,741 2,500 2,000 2,591 2,223 2,718 2,998 2,930 2,712 2,264 1,500 1,000 1,387 1,221 908 1,092 1,337 1,363 1,466 1,470 500 FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 Cases Referred to an ADR Process Cases Completing an ADR Process FY 2006 FY 1999 - FY 2006 Years of Activity FY 2006 Annual Report FY refers to the twelve month period from July 1st through the following June 30th. 34 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2006 July 2005 June 2006 Clayton Cases Referred 4 Cordele 0 Coweta 9 DeKalb 146 Eastern 435 Fulton 200 Gwinnett 621 Houston and Macon* 0 Ninth 472 Ogeechee 17 Sixth 109 Southern 7 Southwestern 0 Third 118 Tenth** 126 TOTAL 2,264 *New Program ** formerly Western, Alcovy, Northern State Court ADR Activity Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Resolution Arbitrated Trial Rate - -- ENE - 0 - -- - 2 - -- - 30 1 0 100% 1 80 - -- - 23 24 8 67% - 258 - -- - 0 - -- - 12 - -- - 0 - -- - 47 - -- - 0 - -- - 0 - -- - 48 - -- - 12 - -- - 512 25 8 68% 1 FY 2006 Cases Mediated 4 MEDIATION Full Partial Agreement Agreement 0 0 0 0 0 7 5 0 86 45 1 224 137 0 120 56 6 306 203 9 0 0 0 460 345 54 10 6 0 62 33 0 10 9 0 0 0 0 70 51 0 111 12 0 1,470 902 70 Impasse 4 0 2 40 87 58 94 0 61 4 29 1 0 19 13 412 Resolution Rate 50% 0% 71% 53% 61% 52% 69% 0% 87% 60% 53% 90% 0% 73% 11% 66% State Court ADR Activity FY 2005 ADR Activity FY 2005 July 2004 June 2005 Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Resolution Arbitrated Trial Rate ENE Clayton 4 0 - -- - Cordele 0 0 - -- - Coweta 4 1 - -- - DeKalb 565 194 1 0 100% 2 Eastern 497 83 - -- - Fulton 242 64 29 5 83% - Gwinnett 670 279 - -- - Macon* 0 0 - -- - Ninth 437 53 - -- - Ogeechee 17 0 - -- - Sixth 88 19 - -- - Southern 6 0 - -- - Southwestern 0 0 - -- - Third 43 5 - -- - Tenth** 139 35 - -- - TOTAL 2,712 733 30 5 83% 2 *New Program ** formerly Western, Alcovy, Northern Cases Mediated 4 0 3 193 285 140 285 0 327 10 69 13 0 38 512 1,879 MEDIATION Full Agreement Partial Agreement 0 0 0 0 2 0 115 2 179 0 72 1 187 5 0 0 317 0 6 0 35 3 11 0 0 0 31 0 313 19 1268 30 Impasse 4 0 1 71 105 67 93 0 10 4 31 2 0 7 180 575 Resolution Rate 50% 0% 67% 61% 63% 52% 67% 0% 97% 60% 55% 85% 0% 82% 65% 69% FY 2006 Annual Report 35 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2004 July 2003 June 2004 Clayton Cordele Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Macon Ninth Ogeechee Sixth Southern Southwestern Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern State Court ADR Activity FY 2004 Cases Referred 3 0 5 1182 459 276 599 0 67 11 70 10 0 95 153 2,930 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 1 0 1 545 94 57 249 0 8 0 8 0 0 24 8 995 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - - -- - - -- - 4 0 100% 6 - -- - 32 13 41% - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - 36 13 70% 6 Cases Mediated 1 0 4 286 242 209 350 0 46 11 62 7 0 43 102 1,363 MEDIATION Full Agreement Partial Agreement 0 0 0 0 4 0 132 4 140 0 79 9 159 10 0 0 32 0 5 0 28 1 6 0 0 0 17 1 59 0 661 25 Impasse 1 0 0 150 102 121 181 0 12 3 33 1 0 10 43 657 Resolution Rate 50% 0% 100% 48% 58% 42% 48% 0% 0% 45% 47% 86% 0% 42% 58% 50% ADR Activity FY 2003 July 2002 June 2003 Clayton Cordele Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Macon Ninth Sixth Southern Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern State Court ADR Activity FY 2003 Cases Referred 4 0 5 1,179 477 363 600 0 64 71 10 83 142 2,998 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 1 0 1 548 101 46 274 0 6 8 0 46 5 1036 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - - -- - - -- - 3 0 100% 9 - -- - 30 11 37% - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - 54 4 7% 9 Cases Mediated 2 0 4 283 238 203 288 0 45 63 12 37 99 1,274 MEDIATION Full Agreement 1 Partial Agreement 0 0 0 4 0 129 0 145 0 90 4 148 2 0 0 30 0 28 1 11 0 20 0 57 0 663 7 Impasse 1 0 0 154 93 109 138 0 15 34 1 17 41 603 Resolution Rate 50% 0% 100% 46% 61% 46% 52% 0% 67% 46% 92% 54% 58% 53% FY 2006 Annual Report 36 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2002 July 2001 June 2002 Clayton Cordele Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Ninth Sixth Southern Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern State Court ADR Activity FY 2002 Cases Referred 4 0 1 1,188 529 285 391 36 39 14 80 151 2,718 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 1 0 0 429 128 47 150 3 4 0 8 6 776 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - - -- - - -- - - -- 9 - -- - 54 4 7% - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - 54 4 7% 9 Cases Mediated 2 0 1 291 245 77 208 19 35 14 37 100 1,029 MEDIATION Full Agreement 0 Partial Agreement 0 0 0 1 0 157 0 137 0 28 1 96 5 8 0 16 0 10 0 15 0 58 0 526 6 Impasse 2 0 0 134 108 48 107 11 19 4 22 42 497 Resolution Rate 0% 0% 100% 54% 56% 38% 49% 42% 46% 71% 41% 58% 52% ADR Activity FY 2001 July 2000 June 2001 Clayton Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Ninth Sixth Southern Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern State Court ADR Activity FY 2001 Cases Referred 2 10 1,223 114 228 310 58 24 26 125 103 2,223 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 1 437 55 43 129 3 1 0 32 5 706 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Resolution Arbitrated Trial Rate - -- ENE - - -- - - -- 20 - -- - 85 30 35% - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - 85 30 35% 20 Cases Mediated 2 8 326 52 60 175 32 23 8 49 68 803 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 2 7 151 32 20 81 13 7 4 25 29 371 Impasse 0 1 261 20 40 94 19 16 4 24 39 518 Resolution Rate 100% 88% 46% 62% 33% 46% 41% 30% 50% 51% 43% 46% State Court ADR Activity FY 2000 ADR Activity FY 2000 July 1998 June 2000 Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior Cobb* - - Clayton 3 2 Coweta 25 0 DeKalb 1,227 398 Eastern 481 59 Fulton 279 34 Gwinnett 358 145 Ninth 73 7 Third 44 2 Western / Northern 101 21 TOTAL 2,591 668 * State Court numbers are in group with Superior Court. ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - - -- - - -- - 12 - 100% 67 - -- - 109 47 43% - - -- 2 - -- 1 - -- - - -- - 121 47 39% 70 Cases Mediated 1 19 383 220 82 211 42 26 46 1,030 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 0 16 177 105 37 97 24 11 17 484 Impasse 1 3 206 115 45 114 18 15 29 546 Resolution Rate 0% 84% 46% 48% 45% 46% 57% 42% 37% 47% FY 2006 Annual Report 37 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution State Court ADR Activity FY 1999* ADR Activity FY 1999 July 1998 June 1999 Cobb** Cases Referred - Settled/ Dismissed Prior - Clayton 8 0 Coweta 36 1 DeKalb 1,385 565 Eastern 459 70 Fulton 235 48 Gwinnett 386 197 Ninth 86 4 Third 63 11 Western / Northern 83 0 TOTAL 2,741 896 * Data collection based on fiscal year beginning July 1998. ** State Court numbers are in group with Superior Court. ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Resolution Arbitrated Trial Rate - -- ENE - - -- - - -- - 18 39 - 73 - -- - 186 70 38% - 7 - 100% - - -- - - -- - - -- - 211 109 52% 73 Cases Mediated 8 23 482 232 50 189 45 29 45 1,103 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 3 16 230 122 21 108 32 12 25 569 Impasse 5 7 252 110 29 81 13 17 20 534 Resolution Rate 38% 70% 48% 53% 42% 57% 71% 41% 56% 52% State Court ADR Activity Transition Period 1998* ADR Activity 1998* January 1998 June 1998 Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett** Ninth Third Western / Northern Cases Referred 22 420 205 36 - 16 22 71 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 58 28 3 2 0 3 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - - -- - Cases Mediated 6 109 117 19 - 12 0 21 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 4 48 68 12 3 0 15 TOTAL 792 94 - -- - * In 1998, data is shown for the first six months of the year to standardize future data collection by fiscal year. The remainder of the 1998 data is captured in FY 1999. ** Statistics not available 284 150 Impasse 2 61 49 7 9 0 6 134 Resolution Rate 67% 44% 58% 63% 25% 0% 71% 53% ADR Activity 1997 January 1997 December 1997 Coweta DeKalb* Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Ninth Western / Northern TOTAL * Statistics not available State Court ADR Activity Calendar Year 1997 Cases Referred 40 - 243 29 277 39 52 680 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 2 4 71 6 1 84 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Resolution Arbitrated Trial Rate - -- ENE - - -- - - -- - - -- - 20 6 30% 2 - -- - - -- - 20 6 30% 2 Cases Mediated 18 - 137 19 191 28 29 422 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 14 - 85 6 88 20 17 230 Impasse 4 52 13 103 8 12 192 Resolution Rate 78% - 62% 32% 46% 71% 59% 55% FY 2006 Annual Report 38 Number of Cases 14,000 12,000 ADR Activity Summary Graph Magistrate Court Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Magistrate Court ADR Activity Summary by Year 12,878 11,065 11,159 10,000 8,000 6,000 7,876 7,924 5,790 4,880 6,356 5,472 6,991 5,280 6,781 5,965 7,181 7,316 4,000 8,901 2,000 FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 Cases Referred to an ADR Process Cases Completing an ADR Process FY 2006 FY 1999 - FY 2006 Years of Activity FY 2006 Annual Report FY refers to the twelve month period from July 1st through the following June 30th. 39 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Magistrate Court ADR Activity FY 2006 ADR Activity FY 2006 July 2005 June 2006 Clayton Cases Referred 326 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- ENE - Cases Mediated 326 MEDIATION Full Agreement Partial Agreement 148 0 Impasse 174 Resolution Rate 45% Cobb 1080 40 - -- - 724 526 47 151 79% Cordele 0 0 - -- - 0 0 0 0 0% Coweta 541 129 - -- - 412 281 1 130 68% Dekalb 15 0 - -- - 13 9 0 4 69% Dublin 337 0 - -- - 367 235 0 132 64% Eastern 131 10 - -- - 92 48 0 44 52% Floyd 513 0 - -- - 513 373 0 140 73% Fulton Civil 954 97 - -- - 544 321 1 222 59% Fulton Criminal 493 0 - -- - 491 402 0 89 82% Fulton L/T 2795 0 - -- - 2410 1879 0 475 78% Gwinnett 578 0 - -- - 578 417 0 161 72% Houston and Macon* 7 1 - -- - 6 5 0 1 83% Ninth 4358 292 - -- - 4045 3486 26 533 87% Ogeechee 214 7 - -- - 186 107 5 7 60% Southwestern 1 0 - -- - 1 1 0 0 100% Third 7 0 - -- - 7 2 1 4 43% Tenth** 496 66 - -- - 417 134 1 108 32% Whitfield Civil 29 0 - -- - 24 11 0 13 46% Whitfield Criminal 3 0 - -- - 3 3 0 0 100% TOTAL 12,878 642 - -- - 11,159 8,388 82 2388 76% *New Program **formerly Western, Alcovy, Northern Magistrate Court ADR Activity FY 2005 ADR Activity FY 2005 July 2004 June 2005 Clayton Cases Referred 250 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution for Trial Rate - -- ENE - Cobb 784 40 - -- - Cordele 11 3 - -- - Coweta 490 83 - -- - Dekalb 27 0 - -- - Dublin 197 1 - -- - Eastern 72 5 - -- - Floyd 522 0 - -- - Fulton Civil 903 65 - -- - Fulton Criminal 491 0 - -- - Fulton L/T 2576 0 - -- - Gwinnett 640 0 - -- - Macon* 6 2 - -- - Ninth 3582 404 - -- - Ogeechee 75 10 - -- - Southwestern 1 0 - -- - Third 3 0 - -- - Tenth** 422 106 - -- - Whitfield Civil 11 0 - -- - Whitfield Criminal 2 0 - -- - TOTAL 11,065 719 - -- - *New Program **formerly Western, Alcovy, Northern Cases Mediated 245 476 8 407 23 196 58 522 734 491 2129 640 4 2593 59 1 3 300 9 2 8,900 MEDIATION Full Agreement Partial Agreement Impasse 100 0 145 325 0 151 4 1 3 295 2 110 12 0 11 136 4 56 35 0 24 383 0 139 396 2 336 401 0 90 1679 0 450 476 0 164 3 0 1 1872 57 664 18 4 37 1 0 0 2 0 1 191 1 108 3 0 6 2 0 0 6,334 71 2496 Resolution Rate 41% 68% 63% 73% 52% 71% 60% 73% 54% 82% 79% 74% 75% 74% 37% 100% 67% 64% 33% 100% 72% FY 2006 Annual Report 40 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2004 July 2003 June 2004 Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta Dublin Floyd Fulton Civil Fulton Criminal Fulton L/T Gwinnett Macon Ninth Ogeechee Southwestern Third WAN* Whitfield TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Magistrate Court ADR Activity FY 2004 Cases Referred 196 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 2 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution for Trial Rate - -- ENE - 299 0 - -- - 23 0 - -- - 720 155 - -- - 201 0 - -- - 501 0 - -- - 860 278 - -- - 535 7 - -- - 2556 0 - -- - 632 0 - -- - 1 0 - -- - 952 132 - -- - 3 1 - -- - 88 14 - -- - 36 2 - -- - 300 28 - -- - 21 2 - -- - 7,924 621 - -- - Cases Mediated 194 299 23 562 201 501 579 710 2410 632 0 820 2 74 22 270 17 7,316 MEDIATION Full Agreement Partial Agreement Impasse 76 0 117 140 0 159 12 0 11 357 25 180 169 2 30 355 0 146 354 4 221 480 2 230 1890 0 520 499 0 133 0 0 0 502 14 301 1 0 1 74 0 0 9 1 12 145 2 80 8 2 7 5,071 52 2148 Resolution Rate 39% 47% 52% 68% 85% 71% 62% 68% 78% 79% 0% 63% 50% 100% 45% 54% 59% 70% ADR Activity FY 2003 July 2002 June 2003 Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta Dublin Eastern Floyd Fulton Fulton L/T Gwinnett Macon Ninth Third WAN* Whitfield TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Magistrate Court ADR Activity FY 2003 Cases Referred 236 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution for Trial Rate - -- ENE - 301 0 - -- - 33 3 - -- - 720 155 - -- - 203 0 - -- - 19 1 - -- - 499 0 - -- - 1,390 278 - -- - 2,554 0 - -- - 630 0 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 947 92 - -- - 27 14 - -- - 299 26 - -- - 18 1 - -- - 7,876 570 - -- - Cases Mediated 234 205 28 562 201 17 499 1,291 2,404 630 0 810 13 273 14 7,181 MEDIATION Full Agreement 105 Partial Agreement Impasse 0 127 127 0 82 13 0 15 357 25 180 124 1 66 11 0 6 348 0 151 833 11 449 1,886 0 518 496 0 134 0 0 0 489 16 305 8 1 5 148 1 83 5 0 8 4,950 55 2129 Resolution Rate 45% 62% 46% 68% 62% 65% 70% 65% 78% 79% 0% 62% 69% 55% 36% 70% FY 2006 Annual Report 41 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2002 July 2001 June 2002 Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta Dublin Eastern Floyd Fulton Fulton L/T Gwinnett Ninth Third WAN* Whitfield TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Magistrate Court ADR Activity FY 2002 Cases Referred 181 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution for Trial Rate - -- ENE - 299 0 - -- - 30 3 - -- - 3 0 - -- - 121 1 - -- - 60 5 - -- - 331 13 - -- - 1,425 284 - -- - 2,483 0 - -- - 715 0 - -- - 725 33 - -- - 101 2 - -- - 297 30 - -- - 10 0 - -- - 6,781 371 - -- - Cases Mediated 181 204 27 2 116 48 304 1,192 2,385 715 543 32 206 10 5,965 MEDIATION Full Agreement 72 Partial Agreement Impasse 0 98 125 0 79 12 0 15 1 0 1 84 2 30 23 0 25 197 1 106 789 6 397 1,863 0 522 519 0 196 316 1 226 22 0 10 123 1 82 4 0 5 4,150 11 1792 Resolution Rate 40% 61% 44% 50% 74% 48% 65% 67% 78% 73% 58% 69% 60% 40% 70% ADR Activity FY 2001 July 2000 June 2001 Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta Dublin Eastern Floyd Fulton Gwinnett Ninth Third WAN* Whitfield TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Magistrate Court ADR Activity FY 2001 Cases Referred 250 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Demands Arbitrated for Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - 360 0 - -- - 4 0 - -- - 497 65 - -- - 121 0 - -- - 519 265 - -- - 116 0 - -- - 4,008 203 - -- - 491 6 - -- - 447 35 - -- - 142 85 - -- - 15 1 - -- - 21 3 - -- - 6,991 663 - -- - Cases Mediated 247 259 4 393 121 231 116 3,611 485 278 31 13 18 5,807 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 114 152 3 312 74 122 70 2,805 317 180 22 4 8 4,183 Resolution Impasse Rate 133 46% 107 59% 1 75% 81 79% 47 61% 109 53% 46 60% 806 78% 168 65% 98 65% 9 70% 9 31% 10 44% 1,624 72% FY 2006 Annual Report 42 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2000 July 1998 June 2000 Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta Eastern Floyd Fulton Fulton L/T Gwinnett Ninth Third Western / Northern Whitfield TOTAL Magistrate Court ADR Activity FY 2000 Cases Referred 327 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands Resolution for Trial Rate - -- ENE - 354 0 - -- - 13 2 - -- - 426 30 - -- - 23 2 - -- - 119 2 - -- - 1,215 173 - -- - 2,563 0 - -- - 461 0 - -- - 511 75 - -- - 250 9 - -- - 56 8 - -- - 38 0 - -- - 6,356 301 - -- - Cases Mediated 323 285 11 381 12 117 872 2,563 461 309 58 48 32 5,472 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 149 184 10 325 7 59 530 2,125 305 162 38 28 19 3,941 Resolution Impasse Rate 174 46% 101 65% 1 91% 56 85% 5 58% 58 50% 342 61% 438 83% 156 66% 147 52% 20 66% 20 58% 13 59% 1,531 72% ADR Activity FY 1999 July 1998 June 1999 Carroll Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta* Eastern Floyd Fulton Fulton L/T Gwinnett Ninth Third Western / Northern Whitfield TOTAL * See Carroll County Magistrate Court ADR Activity FY 1999* Cases Referred 304 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 35 ARBITRATION Cases Demands Arbitrated for Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - 144 0 - -- - 401 2 - -- - 11 4 - -- - - - - -- - 18 3 - -- - 63 0 - -- - 1,672 263 - -- - 2,559 0 - -- - 277 0 - -- - 262 27 - -- - 134 8 - -- - 14 1 - -- - 75 0 - -- - 5,934 343 - -- - Cases Mediated 269 144 324 7 12 63 1,115 2,559 277 172 31 1 50 5,024 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 235 63 208 7 5 35 699 2,090 189 92 25 1 28 3,677 Resolution Impasse Rate 34 87% 80 44% 116 64% 0 100% -- 7 42% 28 56% 416 63% 469 82% 88 68% 80 53% 6 81% 0 100% 22 56% 1,346 73% FY 2006 Annual Report 43 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Magistrate Court ADR Activity Transition Period 1998* ADR Activity 1998* January 1998 June 1998 Carroll Cases Referred 138 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Demands Arbitrated for Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - Cases Mediated 116 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 90 Resolution Impasse Rate 26 78% Cobb 345 0 - -- - 212 142 70 67% Cordele 3 0 - -- - 3 0 3 0% Coweta 1 0 - -- - 2 1 1 50% Eastern 9 1 - -- - 3 3 0 100% Fulton 357 36 - -- - 321 215 106 67% Fulton L/T 1,206 0 - -- - 1,206 982 224 81% Gwinnett* - - - -- - - - -- Ninth 129 5 - -- - 92 49 43 53% Third 114 6 - -- - 30 25 5 83% Western / Northern 72 4 - -- - 36 30 6 83% Whitfield 16 0 - -- - 13 9 4 69% TOTAL 2,390 52 - -- - 2,034 1,546 488 76% * In 1998, data is shown for the first six months of the year to standardize future data collection by fiscal year. The remainder of the 1998 data is captured in FY 1999. ** Statistics not available ADR Activity 1997 January 1997 December 1997 Carroll Cobb* Cordele Coweta Eastern Fulton Fulton L/T Gwinnett Ninth Third Western / Northern Whitfield* TOTAL * Statistics not available Magistrate Court ADR Activity Calendar Year 1997 Cases Referred 275 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Demands Arbitrated for Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - - - - -- - 10 1 - -- - 32 4 - -- - 45 0 - -- - 1,354 0 - -- - 2,477 0 - -- - 219 0 - -- - 127 1 - -- - 255 8 - -- - 38 1 - -- - 44 0 - -- - 4876 15 - -- - Cases Mediated 210 9 16 12 609 2,477 222 112 63 19 32 3781 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 179 5 9 9 387 1,962 176 63 45 10 19 2864 Impasse 31 4 7 3 222 515 46 49 18 9 13 917 Resolution Rate 85% - 56% 56% 75% 64% 79% 79% 56% 71% 53% 59% 76% FY 2006 Annual Report 44 Number of Cases ADR Activity Summary Graph Probate Court Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Probate Court ADR Activity Summary by Year 300 267 250 229 200 150 113 99 100 129 103 178 181 173 160 148 149 141 143 141 111 50 0 FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 Cases Referred to ADR Process Cases Completing an ADR Process FY 2006 FY 1999 - FY 2006 Years of Activity FY 2006 Annual Report FY refers to the twelve month period from July 1st through the following June 30th. 45 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2006 July 2005 June 2006 Cases Referred Coweta 17 Dekalb 5 Dublin 1 Eastern 5 Fulton 85 Houston and Macon* 2 Ninth 29 Ogeechee 0 Sixth 1 Third 0 Tenth** 15 TOTAL 160 * New Program **formerly Western, Alcovy, Northern Probate Court ADR Activity FY 2006 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 3 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - Cases Mediated 14 MEDIATION Full Agreement 10 Partial Agreement 0 0 - -- - 5 4 0 0 - -- - 0 0 0 0 - -- - 4 2 0 12 - -- - 73 43 0 0 - -- - 2 1 - -- - 28 0 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 1 0 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 14 16 - -- - 141 1 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 90 1 Impasse 4 1 0 2 30 1 7 0 1 0 1 47 Resolution Rate 71% 80% 0% 50% 59% 0% 86% 0% 0% 0% 50% 65% ADR Activity FY 2005 July 2004 June 2005 Cases Referred Coweta 18 Dekalb 5 Dublin 0 Eastern 5 Fulton 113 Houston and Macon* 1 Ninth 15 Ogeechee 0 Sixth 8 Third 0 Tenth** 8 TOTAL 173 * New Program **formerly Western, Alcovy, Northern Probate Court ADR Activity FY 2005 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 2 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Resolution Arbitrated Trial Rate - -- ENE - Cases Mediated 16 MEDIATION Partial Full Agreement Agreement 12 0 0 - -- - 5 4 0 0 - -- - 0 0 0 0 - -- - 3 1 0 8 - -- - 89 49 0 0 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 15 0 - -- - 0 1 - -- - 7 0 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 8 10 - -- - 143 0 0 12 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 1 84 1 Impasse 4 1 0 2 40 0 3 0 5 0 3 58 Resolution Rate 75% 80% 0% 33% 55% 0% 80% 0% 29% 0% 63% 59% ADR Activity FY 2004 July 2003 June 2004 Coweta Dublin Eastern Fulton Macon Ninth Ogeechee Sixth Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Cases Referred 28 0 3 129 1 10 1 10 0 6 188 Probate Court ADR Activity FY 2004 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 9 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - Cases Mediated 19 MEDIATION Full Agreement 15 Partial Agreement 1 0 - -- - 0 0 0 0 - -- - 0 0 0 4 - -- - 96 62 3 0 - -- - 0 0 0 0 - -- - 10 8 1 0 - -- - 1 0 0 0 - -- - 10 6 0 0 - -- - 0 0 0 0 - -- - 5 3 0 10 - -- - 141 94 5 Impasse 3 0 0 31 0 1 1 4 0 2 42 Resolution Rate 84% 0% 0% 68% 0% 90% 0% 60% 0% 60% 70% FY 2006 Annual Report 46 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution ADR Activity FY 2003 July 2002 June 2003 Coweta Dublin Eastern Fulton Macon Ninth Sixth Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Cases Referred 24 0 3 123 0 13 9 1 5 178 Probate Court ADR Activity FY 2003 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 7 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - Cases Mediated 17 MEDIATION Full Agreement 13 Partial Agreement 2 0 - -- - 0 0 0 0 - -- - 15 7 0 1 - -- - 90 43 1 0 - -- - 0 0 0 1 - -- - 12 8 1 0 - -- - 9 6 0 1 - -- - 1 1 0 0 - -- - 5 4 1 10 - -- - 149 82 5 Impasse 2 0 8 27 0 3 3 0 1 44 Resolution Rate 88% 0% 47% 49% 0% 75% 67% 0% 100% 58% ADR Activity FY 2002 July 2001 June 2002 Dublin Fulton Ninth Sixth Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Cases Referred 0 128 12 5 0 3 148 Probate Court ADR Activity FY 2002 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - Cases Mediated 0 MEDIATION Full Agreement 0 Partial Agreement 0 3 - -- - 95 60 0 0 - -- - 9 6 0 1 - -- - 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 - -- - 3 0 2 4 - -- - 111 68 2 Impasse 0 26 3 2 0 1 32 Resolution Rate 0% 63% 67% 50% 0% 67% 63% ADR Activity FY 2001 July 2000 June 2001 Dublin Fulton Ninth Third WAN* TOTAL * Western, Alcovy, Northern Cases Referred 1 125 9 1 131 267 Probate Court ADR Activity FY 2001 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate - ENE - Cases Mediated 1 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 0 5 - -- - 108 60 0 - -- - 7 4 1 - -- - 0 0 8 - -- - 113 79 14 - -- - 229 143 Impasse 1 48 3 0 34 86 Resolution Rate 0% 56% 57% 0% 70% 62% ADR Activity FY 2000 July 1998 June 2000 Eastern Fulton Ninth Third Western / Northern TOTAL Cases Referred 8 102 12 1 6 129 Probate Court ADR Activity FY 2000 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Resolution Arbitrated Trial Rate - - ENE - Cases Mediated 4 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 3 0 - - - 86 45 4 - - - 8 4 1 - - - 0 0 0 - - - 5 1 5 - - - 103 53 Impasse 1 41 4 0 4 50 Resolution Rate 75% 52% 50% 0% 20% 51% FY 2006 Annual Report 47 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Probate Court ADR Activity FY 1999* ADR Activity FY 1999 Cases July 1998 June 1999 Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior Cases Arbitrated ARBITRATION Demands for Resolution Trial Rate ENE Cases Mediated MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement DeKalb 3 2 - - - 3 3 Fulton 110 0 - - - 96 54 TOTAL 113 0 * Data collection based on fiscal year beginning July 1998. ** Statistics not available - - - 99 57 Impasse 0 42 22 Resolution Rate 100% 56% 77% Probate Court ADR Activity Transition Period 1998* ADR Activity 1998* January 1998 June 1998 DeKalb Cases Referred 3 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate ENE - Cases Mediated 2 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 2 Fulton 61 12 - - - 49 27 TOTAL 64 12 - - - 51 29 * In 1998, data is shown for the first six months of the year to standardize future data collection by fiscal year. The remainder of 1998 is captured in the FY 1999 data. Impasse 0 22 22 Resolution Rate 100% 55% 78% ADR Activity 1997 January 1997 December 1997 Fulton TOTAL Cases Referred 105 105 Probate Court ADR Calendar Year 1997 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Demands for Arbitrated Trial - - Resolution Rate ENE - Cases Mediated 73 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 51 0 - - - 73 51 Impasse 22 22 Resolution Rate 70% 70% FY 2006 Annual Report 48 Number of Cases ADR Activity Summary Graph Juvenile Court Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Juvenile Court ADR Activity Summary by Year 5000 4500 4501 4000 3722 3500 3000 2506 2500 2771 2934 3240 3091 3193 2418 2329 2466 2000 1727 1895 1967 2551 1500 2604 1000 500 0 FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 Cases Referred to an ADR Process Cases Completing an ADR Process FY 1999 - FY 2006 Years of Activity FY 2006 Annual Report FY refers to the twelve month period from July 1st through the following June 30th. 49 ADR Activity FY 2006 July 2005 June 2006 Bartow Carroll Clayton Cobb Cases Referred 230 120 753 659 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Juvenile Court ADR Activity FY 2006 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 76 ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- ENE - MEDIATION Cases Partial Mediated Full Agreement Agreement 154 154 0 Impasse Resolution Rate 0 100% 21 - -- - 99 98 0 1 99% 9 - -- - 349 339 0 10 97% 34 - -- - 568 556 0 12 98% Cobb - Deprivation 11 0 Cordele 81 24 Coweta 130 21 DeKalb 3 0 - -- - 9 7 - -- - 57 56 109 107 - -- - 2 1 1 1 89% 0 1 98% 0 2 98% 0 1 50% DeKalb - Deprivation 439 211 Dublin 30 0 Eastern 21 0 Fulton 1301 1 Gwinnett 34 2 Henry 94 0 Houston 122 21 Ninth 63 0 Rockdale 9 0 Seventh 318 54 - -- - 228 224 - -- - 29 27 - -- - 11 9 - -- - 458 343 - -- - 26 22 - -- - 94 94 - -- - 76 74 - -- - 60 57 - -- - 9 9 - -- - 226 216 4 0 100% 0 2 93% 0 2 82% 0 114 75% 0 4 85% 0 0 100% 1 1 99% 0 3 95% 0 0 100% 1 8 96% Southwestern Circuit 0 0 Third 0 0 Waycross Circuit 83 0 Whitfield 0 0 TOTAL 4,501 474 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 0 0 40 40 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 2,604 2,433 0 0 0% 0 0 0% 0 0 100% 0 0 0% 7 162 94% ADR Activity FY 2005 July 2004 June 2005 Bartow Carroll Clayton Cobb Cases Referred 175 112 500 682 Juvenile Court ADR Activity FY 2005 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 54 ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- ENE - MEDIATION Cases Partial Mediated Full Agreement Agreement 76 75 0 Impasse Resolution Rate 1 99% 35 - -- - 77 73 1 3 96% 50 - -- - 450 440 0 10 98% 37 - -- - 596 575 0 21 96% Cobb - Deprivation 14 0 Cordele 63 1 DeKalb 439 211 - -- - 8 5 - -- - 62 47 - -- - 228 224 1 2 75% 0 15 76% 4 0 100% DeKalb - Deprivation 4 0 Dublin 1 0 Eastern 6 0 Fulton 864 466 Gwinnett 50 13 Henry 89 3 Houston 219 24 Ninth 92 5 Rockdale 43 3 Seventh 331 76 - -- - 4 4 - -- - 1 1 - -- - 3 3 - -- - 398 357 - -- - 37 34 - -- - 86 86 - -- - 163 163 - -- - 85 71 - -- - 40 40 - -- - 215 210 0 0 100% 0 0 100% 0 0 100% 3 38 90% 0 3 92% 0 0 100% 0 0 100% 0 14 84% 0 0 100% 1 4 98% Southwestern Circuit 23 14 Third 0 0 Whitfield 15 2 TOTAL 3,722 994 FY 2006 Annual Report - -- - 9 7 1 1 89% - -- - 0 0 0 0 0% - -- - 13 10 1 2 85% - -- - 2,551 2,425 12 114 96% 50 ADR Activity FY 2004 July 2003 June 2004 Bartow Carroll Clayton Cobb Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Juvenile Court ADR Activity FY 2004 Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands for Trial Resolution Rate ENE 230 76 - -- - 93 19 - -- - 608 59 - -- - 676 31 - -- - MEDIATION Cases Partial Mediated Full Agreement Agreement 154 154 0 74 67 0 401 401 0 631 611 0 Impasse Resolution Rate 0 100% 7 91% 0 100% 20 97% Cobb - Deprivation 15 0 Cordele 98 4 DeKalb 402 201 Dublin 30 0 Eastern 24 0 Fulton 280 22 Gwinnett 3 0 Henry 86 4 Houston 187 3 Macon 0 0 Ninth 118 27 Ogeechee 0 0 Rockdale 35 6 Seventh 234 37 - -- - 12 0 - -- - 94 81 - -- - 198 198 - -- - 29 27 - -- - 14 10 - -- - 257 254 - -- - 3 3 - -- - 82 80 - -- - 184 182 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 91 78 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 28 26 - -- - 170 160 0 3 0% 0 13 86% 0 0 100% 0 2 93% 0 2 71% 0 2 99% 0 0 100% 0 2 98% 0 2 99% 0 0 0% 4 11 90% 0 0 0% 0 0 100% 0 10 94% Southwestern Circuit 3 0 Third 0 0 Whitfield 73 0 TOTAL 3,195 489 - -- - 3 3 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 55 53 - -- - 2,480 2,388 0 0 100% 0 0 0% 0 1 96% 4 75 96% ADR Activity FY 2003 July 2002 June 2003 Bartow* Carroll Clayton* Cobb Juvenile Court ADR Activity FY 2003 Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands for Trial Resolution Rate ENE 236 82 - -- - 137 9 - -- - 610 68 - -- - 653 39 - -- - MEDIATION Cases Partial Mediated Full Agreement Agreement Impasse Resolution Rate 160 160 0 0 100% 128 125 2 1 99% 347 347 0 7 100% 584 521 0 11 89% Cobb - Deprivation 3 0 Cordele 52 0 DeKalb 408 205 Douglas - Deprivation 4 0 Dublin 38 0 Eastern 28 2 Fulton* 289 23 Gwinnett 2 0 Henry 80 13 Houston 189 2 Macon 0 0 Ninth 117 10 Ogeechee 0 0 Rockdale* 8 0 Seventh 74 33 Third 87 28 Whitfield 76 0 TOTAL 3,091 514 FY 2006 Annual Report 3 2 - -- - 52 46 - -- - 203 202 - -- - 4 2 - -- - 38 21 - -- - 26 23 - -- - 266 263 - -- - 2 2 - -- - 67 64 - -- - 187 186 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 90 78 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 4 4 - -- - 51 40 - -- - 59 56 - -- - 58 56 - -- - 2,329 2,198 0 1 67% 0 6 88% 0 1 100% 2 0 100% 0 17 55% 0 3 88% 0 3 99% 0 0 100% 0 3 96% 0 1 99% 0 0 0% 3 9 90% 0 0 0% 0 0 100% 0 1 78% 0 3 95% 0 2 97% 7 69 95% 51 ADR Activity FY 2002 July 2001 June 2002 Bartow* Carroll Clayton* Cobb Cordele Coweta DeKalb Douglas Dublin Eastern Fulton* Gwinnett Henry Houston Ninth Ogeechee Rockdale Seventh Third Whitfield TOTAL * Statistical Approximation Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Juvenile Court ADR Activity FY 2002 Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands for Trial Resolution Rate ENE 234 80 - -- - 127 11 - -- - 607 65 - -- - 586 36 - -- - 49 0 - -- - 1 0 - -- - 405 204 - -- - 3 0 - -- - 27 0 - -- - 20 0 - -- - 286 20 - -- - 7 0 - -- - 70 6 - -- - 327 18 - -- - 179 0 - -- - 0 0 - -- - 7 0 - -- - 72 32 - -- - 158 3 - -- - 75 0 - -- - 3,240 475 - -- - MEDIATION Cases Partial Mediated Full Agreement Agreement Impasse Resolution Rate 157 157 0 0 100% 116 114 1 1 99% 343 337 0 7 98% 527 501 1 25 95% 49 43 0 6 88% 0 0 0 0 0% 201 201 0 0 100% 3 1 1 1 67% 20 16 0 4 80% 9 8 0 1 89% 267 257 0 11 96% 5 5 0 0 100% 64 60 0 4 94% 309 307 0 2 99% 119 115 0 4 97% 0 0 0 0 0% 3 3 0 0 100% 50 38 0 2 76% 120 112 0 8 93% 56 54 0 2 96% 2,418 2,329 3 78 96% ADR Activity FY 2001 July 2000 June 2001 Bartow Carroll Clayton Cobb Cordele Coweta DeKalb Douglas Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Houston Ninth Third Whitfield TOTAL Juvenile Court ADR Activity FY 2001 Cases Referred 233 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 79 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated - Demands for Trial - Resolution Rate - ENE - 15 0 - -- - 606 64 - -- - 439 54 - -- - 24 6 - -- - 2 0 - -- - 575 220 - -- - 37 4 - -- - 30 7 - -- - 285 19 - -- - 22 7 - -- - 228 5 - -- - 138 3 - -- - 279 3 - -- - 21 2 - -- - 2,934 473 - -- - Cases Mediated 156 11 342 362 18 0 313 21 23 266 15 172 86 177 5 1,967 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 156 7 336 354 18 0 313 13 22 256 14 158 76 171 5 1,899 Impasse Resolution Rate 0 100% 4 64% 6 98% 8 98% 0 100% 0 0% 0 100% 8 62% 1 96% 10 96% 1 93% 14 92% 10 88% 6 97% 0 100% 68 97% FY 2006 Annual Report 52 ADR Activity FY 2000 July 1998 June 2000 Bartow Carroll Clayton Cobb DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Houston Ninth Third Whitfield TOTAL Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Juvenile Court ADR Activity FY 2000 Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands for Trial Resolution Rate ENE 333 24 - -- - 32 0 - -- - 789 119 - -- - 412 0 - -- - 454 102 - -- - 37 2 - -- - 118 4 - -- - 22 8 - -- - 121 40 - -- - 153 14 - -- - 269 0 - -- - 31 3 - -- - 2,771 316 - -- - Cases Mediated 274 23 573 308 287 22 81 14 49 87 153 24 1,895 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 274 23 554 285 287 22 70 13 46 76 148 24 1,822 Impasse Resolution Rate 0 100% 0 100% 19 97% 23 93% 0 100% 0 100% 11 86% 1 93% 3 94% 11 87% 5 97% 0 100% 73 96% Juvenile Court ADR Activity FY 1999* ADR Activity FY 1999 July 1998 June 1999 Bartow Cases Referred 223 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands for Trial Resolution Rate - -- ENE - Clayton 789 39 - -- - Cobb 352 0 - -- - DeKalb 565 104 - -- - Eastern 60 2 - -- - Fulton 64 2 - -- - Gwinnett 47 21 - -- - Houston 128 9 - -- - Ninth 54 3 - -- - Third 199 4 - -- - Whitfield 25 10 - -- - TOTAL 2,506 194 - -- - * Data collection based on fiscal year beginning July 1998. Cases Mediated 223 467 303 404 31 33 27 72 35 117 15 1,727 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 222 431 290 404 31 32 20 68 29 109 13 1,649 Impasse Resolution Rate 1 99% 36 92% 13 96% 0 100% 0 100% 1 97% 7 74% 4 94% 6 83% 8 93% 2 87% 78 95% FY 2006 Annual Report 53 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Juvenile Court ADR Activity Transitional Period 1998* ADR Activity 1998* January 1998 June 1998 Bartow Cases Referred 90 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands for Trial Resolution Rate - -- ENE - Cases Mediated 91 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 0 Impasse Resolution Rate 0 0% Clayton 297 11 - -- - 218 201 17 92% Cobb 215 0 - -- - 192 0 0 0% Coweta 3 0 - -- - 2 1 1 50% DeKalb 319 0 - -- - 216 0 0 0% Eastern 33 2 - -- - 12 12 0 100% Fulton 14 2 - -- - 12 12 0 100% Gwinnett** - - - -- - - - - - Houston 96 9 - -- - 27 27 0 100% Ninth 41 4 - -- - 26 23 3 88% Third 106 0 - -- - 73 68 5 93% Whitfield 22 0 - -- - 21 18 3 86% TOTAL 1,236 28 - -- - 890 362 29 93% * In 1998, data is shown for the first six months of the year to standardize future data collection by fiscal year. The remainder of the 1998 data is captured in FY 1999. ** Statistics not available ADR Activity 1997 January 1997 December 1997 Bartow Clayton Cobb Coweta DeKalb Eastern Fulton Gwinnett Houston Ninth Third Whitfield TOTAL Juvenile Court ADR Activity Calendar Year 1997 Cases Referred 77 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated Demands for Trial Resolution Rate - -- ENE - 413 24 - -- - 529 0 - -- - 5 1 - -- - 631 0 - -- - 63 0 - -- - 66 0 - -- - 46 6 - -- - 105 15 - -- - 49 0 - -- - 61 4 - -- - 44 0 - -- - 2,089 50 - -- - Cases Mediated 54 282 447 5 409 23 33 33 34 25 34 19 1,398 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 0 272 0 5 0 21 26 27 33 22 32 17 455 Impasse Resolution Rate 0 0% 0 96% 0 0% 10 100% 0 0% 2 91% 7 79% 6 82% 1 97% 3 88% 2 94% 2 89% 33 93% FY 2006 Annual Report 54 ADR Activity Summary Graph Other Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Other ADR Activity Summary by Year 600 538 500 400 300 200 97 100 394 345 296 240 217 225 209 190 191 151 149 141 129 10 0 FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 Cases Referred to an ADR Process Cases Completing an ADR Process FY 1999 - FY 2006 Years of Activity Number of Cases FY 2006 Annual Report FY refers to the twelve month period from July 1st through the following June 30th. 55 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Other ADR Activity ADR Activity FY 2006 July 2005 June 2006 Eastern Cases Referred 41 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 1 ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- Ninth- Solicitor 87 15 - -- Ninth - Dist. Atty. 42 3 - -- OSAH* 39 17 - -- TOTAL 209 36 - -- *OSAH - Office of State Administrative Hearings FY 2006 ENE - Cases Mediated 11 Full Agreement 6 - 61 42 - 35 27 - 22 12 - 129 87 MEDIATION Partial Agreement 0 7 0 3 10 Impasse 5 11 8 7 31 Resolution Rate 55% 80% 77% 68% 75% Other ADR Activity FY 2005 ADR Activity FY 2005 July 2004 June 2005 Eastern Cases Referred 33 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 3 Ninth- Solicitor 92 14 Ninth - Dist. Atty. 50 10 OSAH* 16 4 TOTAL 191 31 *OSAH - Office of State Administrative Hearings ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- ENE - Cases Mediated 11 Full Agreement 7 MEDIATION Partial Agreement 0 Impasse 4 Resolution Rate 64% - 78 49 7 17 72% - 40 22 0 18 55% - 12 6 0 6 50% - 141 84 7 45 65% Other ADR Activity FY 2004 ADR Activity FY 2004 July 2003 June 2004 Eastern Cases Referred 44 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 3 Ninth- Solicitor 92 14 Ninth - Dist. Atty. 50 10 OSAH* 39 17 TOTAL 225 44 *OSAH - Office of State Administrative Hearings ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- ENE Cases Mediated Full Agreement MEDIATION Partial Agreement Impasse Resolution Rate - 9 8 0 1 89% - 78 49 7 17 72% - 40 22 0 18 55% - 22 12 3 7 68% - 149 91 10 43 68% Other ADR Activity FY 2003 ADR Activity FY 2003 July 2002 June 2003 Cobb Cases Referred 0 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 Eastern 41 0 Ninth- Solicitor 88 1 Ninth - Dist. Atty. 51 1 OSAH* 37 20 TOTAL 217 22 *OSAH - Office of State Administrative Hearings ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- ENE Cases Mediated Full Agreement MEDIATION Partial Agreement Impasse Resolution Rate - 0 0 0 0 0% - 15 7 0 8 47% - 72 47 9 16 78% - 44 25 0 19 57% - 20 10 2 5 60% - 151 89 11 48 66% FY 2006 Annual Report 56 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Other ADR Activity FY 2002 ADR Activity FY 2002 July 2001 June 2002 Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior Cobb 0 0 Eastern 51 2 Ninth- Solicitor 171 1 Ninth - Dist. Atty. 72 1 OSAH* 51 21 TOTAL 345 25 *OSAH - Office of State Administrative Hearings ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- ENE Cases Mediated Full Agreement MEDIATION Partial Agreement Impasse Resolution Rate - 0 0 0 0 0% - 17 10 0 7 59% - 108 96 0 12 89% - 35 25 2 8 77% - 30 19 2 9 70% - 190 150 4 36 81% Other ADR Activity FY 2001 ADR Activity FY 2001 July 2000 June 2001 Cobb Eastern Ninth- Solicitor Ninth - Dist. Atty. OSAH* TOTAL Cases Referred 15 20 61 280 18 394 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 3 16 0 1 8 28 ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- ENE Cases Mediated - 12 - 4 - 36 - 178 - 10 - 240 *OSAH - Office of State Administrative Hearings MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 11 2 25 149 8 195 Impasse 1 2 11 29 2 45 Resolution Rate 92% 50% 69% 84% 80% 81% ADR Activity FY 2000 July 1998 June 2000 Eastern Ninth TOTAL Other ADR Activity FY 2000 Cases Referred 84 454 538 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 12 41 53 ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- - -- - -- ENE Cases Mediated - 10 - 286 - 296 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 5 242 247 Impasse 5 44 49 Resolution Rate 50% 85% 83% Other ADR Activity FY 1999* ADR Activity FY 1999 July 1998 June 1999 Western / Northern Cases Referred 1 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 Eastern 96 8 TOTAL 97 8 * Data collection based on fiscal year beginning July 1998. ARBITRATION Cases Demands Resolution Arbitrated for Trial Rate - -- - -- - -- ENE - Cases Mediated 0 - 10 - 10 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 0 6 6 Impasse 0 4 4 Resolution Rate 0% 60% 60% FY 2006 Annual Report 57 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Other ADR Activity Transition Period 1998* ADR Activity 1998* January 1998 June 1998 Coweta Eastern Fulton Ninth- Solicitor Ninth - Dist. Atty. Third- Municipal Cases Referred 5 83 1 236 142 4 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 5 0 9 5 0 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated - Demands for Trial - Resolution Rate - ENE Cases Mediated - 4 - 24 - 1 - 170 - 72 - 1 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 3 20 1 147 55 1 TOTAL 471 19 - -- - * In 1998, data is shown for the first six months of the year to standardize future data collection by fiscal year. The remainder of the 1998 data is captured in FY 1999. 272 227 Impasse 1 4 0 23 17 0 45 Resolution Rate 75% 83% 100% 86% 76% 100% 83% Other ADR Activity Calendar Year 1997 ADR Activity 1997 January 1997 December 1997 Coweta Cases Referred 7 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 0 ARBITRATION Cases Arbitrated - Demands for Trial - Resolution Rate - ENE - Cases Mediated 2 Eastern 155 0 - -- - 56 Ninth- Solicitor 339 10 - -- - 232 Ninth Dist. Atty. 181 1 - -- - 120 Third- Municipal 11 0 - -- - 1 Western / Northern 1 0 - -- - 0 TOTAL 694 11 - -- - 411 MEDIATION Full / Partial Agreement 2 38 201 101 1 0 343 Impasse 0 18 31 19 0 0 68 Resolution Rate 100% 68% 87% 84% 100% 0% 83% FY 2006 Annual Report 58 Refer Carroll County Juvenile Court Mediation ProgramJUVENILE General 93 Clayton County Juvenile Court Mediaiton Divers JUVENILE General 608 Cobb County Juvenile Court ADR Program JUVENILE General 676 Cobb County Juvenile Court ADR Program JUVENILE Deprvation 15 Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program JUVENILE General* 98 Dekalb County Juvenile Court Mediation ProgramJUVENILE General* 402 Dublin Judicial Circuit Mediation Program JUVENILE General 30 Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program JUVENILE General 24 Fulton County Juvenile Court Mediaiton ProgramJUVENILE General 280 Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program JUVENILE General* 3 Henry County Juvenile Court ADR Program JUVENILE General 84 Houston County Juvenile Court Mediation PrograJUVENILE General 187 Macon Judicial Circuit JUVENILE General 0 Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograJUVENILE General 118 0 Rockdale County Juvenile Court Mediation Prog JUVENILE General* 35 Seventh Judicial Administrative District Juvenile JUVENILE General* 234 Southwestern Cicruit JUVENILE General 3 Third Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograJUVENILE General 0 Whitfield County Juvenile Court Mediation Progr JUVENILE General* 73 Clayton Judicial Circuit ADR Program MAGISTRATE General Cobb County Magistrate Court ADR Program MAGISTRATE General* Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program MAGISTRATE General* Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program MAGISTRATE General Dublin Judicial Circuit Mediation Program MAGISTRATE General Floyd County Magistrate Court Mediation PrograMAGISTRATE General Fulton County Magistrate Court Mediation MAGISTRATE Civil Fulton County Magistrate Court Mediation MAGISTRATE Criminal Fulton County State/Magistrate Court Landlord/TMAGISTRATE General* Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program MAGISTRATE General* Macon Judicial Circuit MAGISTRATE General Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograMAGISTRATE General Ogeechee Judcial Circuit ADR Program MAGISTRATE General* Southwestern Cicruit MAGISTRATE General Third Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograMAGISTRATE General Western, Alcovy and Northern Judicial Circuits AMAGISTRATE General* Whitfield County Magistrate Court Mediation ProMAGISTRATE General 196 299 23 720 201 501 860 535 2556 632 1 952 3 88 36 300 21 Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program OTHER Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograOTHER Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograOTHER Office of State Administrative Hearings OTHER General Solictor District Atty General Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program PROBATE Dublin Judicial Circuit Mediation Program PROBATE Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program PROBATE Fulton County Probate ADR Program PROBATE Macon Judicial Circuit PROBATE Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograPROBATE Ogeechee Judcial Circuit ADR Program PROBATE Sixth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograPROBATE Third Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograPROBATE Western, Alcovy and Northern Judicial Circuits APROBATE General General General General General General General* General General General* Clayton Judicial Circuit ADR Program STATE Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program STATE Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program STATE Dekalb County Courts Dispute Resolution CenteSTATE Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program STATE General General* General General General 44 92 50 39 28 0 3 129 1 10 1 10 0 6 3 0 5 1182 459 Dismiss 93 608 676 15 98 402 30 24 280 3 84 187 118 0 0 35 234 3 0 73 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution MED Full Part 19 74 67 59 401 401 31 631 611 0 12 0 4 94 81 201 198 198 0 29 27 0 14 10 22 257 254 0 3 3 16 68 65 3 184 182 0 0 0 27 91 78 0 0 0 6 28 26 37 170 160 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 55 53 Imp ENE 0 7- 0 0- 0 20 - 0 3- 0 13 - 0 0- 0 2- 0 2- 0 2- 0 0- 1 2- 0 2- 0 0- 4 11 - 0 0 0 0- 0 10 - 0 0- 0 0- 0 1- ARBITRADemand - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 236 301 33 720 203 499 1,390 10 2,554 630 0 947 947 27 299 18 2 194 76 0 117 - - - 0 299 140 0 159 - - - 0 23 12 0 11 - - - 155 562 357 25 180 - - - 0 201 169 2 30 - - - 0 501 355 0 146 - - - 278 579 354 4 221 - - - 7 710 480 2 230 - - - 0 2410 1890 0 520 - - - 0 632 499 0 133 - - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - 132 820 502 14 301 - - - 1 2 1 0 1- - - 14 74 74 0 0- - - 2 22 9 1 12 - - - 28 270 145 2 80 - - - 2 17 8 2 7- - - 3 9 8 0 1- - - 14 78 49 7 17 - - - 10 40 22 0 18 - - - 17 22 12 3 7- - - 9 19 15 1 3- - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - 4 96 62 3 31 - - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - 0 10 8 1 1- - - 0 1 0 0 1- - - 0 10 6 0 4- - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - 0 5 3 0 2- - - 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 4 545 286 132 94 242 140 0 1- - - 0 0- - - 0 0- - - 4 150 6 3- 0 102 - - - FY 2006 Annual Report 1 Fulton County ADR Program STATE Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program STATE Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograSTATE Macon Judicial Circuit STATE Ogeechee Judcial Circuit ADR Program STATE Sixth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograSTATE Southern Judicial Circuit ADR Program STATE Southwestern Cicruit STATE Third Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograSTATE Western, Alcovy and Northern Judicial Circuits ASTATE General General* General General General* General General General General General* Alapaha Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Clayton Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Cobb County Superior Court ADR Program SUPERIOR Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Dekalb County Courts Dispute Resolution CenteSUPERIOR Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Fulton County ADR Program SUPERIOR Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Macon Judicial Circuit SUPERIOR Ogeechee Judcial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Sixth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograSUPERIOR Southern Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Third Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograSUPERIOR Civil Civil Civil Civil* Civil Civil Civil Civil Civil* Civil Civil Civil Civil Civil Alapaha Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Clayton Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Cobb County Superior Court ADR Program SUPERIOR Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Dekalb County Courts Dispute Resolution CenteSUPERIOR Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Fulton County ADR Program SUPERIOR Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Macon Judicial Circuit SUPERIOR Ogeechee Judcial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Sixth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograSUPERIOR Southern Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Third Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograSUPERIOR Domestic Domestic Domestic Domestic* Domestic Domestic Domestic Domestic Domestic* Domestic Domestic Domestic Domestic Domestic Conasauga Circuit Superior Courts ADR Progra SUPERIOR Dublin Judicial Circuit Mediation Program SUPERIOR Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR PrograSUPERIOR Seventh Judicial Administrative District ADR ProSUPERIOR South Georgia Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Southwestern Cicruit SUPERIOR Western, Alcovy and Northern Judicial Circuits ASUPERIOR General General General General General General General* 276 599 67 0 11 70 10 0 95 153 55 8 420 20 12 137 74 127 70 102 20 27 439 267 190 1185 1098 51 442 632 260 1567 375 0 7 1414 444 185 139 80 644 2319 15 96 1300 57 209 79 249 350 159 8 46 32 0 0 0 0 11 5 8 62 28 0 7 6 0 0 0 24 43 17 8 102 59 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 9 121 - 10 181 - 0 12 - 0 0- 0 3- 1 33 - 0 1- 0 0- 1 10 - 0 43 - 32 13 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 38 11 3 0 5 4 171 249 60 6 14 8 0 12 8 10 64 27 7 42 16 28 99 39 18 52 22 0 0 0 2 18 9 6 21 12 0 288 252 39 159 109 0 8- - - 0 1- - - 9 180 - - - 0 6- - - 2 1- - - 4 33 0 4- 3 23 - - - 6 54 - 16 2 0 30 - - - 0 0- - - 0 6- - - 0 9- - - 0 36 - - - 9 62 - - - 167 18 7 0 11 - - - 264 501 190 75 236 - - - 444 779 359 70 350 - - - 18 33 26 0 7- - - 44 272 147 37 88 - - - 40 520 243 76 201 2 0- 47 133 59 0 74 20 1480 979 54 447 - - - 79 288 155 42 91 - - - 0 0 0 0 0- - - 2 6 2 1 2- - - 383 1031 429 81 521 - - - 0 269 248 2 19 - - - 20 111 46 2 42 - - - 35 105 50 8 47 - 21 36 28 2 6- 115 529 301 34 194 - 1000 708 348 60 300 - 0 15 8 0 5- 60 36 32 0 4- 88 802 470 3 330 - Cases MFull Sett Partial S Impasse - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cases A Demand FY 2006 Annual Report 2 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 3 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Program Name Stastic Type Sub Type Cases Referred Alapaha Judicial Circuit ADR Program Alapaha Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Civil 36 SUPERIOR Domestic 191 Bartow County Juvenile Court Mediation Program JUVENILE General 230 Carroll County Juvenile Court Mediation Program JUVENILE General 120 Clayton Judicial Circuit ADR Program Clayton Judicial Circuit ADR Program Clayton Judicial Circuit ADR Program Clayton Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR SUPERIOR STATE MAGISTRATE Civil Domestic General General 7 1126 4 326 Clayton County Juvenile Court Mediaiton Diversion PrJUVENILE General 753 Cobb County Juvenile Court ADR Program JUVENILE General 659 Cobb County Juvenile Court ADR Program JUVENILE Deprvation 11 Cobb County Magistrate Court ADR Program MAGISTRATE General 1080 Cobb County Superior Court ADR Program SUPERIOR Civil 321 Cobb County Superior Court ADR Program SUPERIOR Domestic 992 Conasauga Circuit Superior Courts ADR Program SUPERIOR General 160 Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Civil 8 SUPERIOR Domestic 54 STATE General 0 MAGISTRATE General 0 JUVENILE General 81 Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Civil 12 SUPERIOR Domestic 472 STATE General 9 MAGISTRATE General 541 PROBATE General 17 JUVENILE General 130 Dekalb County Courts Dispute Resolution Center SUPERIOR Civil 142 Dekalb County Courts Dispute Resolution Center SUPERIOR Domestic 848 Dekalb County Courts Dispute Resolution Center STATE General 146 Dekalb County Courts Dispute Resolution Center MAGISTRATE General 15 Dekalb County Courts Dispute Resolution Center PROBATE General 5 Dekalb County Courts Dispute Resolution Center JUVENILE Deprivation 3 Dekalb County Juvenile Mediation Center JUVENILE General 434 Dublin Judicial Circuit Mediation Program SUPERIOR General 72 Dublin Judicial Circuit Mediation Program MAGISTRATE General 337 Dublin Judicial Circuit Mediation Program PROBATE General 1 Dublin Judicial Circuit Mediation Program JUVENILE General 30 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 28 165 76 21 0 221 0 0 9 34 0 40 108 268 46 1 17 0 0 24 1 18 2 129 3 21 29 38 30 0 0 0 116 25 0 0 0 MEDIATION Cases Mediated Full Settlement 8 4 26 14 154 154 99 98 5 2 470 199 4 0 326 148 349 339 568 556 9 7 724 526 146 46 603 312 106 68 5 2 20 16 0 0 0 0 57 56 11 8 454 313 7 5 412 281 14 10 109 107 48 39 707 424 86 45 13 9 5 4 2 1 218 211 43 28 367 235 0 0 29 27 Partial Settlement 1 7 0 0 0 55 0 0 0 0 1 47 2 39 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 0 1 0 0 5 106 1 0 0 0 7 1 0 0 0 ARBITRATION Impasse ENE Cases Arbitrated Demands for Trial 3- - - 5- - - 0- - - 1- - - 3- - - 221 - - - 4- - - 174 - - - 10 - - - 12 - - - 1- - - 151 - - - 98 - - - 252 - - - 49 - - - 3- - - 4- - - 0- - - 0- - - 1- - - 3- - - 117 - - - 2- - - 130 - - - 4- - - 2 34 2 1 0 176 - 0 - 40 1 1 - 4 1 1- - - 0 14 - - - 132 - - - 0- - - 2- - - FY 2006 Annual Report 1 Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR SUPERIOR STATE PROBATE JUVENILE MAGISTRATE OTHER Civil Domestic General General General General General 71 10 51 28 156 20 106 64 435 80 224 137 5 0 4 2 21 0 11 9 131 10 92 48 41 1 11 6 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 2 21 - - - 2 40 0 87 - - - 0 2- - - 0 2- - - 0 44 - - - 0 5 Floyd County Magistrate Court Mediation Program MAGISTRATE General 513 0 513 373 0 140 - - - Fulton County ADR Program Fulton County ADR Program Fulton County ADR Program SUPERIOR Civil 339 46 184 83 3 98 - 2 0 SUPERIOR Domestic 1753 43 1532 846 276 410 - - - STATE General 200 23 120 56 6 58 - 24 8 Fulton County Juvenile Court Mediaiton Program JUVENILE General 930 382 442 305 30 107 - - - Fulton County Magistrate Court Mediation Fulton County Magistrate Court Mediation MAGISTRATE Civil MAGISTRATE Criminal 954 97 544 321 1 222 - - - 493 0 491 402 0 89 - - - Fulton County Probate ADR Program PROBATE General 85 12 73 43 0 30 - - - Fulton County State/Magistrate Court Landlord/TenanMAGISTRATE General 2795 0 2410 1879 0 475 - - - Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR SUPERIOR STATE MAGISTRATE JUVENILE Civil Domestic General General General 57 11 40 21 1 18 - - - 435 60 309 139 49 121 - - - 621 258 306 203 9 94 - - - 578 0 578 417 0 161 - - - 34 2 26 22 0 4- - - Henry County Juvenile Court ADR Program JUVENILE General 94 0 94 94 0 0- - - Houston and Macon Judicial Circuit Houston and Macon Judicial Circuit Houston and Macon Judicial Circuit Houston and Macon Judicial Circuit Houston and Macon Judicial Circuit SUPERIOR SUPERIOR STATE MAGISTRATE PROBATE Civil Domestic General General General 121 40 81 50 0 31 - - - 165 76 89 73 0 16 - - - 0 0 0 0 0 0- - - 7 1 6 5 0 1- - - 2 0 2 1 0 1- - - Houston County Juvenile Court JUVENILE General 122 21 76 74 1 1- - - Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program SUPERIOR General 1127 24 1089 845 71 173 Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program STATE General 472 12 460 345 54 61 Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program MAGISTRATE General 4358 292 4045 3486 26 533 Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program PROBATE General 29 1 28 24 0 7 Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program JUVENILE General 63 0 60 57 0 3- - - Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program OTHER Solictor 87 15 61 42 7 11 - - - Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program OTHER District Atty 42 3 35 27 0 8- - - Office of State Administrative Hearings Ogeechee Judcial Circuit ADR Program Ogeechee Judcial Circuit ADR Program Ogeechee Judcial Circuit ADR Program Ogeechee Judcial Circuit ADR Program OTHER General SUPERIOR SUPERIOR STATE MAGISTRATE Civil Domestic General General 39 17 22 12 3 7- - - 30 4 17 10 0 7- - - 52 4 33 26 0 7- - - 17 0 10 6 0 4- - - 214 7 186 107 5 7- - - FY 2006 Annual Report 2 Ogeechee Judcial Circuit ADR Program PROBATE Rockdale County Juvenile Court Mediation Program JUVENILE Seventh Judicial Administrative District ADR Program SUPERIOR Seventh Judicial Administrative District Juvenile Medi JUVENILE Sixth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Sixth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Sixth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Sixth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program SUPERIOR SUPERIOR STATE PROBATE South Georgia Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR Southern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Southern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Southern Judicial Circuit ADR Program SUPERIOR SUPERIOR STATE General General General General Civil Domestic General General General Civil Domestic General Southwestern Cicruit SUPERIOR General Southwestern Cicruit STATE General Southwestern Cicruit Southwestern Cicruit MAGISTRATE General JUVENILE General Third Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Third Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Third Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Third Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Third Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Third Judicial Administrative District ADR Program SUPERIOR SUPERIOR STATE MAGISTRATE PROBATE JUVENILE Civil Domestic General General General General Tenth Judicial Circuits ADR Program Tenth Judicial Circuits ADR Program Tenth Judicial Circuits ADR Program Tenth Judicial Circuits ADR Program SUPERIOR STATE MAGISTRATE PROBATE General General General General Whitfield County Magistrate Court Mediation Program MAGISTRATE Civil Whitfield County Magistrate Court Mediation Program MAGISTRATE Criminal Whitfield County Juvenile Court Mediation Program JUVENILE General Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 0 0 0 0 0 0- - - 9 0 9 9 0 0- - - 2405 1156 916 468 90 358 - - - 318 54 226 216 1 8- - - 26 8 18 8 1 9- - - 1399 440 959 319 120 520 - - - 109 47 62 33 0 29 - - - 1 0 1 0 0 1- - - 13 1 12 7 0 2- - - 374 29 284 255 2 27 - - - 291 68 219 207 0 12 - - - 7 0 10 9 0 1- - - 86 42 44 41 0 3- - - 0 0 0 0 0 0- - - 1 0 1 1 0 0- - - 0 0 0 0 0 0- - - 196 96 100 64 3 33 - - - 168 55 113 78 5 30 - - - 118 48 70 51 0 19 - - - 7 0 7 2 1 4- - - 0 0 0 0 0 0- - - 0 0 0 0 0 0- - - 931 256 770 514 12 159 - - - 126 12 111 12 0 13 - - - 496 66 417 134 1 108 - - - 15 0 14 6 0 1- - - 29 0 24 11 0 13 - - - 3 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- - - FY 2006 Annual Report 3 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Alapaha Judicial Circuit ADR Program 100 Court Square Homerville, GA 31634 Office: (912) 487-3003 Fax: (912) 487-3834 Email: ibicinc@alltel.net Areas/Counties Served: Alapaha Judicial Circuit ( 5 Counties: Atkinson, Berrien, Clinch, Cook, Lanier ) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Lisa Sutton, Director Kalynn McLaine, Deputy Director Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 36 28 8 4 1 191 165 26 14 7 Impasse 3 5 Courts Served: Superior, Probate, Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1997 Fee Surcharge: $7.50 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, the Alapaha Judicial Circuit requires participation in ADR processes for domestic relations and personal injury cases. Any contested civil matter from Superior, State, Probate, or Magistrate Court may be referred to ADR on a cases-by case basis by consent of the parties or by court order. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Domestic: Alimony, child custody, child support, visitation, property, attorney fees. Civil: Personal injury. Excluded Cases: Cases other than contested domestic and personal injury cases are excluded from mandatory referral. Contested domestic cases in which there are allegations of domestic violence may also be excluded. How Cases Are Selected: All cases are screened to identify contested domestic and personal injury cases, which are referred to mediation. Neutral Selection: Neutrals are typically selected by the parties and their attorneys. If the parties do not select a neutral, the program will assign a neutral for them. Neutrals are assigned on a rotational basis. Neutral Compensation: The parties compensate the neutral. The charge is $50-$150 per hour. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Continuing education is required for neutrals. Evaluation of Neutrals: No formal evaluation of neutrals is conducted. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. FY 2006 Annual Report 59 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes Background Information: At present, all personal injury and contested domestic cases in the Alapaha Judicial Circuit receive mandatory referral to the ADR process. FY 2006 Annual Report 60 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 61 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Carroll County Juvenile Court Mediation Program 207 Courtyard Square Carrollton, GA 30117 Court: (770) 830-5986 ADR Contact: (770) 830-5993 Fax: (770) 830-0434 Email: elbarrow@carrollcountyga.com Areas/Counties Served: Carroll ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Contact: Elmira Barrow, Coweta Judicial Circuit Program Coordinator Statistic Type JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 120 21 99 98 0 Impasse 1 Courts Served: Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Juvenile/ Supervision Program Start Date: 2000 Fee Surcharge: None Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, some cases (mainly status offenses) are required to try mediation, if first offense, and special prosecutor agrees case is appropriate. Types of cases / issues currently handled: DELINQUENCIES: Shoplifting, theft by taking, simple battery, affray, disorderly conduct. STATUS OFFENSES: Unruly, ungovernable, runaway. Excluded Cases: All felony and other misdemeanor cases that are not appropriate. How Cases Are Selected: Cases are selected by the Judge, intake Officer, and Case Managers. Neutral Selection: Once the case has been approved for mediation, the program schedules a mediator. Neutral Compensation: Neutrals receive a stipend of $50 per case from the program. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Required by the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution Evaluation of Neutrals: Evaluations are done by the program coordinator. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys are encouraged to attend sessions, but are not required, and at discretion of the parties. Background Information: The Carroll County Juvenile Court Mediation Program has been mediating cases since 2000. At the present time the cases going to mediation include status offenses and delinquencies. In the future the court hopes to refer dependency cases to mediation as well. FY 2006 Annual Report 61 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Clayton Judicial Circuit ADR Program Harold R. Banke Justice Center, 9151 Tara Blvd., Suite 2 DR 01 Jonesboro, GA 30236 Office: (770) 477-4575 Fax: (770) 603-4179 E-Mail: nancy.parkhouse@co.clayton.ga.us Web Site: www.co.clayton.ga.us/court_administrator/adr.htm Areas/Counties Served: Clayton Judicial Circuit: ( 1 county: Clayton) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Nancy Parkhouse, Program Director; Janey Tubbleville, Program Assistant; Margarita Austin, Special Program Coordinator Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic STATE General MAGISTRATE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 7 0 5 2 0 1126 221 470 199 55 4 0 4 0 0 326 0 326 148 0 Impasse 3 221 4 178 Courts Served: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1996 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: All contested domestic relations matters filed after May 1, 1996, are referred to mediation. Any contested civil matter may be referred on a case-by-case basis. Magistrate Court refers civil non-jury cases directly from court on the day of the hearing. Types of cases / issues currently handled: DOMESTIC: Divorce, modification of divorce, contempt, custody, legitimating, paternity, domestication of foreign judgment GENERAL CIVIL Excluded Cases: Appeals from rulings of administrative agencies; forfeitures of seized property; habeas corpus and extraordinary writs; bond validations; declaratory reliefs; URESA cases; injunctive relief How Cases Are Selected: All contested domestic relations matters are screened by the ADR office to determine if the case is appropriate for mediation. Other matters are referred by court order. Neutral Selection: The parties have 10 days from the date an answer is due to mutually agree on a mediator from a list of mediators approved to practice in the Clayton Judicial Circuit. If the parties cannot agree on a mediator or have not made a selection, the office assigns a mediator from a smaller, rotational list of mediators. The approved list of neutrals has no limit, but the rotational list is limited to 20 mediators, with 10 positions being reserved for mediators who reside in or have offices in Clayton County. Neutral Compensation: In domestic and court-ordered civil cases, the parties divide the cost of the mediation. In Magistrate Court, the ADR fund pays mediators $25 per case. If the ADR office appoints a neutral, the fees are $100 per hour with a cap of $300 for the mediation. If the parties select a mediator, the fees range from $100 FY 2006 Annual Report 62 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution per hour to $300 per hour depending on the mediator Continuing Education for Neutrals: Required Evaluation of Neutrals: Formal evaluations of the mediators are done by the parties. The parties are offered an evaluation form and may choose to fill it out. Neutrals are evaluated by the office staff. A new mediator's first two mediations in the program are observed, and the program tries to observe each mediator each year. The program also participated in a special project entitled, "Mediation in Georgia Courts: A Survey of Participant Satisfaction" conducted by the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. The project was funded by a grant from the State Justice Institute. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediated sessions with their clients. Background Information: The program conducts mediation in all domestic relations actions by standing order, including modifications, contempt's, custody, legitimating, paternity, domestication of foreign judgment and divorces. In September 1998, the program began conducting mediations in Magistrate Court for civil/non-jury matters. FY 2006 Annual Report 63 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Clayton County Juvenile Court Mediation Diversion 121 S. McDonough Street, Courthouse Annex 3 Jonesboro, GA 30236 Office: (770) 473-5958 Fax: (770) 603-4111 E-Mail: myra.crawford@co.clayton.ga.us Areas/Counties Served: Clayton County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Timiza Mullins, Program Director Sheila Key, Program Assistant Statistic Type JUVENILE General* Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 753 9 349 339 0 Impasse 10 Courts Served: Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: None Program Start Date: 1995 Fee Surcharge: None Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, Voluntary and mandatory participation occur in this program. Types of cases / issues currently handled: DELINQUENCIES: Disorderly conduct, affray, criminal trespass, shoplifting, and citizen complaints. Excluded Cases: Felonies, Traffic How Cases Are Selected: Intake, judges Neutral Selection: Mediators must be registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution, have completed application and background checks Neutral Compensation: The program compensates the neutral. Neutrals receive a stipend of $40 per case, $20 per case if the parties fail to appear. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Continuing education is not required for neutrals; however, informational and training seminars are periodically sponsored by the program, as well as juvenile mediation training. Evaluation of Neutrals: Mediators have to successfully complete a practicum (2 observations, 2 co-mediations with an experienced mediator and a solo mediation that is observed by the Program Director) before mediating in program. Attorney Involvement: Yes Background Information: The mediation program diverts minor misdemeanor delinquent offenses (shoplifting, criminal trespass, etc.) from formal court involvement. Agreements reached in mediation FY 2006 Annual Report 64 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution are presented to the judge for approval and may be monitored for a maximum of 90 days. If all terms of the agreement have been fulfilled, the cases will be dismissed. The case may be referred to a formal court hearing if the youth does not fulfill the agreement terms. Mediators must have 20 hours of juvenile mediation training and successfully complete case practicum's before mediating for the program. The practicum's consist of several observations and co-mediations with an experienced juvenile court mediator, the program coordinator, and a solo mediation observed by the program coordinator. FY 2006 Annual Report 65 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 66 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Cobb County Juvenile Court ADR Program 1738 County Services Pkwy, SW Marietta, GA 30008-4028 Office: (770) 528-2275 (770) 528-2389 Fax: (770) 528-3384 E-Mail: pamela.mcclure@cobbcounty.org Areas/Counties Served: Cobb County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Pam McClure, Mediation Coordinator; Statistic Type JUVENILE General Deprivation Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 659 34 568 556 0 11 0 9 7 1 Impasse 12 1 Courts Served: Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Juvenile Program Start Date: 1993 Fee Surcharge: None Court/System required participation in ADR processes: No Types of cases / issues currently handled: DELINQUENCIES: First-time misdemeanors; criminal trespass; property damage; disrupting a public school; school fights; shoplifting less than $300; third-party cases, simple battery, theft by taking, etc.; some felonies with the consent of the district attorney and the victim. STATUS OFFENSES: Unruly/ungovernable; runaway; curfew violation. DEPRIVATION ISSUES: Custody, visitation, child support, termination of parental rights, etc. Excluded Cases: Felonies, unless referred by Judge or D.A. How Cases Are Selected: Cases are referred to mediation by intake staff, the district attorney, or a judge. Neutral Selection: Neutrals must be registered mediators with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution and have had juvenile mediation training. Neutral Compensation: The program pays the neutrals a stipend of $50 per case; $30 per case for "no shows." Continuing Education for Neutrals: Continuing education is required. Evaluation of Neutrals: Evaluations are completed by the parties. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys can attend mediation in delinquent and status cases, but seldom do. Attorneys must be present in deprivation cases. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes FY 2006 Annual Report 66 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Background Information: The Cobb Juvenile Program mediates delinquent offenses, status offenses, and custody cases. Mediation in dependency/custody cases serves to intercede in disputes related to, but not limited to placement, visitation, communication, service plans, dispositional issues, custody and termination. A number of parties are present for the mediation: case worker, county counsel, birth parents with their attorneys, treatment specialists, foster parents, etc. The Cobb program hopes to help children find permanent placement faster and in a less stressful manner. FY 2006 Annual Report 67 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 68 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 69 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Cobb County Magistrate Court ADR Program 30 Waddell Street Marietta, GA 30090-9656 Office: (770) 528-8935 Fax: (770) 528-8947 E-Mail: Elise.Moore@cobbcounty.org Web Site: www.cobbcounty.org Areas/Counties Served: Cobb County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation, Victim Offender Mediation Program Staff: Janet Lindermann, Mediation Coordinator Statistic Type MAGISTRATE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 1080 40 724 526 47 Impasse 151 Courts Served: Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: N/A Program Start Date: 1994 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Mediation with the Cobb County Magistrate Court is voluntary. Types of cases / issues currently handled: The Cobb County Magistrate Court offers mediation for small claims cases, eviction cases, and warrant application cases. Excluded Cases: Mediation is not available for cases in which a criminal warrant has been issued or for matters of family violence/stalking. How Cases Are Selected: Most cases are screened by the mediation coordinator prior to mediation. In addition, judges often refer small cases from the courtroom to mediation. Neutral Selection: Mediators are appointed by the program. Neutral Compensation: Neutrals receive $25 per diem. Continuing Education for Neutrals: 3 hours of continuing education per year is required for neutrals. Evaluation of Neutrals: Evaluations are completed by the program coordinator and on occasion by case parties. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys are welcome to attend mediation; however, most parties are pro se. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/a Background Information: The Cobb County Magistrate Court Mediation Program was established in 1994 as the first volunteer mediation program in Georgia for small claims cases. Since that time, we have grown to offer mediation for dispossessory cases and warrant applications. On days when small claims court is in session, FY 2006 Annual Report 68 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution available to assist parties with the facilitation of negotiations prior to trial. On days when small claims court is not in session, mediations are held for parties interested in attempting to settle their case prior to their court date. FY 2006 Annual Report 69 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 70 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 71 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 72 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 73 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Cobb County Superior Court ADR Program 30 Waddell Street Marietta, GA 30090 Office: (770) 528-1812 Fax: (770) 528-8142 Web Site: www.cobbcounty.org Areas/Counties Served: Cobb County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation, Case Evaluation, Judicially hosted settlement conferences. Program Staff: Linda McClain, Programs Administrator; Patti Anderson, Judicial Program Coordinator; Miranda Black, and Melissa Connell, Judicial Program Coordinator Rebecca Lew, Judicial Program Coordinator Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 321 127 176 51 2 993 284 650 323 43 Impasse 123 284 Courts Served: Superior, State (case-by-case basis) Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1993 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes Types of cases / issues currently handled: DOMESTIC RELATIONS: Divorce; modification of divorce; child custody; child support; visitation; paternity; legitimation. GENERAL CIVIL: Damages; contract damages; torts; condemnation; equity; zoning appeal; tax appeal. Excluded Cases: Domestic relations contempt; appeals from rulings of administrative agencies; forfeitures of seized property; habeas corpus; extraordinary writs; bond validations; declaratory relief; URESA actions. How Cases Are Selected: All general civil and domestic relations cases which are filed in Cobb Superior Court are individually screened upon the filing of an appearance of counsel or a contested answer to determine if the case is appropriate for ADR. Neutral Selection: At the time of referral of a case, a list of neutrals for that type of case is mailed to counsel and parties. If parties do not agree upon a neutral within 13 days, neutrals are appointed by the program from a rotational list. Neutral Compensation: The parties compensate the neutral. The program uses a market-rate structure for its fee schedule, ranging from $125 per hour to $360 per hour, generally $150-$175 per hour. Continuing Education for Neutrals: 3 hours per year of continuing education is required for neutrals serving the program. Evaluation of Neutrals: Formal evaluations of the neutrals are conducted by both the parties and the program. FY 2006 Annual Report 70 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes Background Information: In 1993, Cobb Superior Court judges instituted a local rule of court mandating that all civil cases (with a few exceptions) which could be resolved by mediation use it. To date, over 20,227 cases have been referred. Approximately 175 neutrals (general civil and domestic relations) serve the program. In August 1998, the program began offering case evaluation to litigants. FY 2006 Annual Report 71 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 72 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Conasauga Circuit Superior Courts ADR Program P.O. Box 1066 Dalton, GA 30722 Office: (706) 278-5897 Fax: (706) 278-6900 E-Mail: bchampion@whitfieldcountyga.com Web Site: www.georgiacourts.org/courts/superior/conasauga Areas/Counties Served: Conasauga Circuit (2 counties: Murray and Whitfield) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation, Early Neutral Evaluation Program Staff: Brad Butler, Superior Court Administrator; Annette Walker, Assistant Court Administrator; Debbie Collins, Administrative Specialist Hilda Oritz, Administrative Specialist Statistic Type SUPERIOR General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 160 46 106 68 6 Impasse 49 Courts Served: Superior, Probate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1995 Fee Surcharge: $7 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, in referred cases. Types of cases / issues currently handled: DOMESTIC: Divorce, modification of divorce; custody; support; alimony; property. GENERAL CIVIL Excluded Cases: Domestic cases involving serious family violence. How Cases Are Selected: Cases are selected for mediation referral by the judges with the assistance of the court administrator's office. Some cases are referred by request of attorney. Neutral Selection: Neutrals are assigned by the court administrator's office on an equal-number basis. Neutral Compensation: The parties compensate the neutrals in strictly commercial cases and some insurance cases. In all other cases, the program compensates the neutral. Neutrals are compensated $125 per hour. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Continuing education is not required for neutrals. Evaluation of Neutrals: Questionnaires are completed by parties, attorneys, and neutrals. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes Background Information: Mediation services are provided in superior and probate court cases. Two neutrals are registered to do early neutral evaluation as well. The program handles civil and domestic cases. FY 2006 Annual Report 72 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Cordele Judicial Circuit ADR Program 197 Highway 300, South Cordele, GA 31015 Office: (229) 276-2607 Fax: (229) 276-2648 E-Mail: billadr@sowega.net Areas/Counties Served: Cordele Judicial Circuit (4 counties: Ben Hill, Crisp, Dooly, Wilcox) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Amy Bryant, Mediation Program Director Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Statistic Type Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement SUPERIOR Civil 8 1 5 2 0 Domestic 54 17 20 16 0 STATE General 0 0 0 0 0 MAGISTRATE General 0 0 0 12 0 JUVENILE General 81 24 57 56 0 Impasse 3 4 0 0 1 Courts Served: Superior, Probate, Magistrate, Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1995 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, all contested domestic relations cases are referred to mediation. Likewise, any contested civil matter may be referred to mediation by consent of the parties or by court order. Types of cases / issues currently handled: DOMESTIC RELATIONS: Divorce, custody, separate maintenance, child support, and other domestic relations. GENERAL CIVIL: Cases are assigned to mediation by request. JUVENILE: Cases include shoplifting, simple assault, truancy, disorderly conduct, unruly and trespass cases. Excluded Cases: URESA How Cases Are Selected: Cases are screened by the judge or ADR office. All domestic cases are screened upon the filing of a contested answer to determine if the case is appropriate. Juvenile cases are referred by Department of Juvenile Justice, a district attorney, or a judge. Neutral Selection: The parties may choose either: 1.) private mediator, 2.) program mediator or; 3.) request Program Director to select a program mediator. Neutral Compensation: Program mediators are paid by the ADR program for the first 3 hours. After 3 hours, the parties pay. Parties pay for private mediators. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Three hours annually (Cordele Judicial Circuit); participation in GODR FY 2006 Annual Report 74 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution training when possible. Evaluation of Neutrals: The Program Director observes neutrals. Parties and/or attorneys also provide comments. Attorney Involvement: Yes Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes Background Information: The Cordele Judicial Circuit began a mediation program in June 1995. Contested superior court domestic relations cases, civil cases that are continued after a term of court, and appeals from the magistrate court are referred to mediation. Juvenile mediation is available throughout the circuit. FY 2006 Annual Report 75 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 76 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 77 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 78 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 79 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Coweta Judicial Circuit ADR Program Troup County Mediation Center Carroll County Mediation Center 114 Church Street, Court Annex Bld. 207 Courtyard Square LaGrange, GA 30240 Carrollton, GA 30117 Office: (706) 883-2168 (770) 830-5993 Fax: (706) 883-2169 (770) 830-5851 E-Mail: shicks@troupco.org Areas/Counties Served: Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Merriwether, and Troup Counties ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Sheryl Hicks, Coweta Circuit ADR Director (Located in Troup Co.); Elmira Barrow, (located in Carroll Co.); Wanda Cotton and Lisa Boatwright, Program Assistants (Located in Troup Co.) Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic STATE General MAGISTRATE General PROBATE General JUVENILE General* Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 12 1 11 8 0 472 18 454 313 24 9 2 7 5 0 541 129 412 281 1 17 3 14 10 0 130 21 109 107 0 Impasse 3 117 2 130 4 2 Courts Served: Superior, State, Probate, and Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, and Magistrate * See Carrol County Juvenile Court Mediaiton Program Program Start Date: 1992 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, both voluntary and mandatory participation occur in this program. Superior court domestic cases are required to attempt mediation before the cases may be placed on a calendar for a final hearing . Other courts in the circuit refer on a case-by-case basis. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Domestic cases: property; custody; child support; alimony; modifications of custody and child support; actions brought by grandparents for custody and visitation. Small claims: repairs; damage to property; landlord tenant disputes; etc. from magistrate court. Criminal: misdemeanor cases from the magistrate court and state courts including criminal trespass; abusive language; simple thefts; harassing phone calls; simple battery; city ordinance violations, etc. Community referrals: disputes between neighbors and family members (i.e. noise complaints, children causing problems, maintenance of trees and shrubs, etc.) Excluded Cases: Cases may be excluded if determined to be due to domestic violence or child abuse issues. How Cases Are Selected: A standing order requires mediation in appropriate domestic cases. Other cases are referred on a case by case basis by judges, solicitors, law enforcement, etc. Parties and attorneys also request mediation. Neutral Selection: Parties may select their mediator and negotiate a fee. If they do not select, the program FY 2006 Annual Report 76 assigns mediators on a rotating basis. Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Neutral Compensation: The parties compensate the neutral in the Superior, State and Probate Courts; the Magistrate Courts use volunteers. The fee schedule is $150 for the first 2.5 hours; $75 each hour thereafter if the court appoints the mediator. If the parties select the mediator, they negotiate the fee. Volunteers in Magistrate Court receive a $25 stipend per case mediated from the circuit ADR fund. Continuing Education for Neutrals: The program requires 3 hours of continuing education each year for neutrals serving the program. The program usually provides more than 3 hours. Evaluation of Neutrals: Formal evaluation of neutrals is conducted by the program and by the parties. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions and initiate cases for mediation. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: The Superior Court requires all parties in domestic cases to attend the parenting workshop. If children's issues are to be mediated, the parties are required to attend the 4 hour parenting workshop prior to scheduling the mediation session. Background Information: Parties in Superior Court domestic cases are required to attempt mediation before the case may be placed on a calendar for a final hearing in the Coweta Judicial Circuit. The parties and attorneys determine the point in time for actual referral to the program; then an initiation form is submitted and the program schedules the mediation session. Cases are also referred by Judges, attorneys or parties in Superior, State, Magistrate, and Probate from Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Meriwether and Troup, and the parties pay the mediator fees at the same rate for domestic cases. Volunteer mediators in Magistrate courts receive a $25 stipend per case mediated. FY 2006 Annual Report 77 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 78 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution DeKalb County Courts Dispute Resolution Center 106 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. Decatur, GA 30030 Office: (404) 370-8193 (404) 370-8194 Fax: (404) 370-8195 E-Mail: bbstern@co.dekalb.ga.us Areas/Counties Served: DeKalb County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation, Arbitration, Early Neutral Evaluation, Case Evaluation Program Staff: Bev Bradburn-Stern, Program Director Statistic Type Cases Referred Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 ARBITRATION ENE Settled/ MEDIATION Dismisse Demands Cases Cases Full Partial d Prior Cases Arbitrated For Trial Evaluated Mediated Agreement Agreement Impasse SUPERIOR Civil Domestic STATE General MAGISTRATE General PROBATE General JUVENILE General 142 29 848 38 146 30 15 0 5 0 3 0 1 0 2 48 39 5 34 - - 0 707 424 106 176 1 - 1 86 45 1 40 0 - - 13 9 0 4 0 - - 0 - - 5 4 0 1 2 1 0 1 Courts Served: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate, and Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1990 Fee Surcharge: $7 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Cases referred are required to explore with Center staff through an intake procedure if and which ADR service might be effective in resolving or narrowing the issues in dispute. Utilization of ADR services is voluntary. Types of cases / issues currently handled: General civil, domestic, probate, juvenile deprivation. Excluded Cases: Appeals from rulings of administrative agencies; forfeitures of seized property; habeas corpus and extraordinary writs; bond validations; declaratory reliefs URESA cases; injunctive relief. How Cases Are Selected: Judges refer case on a case-by-case basis for Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate, and Juvenile Courts. Any or all parties can request ADR through their assigned judge. State Court also requires all cases once an answer and jury demand are filed to go through an ADR intake process. All cases are screened by program staff for appropriateness. Neutral Selection: Staff appoint neutrals to cases based on match of the case issues with the neutral's background. Parties are free to select private services and select their own neutral that they will pay directly. Neutral Compensation: The program compensates the neutral. The neutral is paid $150 for the first 2 hours. Over 2 hours, neutrals receive $50 per hour (maximum $275 for civil; $375 for domestic). Parties can elect additional time for which they will pay neutral's private rate up to $150 per hour. FY 2006 Annual Report 78 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Continuing Education for Neutrals: 4 hours of continuing education per year is required for neutrals. Evaluation of Neutrals: Formal evaluations of the mediators are done by both the parties and the program. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediated sessions with their clients. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes. Background Information: DeKalb County offers a multi-door program. Staff help parties to select from mediation, binding and non-binding arbitration, case evaluation and early neutral evaluation. The County ADR fund pays for 6.5 hours of domestic mediation, 4.5 hours of general civil, 2.5 hours for magistrate court cases, and 3.5 hours for cases utilizing arbitration. After that, parties split the cost per hour of the neutral's private rate up to $150 per hour with some exceptions. Courts send cases on a case-by-case basis as well as parties initiating by request. State court also requires all cases that have filed a jury demand to consider use of ADR, inform clients of ADR options and consult with DRC staff regarding ADR prior to being placed on trial calendar. Neutrals who serve in the program are categorized by training, experience and interest. Staff appoint neutrals to cases based on match of the case issues with the neutral's background. FY 2006 Annual Report 79 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 80 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution DeKalb County Juvenile Court Mediation Program 3631 Camp Circle Decatur, GA 30032 Office: (404) 294-2440 Fax: (404) 294-2530 E-Mail: wlmosely@co.dekalb.ga.us Areas/Counties Served: Juvenile Court ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Bernadette Thomas-Snyder, Probation Supervisor Bernadette Thomas-Snyder, Mediation Coordinator/Director Carlos Highsmith and Shamarius Mathis, Hyacinth Douglas, Rick Newman, Chelsea Dennis, La Tonya Mitchell; Probation Officers Judy Hudson, Citizens Panel Review Statistic Type JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 439 211 228 224 4 Impasse 0 Courts Served: Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Juvenile Program Start Date: 1991 Fee Surcharge: N/A Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, cases may be referred directly from the juvenile court intake case list. These are usually misdemeanor offenses, with an identifiable victim. Status offenses, cases involving police officers, teachers and some domestic violence cases are not appropriate for mediation. Cases involving teachers at Sexton Woods are referred to mediation at the teacher's request. Domestic Cases involving siblings and step-parents who do not live in the household with the child are now being mediated. The District Attorney's Office, upon reivew, may recommend a case be sent to mediation. Cases may be referred from court by the judges after the defendants are in the adjudicatory hearing. Types of cases / issues currently handled: First offenses, theft, and vandalism, including these: battery, simple battery, criminal trespass, sexual battery, aggravated assualt, criminal damage to property. The court also mediates community-referred cases. Excluded Cases: Shoplifting, unruly/ungovernable, including truancies, runaways and alcohol violations as well as cases in which a teacher or law enforcement officer is a victim of juvenile assault. How Cases Are Selected: The program director screens cases for mediation. Many referrals are impromptu referrals from one of the juvenile judges. Neutral Selection: The program does not use outside mediators; all mediations are conducted by seven trained staff members who hold other positions in the court. The program director selects the mediator assigned to each case. Neutral Compensation: N/A FY 2006 Annual Report 80 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 81 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Continuing Education for Neutrals: Required for neutrals. Evaluation of Neutrals: Parties and attorneys complete an evaluation. Attorney Involvement: Most attorney involvement is with deprivation cases and cases coming from court. Background Information: DeKalb County's juvenile mediation program began in 1991. The program is unique in that it does not use any outside mediators; all mediations are conducted by trained court staff members. The DeKalb program mediates an average of 25 cases per month. Most of the cases involve school disputes that come under a county policy of referring all parties in disorderly conduct cases to court. FY 2006 Annual Report 82 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 83 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Dublin Judicial Circuit Mediation Program P.O. Box 8186 Dublin, GA 31040 Office: (478) 272-4824 Fax: (478) 272-1639 Areas/Counties Served: Dublin Judicial Circuit: (4 counties: Laurens, Twiggs, Johnson, Treutlen) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Elizabeth R. Couey, Mediation Coordinator; Jeannine Loyd, Assistant Mediation Coordinator Statistic Type SUPERIOR General MAGISTRATE General PROBATE General JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 72 25 43 28 1 377 0 367 235 1 0 0 0 0 30 0 29 27 0 Impasse 14 132 0 2 Courts Served: Superior, Probate, Magistrate, Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, Probate, Magistrate, Juvenile Program Start Date: 1994 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: All contested domestic relations cases are assigned to mediation and will be mandated to mediation unless deemed inappropriate. Civil cases are accepted by the program on a voluntary basis or by court order. Civil magistrate cases and a few probate cases have been referred to the program. Magistrate court warrant applications are referred by the judge to mediation. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Contested domestic relations cases, civil cases, and warrant applications. Excluded Cases: Administrative agency appeals, forfeitures, habeaus corpus, bond validations, declaratory relief, child support enforcement actions. How Cases Are Selected: The mediation coordinator does the initial screening by physically going through new domestic cases filed. Some initial screening is also done by the judges' offices as well. If there are allegations of domestic violence in pleadings, the case is screened further, pursuant to the proper screening procedures. In magistrate courts, mediators are available on civil court dates for mediation and warrant application hearings. In magistrate courts, the judge orders the parties to mediation from the bench. Neutral Selection: Mediators are initially assigned by the program. Parties may change the mediator within the mediator. Neutral Compensation: The program compensates the neutrals $200 per domestic case and $50 per hour for magistrate cases as long as the mediator is registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 82 and approved by the Board of Trustees of the Program. Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 83 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Continuing Education for Neutrals: Neutrals are required to complete continuing education as required by the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. Evaluation of Neutrals: The participants in a mediation session are given evaluation forms. The Program reviews the evaluation forms and reports to the mediators. The Mediation Coordinator does random observations of mediation sessions. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Attendance is optional. Background Information: The program began in December 1994, serving only Laurens County. Since November 1995, the program has been available circuit-wide and includes Laurens, Twiggs, Johnson and Treutlen counties. The program primarily serves the superior courts in the circuit; however the program occasionally receives referrals from other courts. FY 2006 Annual Report 84 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 85 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Eastern Judicial Circuit ADR Program Chatham County Courthouse The Mediation Center 133 Montgomery St., Suite 426 5105 Paulsen Road, Ste 413-B Savannah, GA 31401 Savannah, GA 31405 Office: (912) 652-7519 (912) 354-6686 Fax:(912) 652-7591 (912) 354-8690 E-Mail: ltgernay@chathamcounty.org mediationcenter@bellsouth.net Areas / Counties Served: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate, Juvenile, Recorder's, and Federal ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Chatham County ADR Program Staff: Linda Gernay, Program Director, Carol Maletta, Administrative Assistant The Mediation Center Staff: Wendy Williamson, Executive Director; Lisa Morin, Program Coordinator; Sandra Varner, Data Clerk Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic STATE General PROBATE General JUVENILE General OTHER General MAGISTRATE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 71 10 51 28 2 156 20 106 64 2 435 80 224 137 0 5 0 4 2 0 21 0 11 9 0 41 1 11 6 0 131 10 92 48 0 Impasse 21 40 87 2 2 5 44 Courts Served: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1986 Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Fee Surcharge: $7.50 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Cases are referred on a case-by-case basis. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Domestic relations; contract disputes; property issues; magistrate court appeals; debt; probate; personal injury; damages; tort; legal and medical malpractice; and limited criminal. Excluded Cases: Criminal How Cases Are Selected: Cases are screened by the ADR director, judges and law clerks. By agreement, parties and /or attorneys may request mediation. Neutral Selection: The Mediation Center is the default provider, but parties may choose a private mediator within 10 days of the court order by notifying the ADR Director. Neutral Compensation: The Mediation Center pays the neutral a stipend of $10 per civil case and $50 per domestic case. If the parties select a private provider, the parties pay the mediator. Continuing Education for Neutrals: A minimum of 3-hours of continuing education is required. Continuing Education is offered annually at not cost to volunteers. Private mediators are charges a nominal fee to cover expenses. FY 2006 Annual Report 84 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 85 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Evaluation of Neutrals: The Mediation Center conducts an annual evaluation. Any attorney or client who participated in mediation is asked to complete a survey evaluating the mediator and the services they received. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Attendance is optional. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes. Background Information: The Mediation Center was established in 1986 as a community-based program. All mediators are volunteers. FY 2006 Annual Report 86 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 87 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Floyd County Magistrate Court Mediation Program Three Government Plaza, Suite 227 Rome, GA 30161 Office: (706) 291-5250 Fax: (706) 291-5269 E-Mail: Caldwellp@floydcountyga.org Areas/Counties Served: Floyd County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Priscilla Caldwell, Mediation Coordinator Statistic Type MAGISTRATE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 513 0 513 373 0 Impasse 140 Courts Served: Magistrate Court Courts Collecting Fees: Magistrate Court Program Start Date: 1998 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Judge orders participants to attempt to settle through mediation. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Civil cases and dispossessories Excluded Cases: County ordinance violations, deposit account fraud and warrant applications. How Cases Are Selected: Cases are reviewed by the chief judge for appropriateness. Neutral Selection: Neutrals are selected by the program; however, parties may petition the court for appointment of another neutral for good cause shown. Neutral Compensation: Prior to June 1 2001, neutrals served as volunteers and were not compensated. However as of 6-1-2001, neutrals began receiving $50 per mediation as compensation. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Continuing education hours are required through Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution Evaluation of Neutrals: A plan is being implemented to evaluate neutrals by a party not directly involved in our mediation program. Attorney Involvement: Yes, numerous cases sent to mediation have involved attorneys on one or both sides of case. Some attorneys are requesting mediation. Background Information: Floyd County Magistrate Court began receiving cases in November 1998. FY 2006 Annual Report 86 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Fulton County Courts Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution 160 Pryor St., S.W., Suite JG-26 Atlanta, GA 30303 Office: (404) 730-4549 Fax: (404) 335-2518 E-Mail: angela.winfrey@co.fulton.ga.us Areas/Counties Served: Fulton County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation, Arbitration, Early Neutral Evaluation Program Staff: Angela Winfrey, Program Director Statistic Type Cases Referred SUPERIOR Civil 339 Domestic 1753 STATE General 200 Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ ARBITRATION MEDIATION Dismissed Cases Demands For Cases Full Partial Prior Arbitrated Trial Mediated Agreement Agreement Impasse 46 2 0 184 83 3 98 43 - - 1532 846 276 410 23 24 8 120 56 6 58 Courts Served: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1986 Fee Surcharge: $7.50 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, a combination of voluntary and mandatory participation is used in assigning cases to ADR. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Any civil cases filed in Superior or State court may be ordered to mediation or arbitration at the discretion of the judge assigned to the case. Any domestic case may be assigned to mediation, arbitration, or case evaluation by the judge assigned to the case. Excluded Cases: Criminal cases How Cases Are Selected: Superior and State Court civil cases can be assigned in one of two ways: 1) by order of the judge assigned to the case; 2) by petition of one or both of the parties. Neutral Selection: All neutrals must be registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. Arbitrators must be members of the Georgia Bar in good standing and must apply for acceptance into the program. They are assigned cases randomly. Civil Mediation: Mediators from the Justice Center of Atlanta provide services through a contract. They are assigned cases by the Justice Center of Atlanta. Domestic Mediation: Domestic mediators are outside vendors who must apply for acceptance into the program. Mediators are assigned cases at random unless a specific experience background is requested. Neutral Compensation: Arbitrators and case evaluators are paid by the ADR program. Mediators are paid by the Justice Center of Atlanta, through a contract for civil cases. Domestic mediators are paid by the ADR program. FY 2006 Annual Report 88 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Continuing Education for Neutrals: Continuing education required by the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. Evaluation of Neutrals: Formal evaluation of the neutrals is periodically done by the parties. Peer evaluation is used with arbitrators. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys may attend mediation sessions with their clients. Background Information: The Fulton County ADR Program serves the Superior and State courts and provides civil arbitration, mediation, case evaluation and domestic mediation services. Any civil or domestic case may be ordered to ADR by the court. Parties have the option of choosing private ADR at their expense. Parties may opt for an ADR process other than the one to which they were directed. Services of the Fulton County ADR Program are at no cost to the parties. Domestic Mediation serves only the Superior Court of Fulton County. The domestic program also administers the seminar for divorcing parents, and a seminar for minor children of divorcing parents. A seminar for Spanish-speaking divorcing parents has been added. FY 2006 Annual Report 89 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 90 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 91 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Fulton County Juvenile Court Mediation Program 395 Pryor St. Atlanta, GA 30003 Office: (404) 244-4578 Fax: (404) 730-1120 Areas/Counties Served: Fulton County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Gwen Bailey, Director; Tenaya Williams, Program Assistant Statistic Type JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 1301 1 458 343 0 Impasse 114 Courts Served: Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Juvenile Program Start Date: 1999 Fee Surcharge: N/A Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes Types of cases / issues currently handled: Custody, visitation, deprivation, guardianship and termination of guardianship Excluded Cases: Serious offenses and repeat offenders How Cases Are Selected: Referred by judges and court staff. Neutral Selection: Must be registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution and participate in Juvenile mediation training, and Deprivation Mediation Training. Neutral Compensation: $60 - delinquency cases; $150 - deprivation cases Continuing Education for Neutrals: Yes, all neutrals are required to have ten hours of training a year. Evaluation of Neutrals: N/A Attorney Involvement: Attorneys may attend mediation sessions. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N\A Background Information: The Fulton County Juvenile Court Mediation Program has been mediating cases since 1999. The program began mediating deprivation cases in 2004. FY 2006 Annual Report 90 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Fulton County Magistrate Court Mediation Program 976 Edgewood Ave. NE Atlanta, GA 30307 Office: (404) 523-8236 Fax: (404) 523-3936 E-Mail: fred@justicecenter.org Areas/Counties Served: Fulton County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Roger Krystopa, Program Director Statistic Type MAGISTRATE Civil Criminal Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 954 97 544 321 1 493 0 491 402 0 Impasse 222 89 Courts Served: Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1990 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: No. Types of cases / issues currently handled: A wide variety of Magistrate Court civil cases are referred to mediation. Misdemeanor criminal cases may also be referred to mediation. Excluded Cases: Cases involving domestic violence; felonies How Cases Are Selected: Many types of Magistrate Court cases are routinely referred to mediation. Neutral Selection: Mediators from the Justice Center of Atlanta provide services through a contract. Neutral Compensation: Mediators are paid by the Justice Center of Atlanta, through a contract for civil cases. Continuing Education for Neutrals: The Justice Center requires the neutrals that mediate Magistrate Court cases to attend at least one continuing education seminar each year. Evaluation of Neutrals: Formal evaluation of the neutrals and the process is periodically done by the parties through The Justice Center of Atlanta. Attorney Involvement: Many parties involved in the Magistrate Court process are not represented by counsel. However, parties who are represented are encouraged to have their attorneys attend and participate in the mediation session. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A FY 2006 Annual Report 92 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Background Information: Since 1978, The Justice Center of Atlanta has mediated Magistrate Court cases referred to mediation by the Fulton County Magistrate Court at no cost to the parties. The Justice Center handles these cases through a contract with Fulton County. FY 2006 Annual Report 93 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 94 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Fulton County Probate ADR Program 136 Pryor Street, Room C-230 Atlanta, GA 30303 Office: (404) 730-4658 (404) 730-4688 Fax: (404) 730-7998 Areas/Counties Served: Fulton County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation (or other ADR processes if requested by parties, at their own expense) Program Staff: Barbara J. Koll, Sr. Staff Attorney; Roxanne Blake, Judicial Assistant Statistic Type PROBATE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 85 12 73 43 0 Impasse 30 Courts Served: Probate Courts Collecting Fees: Probate Program Start Date: 1990 Fee Surcharge: $3 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, participation is mandatory by court order. Types of cases / issues currently handled: The cases referred include solemn form probates, applications for letters of administration, applications for 12 months support, petitions for accounting and removal, petitions for attorneys' fees and petitions for final settlement. Issues include validity of will, who should represent estate, who the heirs are, how estate assets should be distributed, should a representative be removed. Excluded Cases: Contested adult guardianships; Cases where parties can show good cause why mediation is not appropriate. How Cases Are Selected: As a general rule, all contested matters in the probate court are referred to mediation. Neutral Selection: Mediators from the Justice Center of Atlanta provide services through a contract. They are assigned cases by the Justice Center of Atlanta. Neutral Compensation: Mediators are paid by the Justice Center of Atlanta, through a contract for civil cases. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Program coordinator provides non-mandatory training to probate mediators 1-2 times each year. Justice Center of Atlanta mediators are required to take specialized training and observe several probate cases before mediating a probate case. Evaluation of Neutrals: Formal evaluation of the neutrals and the process is periodically done by the parties through the Justice Center of Atlanta. FY 2006 Annual Report 94 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Attorney Involvement: Many parties involved in probate court disputes are not represented by counsel. However, parties who are represented are encouraged to have their attorneys attend and participate in the mediation session. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A Background Information: In August 1990, the Fulton County Probate Court began ordering parties in most contested matters to mediation at the Justice Center of Atlanta, Inc. at no cost to the parties. The parties also have the option of choosing another mediation service or another form of alternative dispute resolution, such as arbitration, at their own expense. Very few parties utilize another mediation service or another form of alternative dispute resolution. FY 2006 Annual Report 95 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 96 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Fulton County State/Magistrate Court Landlord/Tenant Mediation Program 185 Central Avenue, SW, Room TG400 Atlanta, GA 30303 Office: (404) 918-3581 Fax: (404) 935-4904 E-Mail: bonniepowell@bellsouth.net Areas/Counties Served: Fulton ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Bonnie Powell, Program Director Winifred Stephens, Assistant Director Statistic Type MAGISTRATE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 2,795 0 2,410 1,879 0 Impasse 475 Courts Served: State, Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1995 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, all contested dispossessory actions filed in Magistrate Court are required to participate in mediation. Types of cases / issues currently handled: DISPOSSESSORY CASES: Non-payment of rent; repair issues; other related property issues; counterclaims. Excluded Cases: Non-landlord tenant cases How Cases Are Selected: All contested dispossessory actions in Magistrate Court are scheduled for mediation. State Court dispossessory actions are referred to mediation by the trial judge and by request of the parties. Neutral Selection: Mediators are assigned by the program director. The program uses exclusively law students and lawyers. Neutral Compensation: Neutrals are compensated by the program. Law students earn 2-3 law school credits. Other neutrals are compensated $100 per day. Continuing Education for Neutrals: No continuing education is required by the program. Evaluation of Neutrals: Formal evaluations are done by the parties, attorneys and the program director. Attorney Involvement: The majority of the parties are pro se, but when a party is represented, counsel generally attends the mediation. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A FY 2006 Annual Report 96 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Background Information: The program is structured primarily as a law school externship using student mediators from Georgia State University and Emory University. Attorney mediators are scheduled to mediate cases during the summer and during student breaks. All contested dispossessory actions filed in Magistrate Court are referred to mediation. Mediations take place two hours before the trial calendar in dispossessory court on Tuesdays and Thursdays. State Court cases may be referred to mediation by the trial judge or by request of the parties. FY 2006 Annual Report 97 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 98 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Gwinnett Judicial Circuit ADR Program Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Dr. Lawrenceville, GA 30045-6900 Office: (770) 822-8587 Fax: (770) 822-8588 E-Mail: lauralynn.swafford@gwinnettcounty.com Web Site: www.gwinnettcourts.com Areas/Counties Served: Gwinnett County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation, Arbitration, Case Evaluation Program Staff: Laura Lynn Swafford, Director, ADR Programs; Carolina Estrada and Danyelle Knight, ADR Case Managers Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic STATE General MAGISTRATE General JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 57 11 40 21 1 435 60 309 139 49 621 258 306 203 9 578 0 578 417 0 34 2 26 22 0 Impasse 18 121 94 161 4 Courts Served: Superior, State, Magistrate, Juvenile, Probate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1995 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Although participation in mediation is primarily voluntary, judges may order cases to mediation on a case-by-case basis. Types of cases / issues currently handled: All general civil and domestic cases, juvenile cases and magistrate warrant application and civil cases. Excluded Cases: Cases involving domestic violence, physical abuse or sexual abuse. Cases determined to be inappropriate by the court or Gwinnett County District Res. Office How Cases Are Selected: At the request of the parties or on a case-by-case basis by the judge's office. Neutral Selection: Superior, State, Magistrate and Probate: neutrals are selected by the parties from a list developed according to expertise and experience. If the parties cannot agree, the court will appoint the neutral. Juvenile, Magistrate Warrant Application and Civil Hearings, Magistrate Civil Hearing, custody cases transferred to Juvenile Court: Neutrals are assigned on a rotational basis by the Dispute Resolution Office. Neutral Compensation: Depending on the court, the parties or the court will compensate the neutral. For Magistrate and Juvenile Court cases, the Court pays the mediator $35 per case; for domestic cases transferred to Juvenile Court, the Court pays the mediator $150 per case for the first two hours; all other cases, the mediator sets his/her fee. FY 2006 Annual Report 98 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Continuing Education for Neutrals: Four hours of continuing education are required for neutrals. Evaluation of Neutrals: Formal evaluations of neutrals are conducted by the parties. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes Background Information: The Gwinnett Judicial Circuit Program offers ADR processes in Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate and Juvenile courts. The referral process and the fee scale are different for each court. In Magistrate criminal cases, the parties both elect and are ordered to attend mediation. In Juvenile cases, parties are ordered to mediation. For State and Superior Court cases, referral to mediation is primarily at the request of the parties. Parties select their own neutral and the neutral sets his/her own fee rate. For Superior Court domestic cases transferred to Juvenile Court, the Court appoints the mediator. Mediators are made available for Magistrate Court criminal warrant applications and civil hearings. The mediators are available for the time of the hearing; nothing is scheduled in advance. FY 2006 Annual Report 99 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 100 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Henry County Juvenile Court ADR Program 34 John Frank Ward Blvd. McDonough, GA 30253 Office: (770) 954-2498 Fax: (770) 954-2951 Areas/Counties Served: Henry County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Sherrie Grant, Mediation Director Statistic Type JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 94 0 94 94 n/a Impasse n/a Courts Served: Juvenile Court Courts Collecting Fees: $75 per respondent Program Start Date: 2001 Fee Surcharge: None Court/System required participation in ADR processes: No, cases are referred to mediation by Assistant District Attorney and on occasion the Judge may refer a case to mediation out of court. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Juvenile Excluded Cases: None How Cases Are Selected: Cases are selected through the Assistant District Attorney office and are either referred to mediation or to go before the Judge. Neutral Selection: Selected by the program. Neutral Compensation: The mediation program compensates the mediators with a base fee of $40 per mediation. Continuing Education for Neutrals: N/A Evaluation of Neutrals: No formal evaluation is conducted. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys may attend mediation sessions with their clients. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A Background Information: The Henry County Juvenile Court ADR Program was started in 2001. FY 2006 Annual Report 100 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 101 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 102 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Houston County Juvenile Court Mediation Program 202 Carl Vinson Parkway Warner Robins, GA 31088 Office: (478) 542-2011 Fax: (478) 922-4279 E-Mail: jmahaffey@houstoncountyga.org Areas/Counties Served: Houston County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Susan Melvin, Program Coordinator Statistic Type JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 122 21 76 74 1 Impasse 1 Courts Served: Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Supervision fees by the Juvenile Court. Program Start Date: 1991 Fee Surcharge: None Supervision Fee: A $35 supervision fee is retained for each respondent in a mediation. Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, voluntary and mandatory participation occur in this program. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Unruly/ungovernable cases; most first offenses; some second offenses at the judge's discretion; some felonies; deprivation cases. Excluded Cases: Shoplifting cases, traffic violations and fighting in school. How Cases Are Selected: Intake and diversion decisions are made by the sheriff's juvenile division and the judge. Neutral Selection: All volunteers are trained in general and specialized juvenile mediation training totaling 40 hours. Neutrals are selected from a list by the Program Coordinator. Neutral Compensation: $25.00 per mediation. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Yes Evaluation of Neutrals: The Program Director will supervise the mediators periodically for compliance of mediation guidelines. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys may be included in the mediation sessions. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A FY 2006 Annual Report 102 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Background Information: Houston County Juvenile Court Mediation Program is among the oldest juvenile mediation programs in the State of Georgia, beginning in 1991 with monies provided by a grant. Houston County has a very active juvenile mediation program with some innovative ways of working with the youth and their families. Houston County has a number of agencies that collaborate to offer the resources needed by the families. Often family counseling, drug and alcohol counseling, big brother or sister, social skills program, etc. are a part of the agreement in the mediation. FY 2006 Annual Report 103 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 104 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Houston and Macon Judicial Circuit 577 Mulberry St., Suite 907 Macon, GA 31201 Office: (478) 751-4137 Fax: (478) 751-4138 Email: thelms@co.bibb.ga.us Areas/Counties Served: Bibb, Crawford, Peach, and Houston ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Brenda Sutton, Program Director Brenda Stroupe, Assistant Director Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic STATE General MAGISTRATE General PROBATE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 121 40 81 50 0 165 76 89 73 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 1 6 5 0 2 0 2 1 0 Impasse 31 16 0 1 1 Courts Served: Superior, State, Magistrate, Probate, Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Magistrate, Probate Program Start Date: 2003 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: both voluntary and mandatory mediation occur in this program. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Domestic and general civil. Excluded Cases: None. How Cases Are Selected: Referrals are made on a case by case basis. Neutral Selection: Parties select their own neutrals. Neutral Compensation: Fees determined by the neutrals and parties. FY 2006 Annual Report 104 Continuing Education for Neutrals: None. Evaluation of Neutrals: None at this time. Attorney Involvement: Not required, but encouraged. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes. Background Information: Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 105 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 106 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Ninth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program 501 Candler Street., NE Gainesville, GA 30501 Office: (770) 535-6909 Fax: (770) 531-4072 E-Mail: valerielyle@adr9.com Web Site: www.adr9.com Areas/Counties Served: Ninth Judicial Administrative District (excluding Gwinnett County): 14 counties: Cherokee, Dawson, Fannin, Forsyth, Gilmer, Hall, Lumpkin, Pickens, Towns, Union, White, Stephens, Rabun, Habersham) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation, Arbitration, Case Evaluation Program Staff: Valerie A. Lyle, Director; Melissa Sosby, Assistant Director; Reba Ramey, Programs Director; Patrica Sammons, Admin. Specialist; Giovanna Holden, Case Management Asst.; Linda Adams, Case Management Asst.; Melissa King, Case Management Asst. Statistic Type SUPERIOR General STATE General MAGISTRATE General PROBATE General JUVENILE General OTHER Solicitor District Atty Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement Impasse 1127 24 1089 845 71 173 472 12 460 345 54 61 4358 292 4045 3486 26 533 29 1 28 24 0 7 63 0 60 57 0 3 87 15 61 42 7 11 42 3 35 27 0 8 Courts Served: Superior, State, Probate, Juvenile, Magistrate, City Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1992 Fee Surcharge: $7.50 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Both voluntary and mandatory processes occur in the 9th JAD ADR program Types of cases / issues currently handled: Domestic, general civil, misdemeanor, juvenile, deprivation, probate, and felony criminal. Excluded Cases: None How Cases Are Selected: The majority of the fourteen counties have standing orders referring all contested domestic cases to mediation prior to final. In other courts and other type cases they are referred on a case by case basis. Neutral Selection: In Superior, Probate and some State court cases, the parties are encouraged to mutually select a neutral. If they do not select, the program director will select the neutral. FY 2006 Annual Report 106 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Neutral Compensation: The parties in all Superior, Probate and some State court cases compensate the neutral at their hourly rate. The average rate is $175 per hour. In other cases such a Magistrate, Criminal, Juvenile, Deprivation, State Court calendars, the program compensates the neutral based on the type case being mediated. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Eight (8) hours annually. Neutrals may be required to attend specific courses indicated by the program. Evaluation of Neutrals: Evaluation of the neutrals is conducted both by the parties and the program. The program has occasionally used surveys, observers, program staff and mentors to conduct evaluations. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes Background Information: N/A FY 2006 Annual Report 107 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 108 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 109 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 110 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 111 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Office of State Administrative Hearings 235 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 700 Atlanta, GA 30303 Office: (404) 651-9648 Fax: (404) 818-3757 E-Mail: lmoser@oash.state.ga.us Web Site: www.ganet.org/osah Areas/Counties Served: This program serves the Office of State Administrative Hearings. ADR Processes Offered: Mediation, mini-hearing, case evaluation or early neutral evaluation. Program Staff: Lynda Lee Moser, Program Coordinator Fredia Bradford, Administrative Assistant Statistic Type OTHER General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 39 17 22 12 3 Impasse 7 Courts Served: OSAH Courts Collecting Fees: None Program Start Date: 1999 Fee Surcharge: None Court/System required participation in ADR processes: No Types of cases / issues currently handled: Any case referred to administrative hearing, including but not limited to cases referred from the Department of Human Resources, Department of Community Health, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Revenue, Department of Labor, and Department of Education. Excluded Cases: No case involving allegations of abuse to a minor child or domestic violence shall be referred to mediation. How Cases Are Selected: Any case may be referred to ADR by the ALJ to whom the case is assigned (hereinafter "presiding ALJ") in cooperation with the Program Coordinator. Additionally, the Program Coordinator may refer certain classes of cases to ADR with the consent of the presiding ALJ's. Any party may request ADR in a mater which has not been referred to ADR by the presiding ALJ. Neutral Selection: Neutrals for individual cases will be selected by the Program Coordinator from a roster of registered neutrals. The ALJ to whom the case is assigned for adjudication may request assignment of a particular neutral who has expertise in the subject area. Neutral Compensation: N/A Continuing Education for Neutrals: Required Evaluation of Neutrals: Neutrals serving in the program will be evaluated by the Program Coordinator on an on-going basis. The Program Coordinator may observe ADR sessions on occasion; shall review evaluation information provided by parties and will endeavor to provide peer mentoring for neutrals. FY 2006 Annual Report 108 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Attorney Involvement: Attorneys are not required to attend ADR sessions, but shall be allowed and encouraged to do so. Attorneys of record shall not be excluded from any process. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A Background Information: The Office of State Administrative Hearings (OSAH) formalized its ADR program in 1999. The program, which as part of OSAH serves all counties in Georgia, is voluntary and offers three forms of ADR: mediation, mini-hearing and case evaluation. Presently, nine of OSAH's judges are registered mediators who serve as the neutrals for the ADR program. Any OSAH judge who serves as a neutral may not serve in an adjudicatory role in the same case nor in any subsequent proceedings involving the identical parties. Cases referred for administrative hearing include but are not limited to cases from the Department of Human Resources, Department of Community Health, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Revenue, Department of Labor and Department of Education. OSAH also has a contract with the Department of Education by which OSAH's ADR program has become one of several mediation sources available to parties in special education cases who want to mediate prior to the special ed case being referred for administrative hearing. FY 2006 Annual Report 109 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 110 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Ogeechee Judicial Circuit ADR Program P.O. Box 326 Statesboro, GA 30459 Office: (912) 764-0456 Fax: (912) 764-8642 E-Mail: jcatoe@frontiernet.net Areas/Counties Served: (4 Counties:Bulloch, Effingham, Jenkins, Screven) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Judith Oglesby, Program Director Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic STATE General MAGISTRATE General PROBATE General Cases Referred 30 52 17 214 0 Settled/ Dismissed Prior 4 4 0 7 0 Cases Mediated 17 33 10 186 0 MEDIATION Full Agreement Partial Agreement Impasse 10 0 7 26 0 7 6 0 4 107 5 7 0 0 0 Courts Served: Superior Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Magistrate, Probate Program Start Date: 2002 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes, all mediation cases are ordered by the court into mediation on a case-by-case method. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Contested domestic relations cases and civil cases. Excluded Cases: Domestic violence cases. How Cases Are Selected: Contested domestic relations and general civil cases are screened by the mediation program. Neutral Selection: Selected by parties or program staff. Neutral Compensation: Fees established by mediators. Compensated by parties or ADR program if indigent. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Required according to ADR rules. Evaluation of Neutrals: None at this time. Attorney Involvement: Not prohibited from attending mediation. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes FY 2006 Annual Report 110 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Background Information: The Ogeechee Judicial Circuit ADR Program began in 2002. FY 2006 Annual Report 111 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 112 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 113 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Rockdale County Juvenile Court Mediation Program P.O. Box 452 Conyers, GA 30012 Office: (770) 918-6793 Fax: (678) 413-4228 E-Mail: kristen.jones@rockdalecounty.org Areas/Counties Served: Rockdale County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Kristen Jones, Program Coordinator Statistic Type JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 9 0 9 9 0 Impasse 0 Courts Served: Juvenile Court Courts Collecting Fees: Juvenile Court Program Start Date: 2002 Fee Surcharge: None Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes Types of cases / issues currently handled: Disorderly conduct, Affray, Simple battery. Excluded Cases: None How Cases Are Selected: Cases are referred to mediation by Intake or the Judge. Neutral Selection: Program Coordinator appoints mediators on a rotating basis. Neutral Compensation: $50 per mediation. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Required Evaluation of Neutrals: Mediation participants complete a survey. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys do not regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A Background Information: First court-connected ADR program in Rockdale County. FY 2006 Annual Report 112 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Seventh Judicial Administrative District ADR Program P.O. Box 963 Cartersville, GA 30120 Office: (770) 387-4820 (877) 655-6865 Fax: (770) 387-5479 E-Mail: christophercannon@earthlink.net E-Mail: pamgodfrey@earthlink.net Areas/Counties Served: Seventh Judicial Administrative District (Seven counties participating: Bartow, Douglas, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Paulding, and Polk) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Chris Cannon, Program Director; Pam Godfrey, Program Coordinator Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Statistic Type Cases Referred Settled/ Dismissed Prior Cases Mediated MEDIATION Full Agreement Partial Agreement SUPERIOR General 2405 1156 916 468 90 Impasse 358 Courts Served: Superior, State, Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 2001 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes Types of cases / issues currently handled: General Civil, Domestic Excluded Cases: Depends on the court How Cases Are Selected: Cases are selected on a case-by-case basis in the Cherokee Circuit. The Douglas Circuit, Paulding Circuit, Rome Circuit, Tallapoosa Circuit, an Bartow County Circuit each civil and domestic cases. Neutral Selection: Parties choose their own ADR provider in superior and state court cases. If the parties cannot agree on a provider, the provider is assigned by the program on a rotational basis. Neutral Compensation: In all cases, the parties compensate the provider. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Required of all members. Evaluation of Neutrals: Provider evaluations are done on a regular basis by program staff Attorney Involvement: The Tallapoosa and Paulding Circuits requires that attorneys attend mediation sessions with their clients. The Cherokee Douglas, and Floyd Circuits strongly encourage the participation of attorneys in mediation. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Parties are strongly encouraged to attend prior to mediation. Background Information: This program began in January 2001. FY 2006 Annual Report 114 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Seventh JAD Juvenile Mediation Program P.O. Box 963 Cartersville, GA 30120 Office: (770) 387-4820 (877) 655-6865 Fax: (770) 387-5479 E-Mail: Carrie Sims, Program Administrator Areas/Counties Served: Seventh Judicial Administrative District Haralson, Polk, Walker ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Carrie Simms, Program Administrator Statistic Type JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 318 54 226 216 1 Impasse 8 Courts Served: Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Juvenile Program Start Date: 2001 Fee Surcharge: $5 Supervision Fee: Court collects supervision fee Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes Types of cases / issues currently handled: Delinquent cases Excluded Cases: Traffic How Cases Are Selected: Intake officer or judge Neutral Selection: Selected by the program. Must be registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. Neutral Compensation: $40 per case Continuing Education for Neutrals: As required by the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. Evaluation of Neutrals: Provider evaluations are done on a regular basis by program staff. Attorney Involvement: Optional Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes Background Information: This program began in December 2001. To date, over 1600 cases have been referred. FY 2006 Annual Report 116 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Sixth Judicial Administrative District ADR Program 123 N. Hill Street Griffin, GA 30223 Office: (770) 228-3758 Fax: (770) 228-6387 Website: www.adr6th.org E-Mail: adr6th@excite.com Areas/Counties Served: Flint, Griffin and Towaliga Judicial Circuits (8 counties: Butts, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Monroe, Pike, Spalding, Upson) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation, Arbitration, Early Neutral Evaluation Program Staff: Tracy Johnson, Program Director; Liesl Owen; Charlotte Stone Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic STATE General PROBATE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 26 1,399 8 18 440 959 8 1 319 120 109 47 62 33 0 1 0 1 0 0 Impasse 9 520 29 1 Courts Served: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1994 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: All contested domestic relations cases are referred to the ADR office for screening on a case-by-case basis. All cases involving building, construction or home improvement disputes are also referred to the ADR program. In the Flint and Towaliga Circuits, personal injury cases are referred to the ADR program. Any contested civil matter in the Flint, Griffin or Towaliga Circuits may be referred to the ADR office by consent of the parties or by court order. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Domestic relations: divorce, custody, child support, contempt, modification General civil: homebuilding, construction, personal injury, malpractice. Excluded Cases: Actions by the Child Support Recovery Unit. How Cases Are Selected: Cases are screened by the ADR office for appropriateness. Neutral Selection: After a case is filed, parties are free to choose their own neutral and agree on a fee with that neutral before a case is ordered to an ADR process. Once the case is ordered to an ADR process, parties are still allowed to select a neutral. If the parties do not select a neutral, the ADR program appoints a neutral from its list of approved neutrals. Neutral Compensation: Fees are divided equally between the parties and paid directly to the mediator, unless otherwise arranged prior to the mediation session. The program does provide fee waivers or fee reductions for those parties who qualify. For cases where a mediator is selected by the ADR program, the fees are capped at $100 per hour; for those cases where a mediator is selected by the parties, the fees are set at the mediator's FY 2006 Annual Report 118 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution hourly rate, which ranges from $100 to $200. Continuing Education for Neutrals: As mandated by GODR. Evaluation of Neutrals: The program director conducts on-going evaluations of the neutrals by observation. Attorney Involvement: Approximately 70% of all mediations have either one or both attorneys present. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Case by case basis. Background Information: Serving 8 counties in 3 circuits, the Sixth Judicial District ADR Program provides mediation, arbitration, and early neutral evaluation to parties in dispute. Currently all domestic relations cases and home-building and construction disputes filed in the Superior Courts are automatically referred to the ADR program for screening. In the Flint and Towaliga Circuits only, personal injury cases filed in Superior Court are automatically referred. For the State Court of Henry County, all complaints for damages for personal injury or wrongful death, construction contracts or breach thereof and professional malpractice of any nature are referred to the ADR program. FY 2006 Annual Report 119 m Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 120 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 121 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution South Georgia Circuit ADR Program P.O. Box 729 Cairo, GA 39828 Office: (229) 377-7349 Fax: (229) 378-1032 Areas/Counties Served: South Georgia Judicial Circuit (5 counties: Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Grady and Mitchell) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Katina Stewart, Mediation Coordinator Statistic Type SUPERIOR General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 13 1 12 7 0 Impasse 2 Courts Served: Superior Courts Collecting Fees: None Program Start Date: 2000 Fee Surcharge: None Court/System required participation in ADR processes: No Types of cases / issues currently handled: Civil cases Excluded Cases: None How Cases Are Selected: Cases are selected by stipulation or assignment by a judge. Neutral Selection: If a mediator cannot be agreed upon, the judge makes the selection. Neutral Compensation: Mediators' fee schedules are on file with the Mediation Coordinator. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Continuing education is not required for neutrals. Evaluation of Neutrals: No formal evaluation of the neutrals is conducted by the program or parties. Attorney Involvement: Attendance is optional Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: No Background Information: This program began in November 2000. It serves the South Georgia Circuit which includes the counties of Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Grady and Mitchell. FY 2006 Annual Report 120 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 121 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 122 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Southern Judicial Circuit ADR Program P.O. Box 2227 (Moultrie Office) P.O. Box 1349 (Valdosta Office) Moultrie, GA 31776 Valdosta, GA 31603 Office: (229) 890-5624 Office: (229) 245-0248 Fax: (229) 616-7447 Fax: (229) 245-7934 E-Mail:tch@southernjudicialcircuit.com E-Mail: tmcgee@southernjudicialcircuit.com Website: www.southernjudicialcircuit.com Areas/Counties Served: Southern Circuit (5 counties: Brooks, Colquitt, Echols, Lowndes, Thomas) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Tim C. Hendrick, Circuit Court Administrator/Mediation Administrator; Tamara L. McGee, Assistant Administrator; Shannon M. Watts, Assistant Administrator Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic STATE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 374 29 284 255 2 291 68 219 207 0 7 0 10 9 0 Impasse 27 12 1 Courts Served: Superior, State, Probate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1994 Fee Surcharge: $6 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: All contested civil and domestic relations cases that are still pending after 150 days after the original complaint is filed are required to be referred, i.e.., Court-Ordered to the ADR process. Cases may, in the discretion of the Court, be referred to ADR process prior prior to the mandatory 150 day period. The parties of their attorneys may also request the Court to have their case referred to ADR process prior to said time period. Types of cases / issues currently handled: Superior Court Cases, General, Civil, Domestic Relations, State Court, Probate Court General Civil Excluded Cases: Appeals for rulings of administrative agencies; habeas corpus and extraordinary writs; declaratory judgments; URESA actions. Domestic Relation cases in which domestic violence is an issue. How Cases Are Selected: Cases are screened to determine if the case is appropriate for mediation 150 days after the complaint is filed. Neutral Selection: The Parties shall have an opportunity to select from among the list of neutrals registered by the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution (GODR) in the appropriate category by mutual agreement. Absent agreement on the mutual selection, the neutral will be appointed by the Administrator of the ADR Program. The appointment shall be made from the rotational list of registered neutrals maintained by the Dispute FY 2006 Annual Report 122 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Resolution Office. The rotational list of neutrals has been approved by the Superior Court Judges of the Southern Judicial Circuit and is now limited to individuals show reside or have offices in the Southern Judicial Circuit. Any party, for good cause shown, may request said Administrator for appointment of another neutral. Neutral Compensation: The parties are responsible for the payment of the selected or appointed neutral's fee, which shall be equally divided between the parties, unless otherwise Ordered by the Presiding Judge. A party may apply with the Southern Judicial Circuit Dispute Resolution Office for a determination of whether said party is indigent and unable to pay for the fee of the selected or appointed neutral. If the Administrator determines that such party is indigent, the ADR Program will provide payment for the services of the neutral from the Southern Judicial Circuit ADR Fund. Continuing Education for Neutrals: As required by the GODR. Evaluation of Neutrals: No formal evaluation of neutrals in conducted. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: Yes Background Information: None FY 2006 Annual Report 123 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 124 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 125 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 126 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 127 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution SWJC Alternative Dispute Resolution Program P.O. Box 729 Americus, GA 31709 Office: (229) 928-4567 Fax: (229) 928-4564 Areas/Counties Served: ( 6 counties: Lee, Macon, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, and Webster ) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Larry J. Cliatt, Program Administrator Statistic Type SUPERIOR General STATE General JUVENILE General MAGISTRATE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 86 42 44 41 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 Impasse 3 0 0 Courts Served: Superior, State, Juvenile, and Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, Magistrate, Probate Program Start Date: 2003 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Both voluntary and mandatory mediation occurs in this circuit. Types of cases / issues currently handled: General Civil, Domestic Relations, Juvenile Cases: Delinquency and Status offenses, and Deprivation issues. Excluded Cases: Felonies, traffic, and habeas corpus cases. How Cases Are Selected: Cases are screened and selected by the Administrator of the ADR program. Cases may also be referred by the judges assigned to the case or requested by the parties. Juvenile cases are referred by the Department of Juvenile Justice, screened by both DJJ and the ADR Administrator. Deprivation cases are screened by the Juvenile Court Judge in conjunction with the ADR Administrator. Neutral Selection: Neutrals are typically selected by the parties and their attorneys. If the parties fail to select a neutral, The Program Administrator will appoint a neutral. Neutrals are appointed on a rotational basis. Juvenile and Magistrate Court: The program pays the neutral a stipend of $25 per case; Deprivation cases are compensated at $100 per case. FY 2006 Annual Report 124 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 125 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Neutral Compensation: Fees are established by the mediators and paid by the parties. For indigent parties, mediators are compensated by the ADR Program; Grants/Fee Waivers are awarded based on income using a sliding scale. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Required. Evaluation of Neutrals: New mediators participate in the Superior Court Mediation Orientation Program and are required to be observed prior to mediating a case solo. The neutrals are required to successfully complete two (2) observations and two (2) co-mediations. Informal periodic evaluations are conducted on experienced mediators annually. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Juvenile and Magistrate Court Attorneys seldom attend sessions. In Deprivation cases, attorneys are encouraged to attend and the Respondent's Attorney is usually appointed by the Court. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: The seminar is administered by the program; seminar attendance is a standing order requirement for divorce and custody cases. Background Information: The predecessor for this program was the former SWJC Juvenile Court Deprivation Mediation Program, which was established by a state grant in January 2003. The SWJC ADR Program was established in the summer of 2003, after the Circuit withdrawal from the Third Judicial Administrative District. The majority of mediations are referred from the Superior Court. Mediations are ordinarily selected and paid by the parties. The parties usually have a ninety-day period to schedule the mediation session and complete the alternative dispute process. FY 2006 Annual Report 126 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 127 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Tenth Judicial District ADR Program 325 E. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601 Office: (706) 613-3210 Fax: (706) 613-3211 E-Mail: lindahorvath@co.clarke.ga.us Areas/Counties Served: Western, Alcovy and Northern Judicial Circuits, and Augusta (12 counties: Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Hart, Madison, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton, Burke, Columbia, and Richmond) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Linda Horvath, Program Director; Teresa Christian Statistic Type SUPERIOR General STATE General MAGISTRATE General PROBATE General OTHER General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 931 257 770 514 12 126 12 111 12 0 496 66 417 134 1 15 0 14 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 Impasse 159 13 108 1 0 Courts Served: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1994 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Yes Types of cases / issues currently handled: General Civil, Domestic Excluded Cases: Cases filed under the domestic violence act. How Cases Are Selected: On recommendation of program coordinator, request of party or attorney or directly from the court. Neutral Selection: Assigned by program coordinator. Neutral Compensation: The parties compensate the neutral $75 per hour any part thereof. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Continuing education is not required for neutrals. Evaluation of Neutrals: None Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. FY 2006 Annual Report 126 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A Background Information: Cases are referred to the program upon the recommendation of the program director or directly from the assigned judge. Mediators are assigned to the cases and the session is scheduled. The ADR office handles all conflicts or problems arising from the schedule or concerns the attorneys have regarding mediation at this point. The program director notifies the Judge of the outcome of the session and keeps statistical records of cases. FY 2006 Annual Report 127 Third Judicial Administrative District ADR Program Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution 216 Tenth Street Columbus, GA 31901 Office: (706) 649-1414 Fax: (706) 649-1413 E-Mail: thirdodr@odr3.net Web Site: www.odr3.net Areas/Counties Served: Third Judicial Administrative District ( 7counties: Harris, Talbot, Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Marion, Taylor, Houston) ADR Processes Offered: Mediation, Arbitration, Case Evaluation Program Staff: Nolan Murrah; Program Director; Ellen Ragan, Case Manager; Veronica Duncan, Administration Manager/Budget Officer Statistic Type SUPERIOR Civil Domestic STATE General MAGISTRATE General PROBATE General JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 196 96 100 64 3 168 55 113 78 5 118 48 70 51 0 7 0 7 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Impasse 33 30 19 4 0 0 Courts Served: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate, Municipal, Juvenile Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, State, Probate, Magistrate, Municipal Program Start Date: 1995 Fee Surcharge: $5 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: Both voluntary and mandatory mediation occurs in this district. Types of cases / issues currently handled: General civil, domestic Excluded Cases: Legitimation, annulment, paternity, termination of parental rights, child support enforcement, civil or criminal contempt, or Family Violence Act. How Cases Are Selected: The Superior Courts of the Third JAD enforce a standing order regarding all civil cases to mediation. Neutral Selection: Parties may choose their own ADR provider in superior, state and probate cases. If the parties cannot agree on a provider, the provider is assigned by the program. In magistrate, municipal and juvenile courts, the mediators are assigned by the program based on availability. Neutral Compensation: In superior, state and probate cases the parties compensate the provider. For magistrate, municipal and juvenile providers, the program pays a $25 stipend per case. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Three hours per year Evaluation of Neutrals: Provider evaluations are done on a regular basis by parties. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: The parties have to attend one session FY 2006 Annual Report 128 and receive a certificate. Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 129 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Waycross Circuit Juvenile 212 Oak Street Waycross, GA 31501 Office: (912) 283-2037 Fax: (912) 287-4347 Areas/Counties Served: Bacon, Brantley, Charlton, Coffee, Ware ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Brenda Sutton, Program Director Statistic Type JUVENILE Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 83 0 40 40 0 Impasse 0 Courts Served: Juvenile Program Start Date: 1997 Courts Collecting Fees: Children and Youth Grant Funding and Juvenile Supervision fees. Fee Surcharge: None Court/System required participation in ADR processes: No Types of cases / issues currently handled: DELINQUENCIES: Criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, simple assault, terroristic threats, shoplifting. STATUS OFFENSES: Runaway ungovernable child and truancy cases for city and county schools, grades K-5. Excluded Cases: Serious offenses; repeat offenders. How Cases Are Selected: The Mediation Program Director selects appropriate cases that have been referred by Intake. Neutral Selection: Registration with GODR; completion of application and background checks; completion of general and juvenile mediation training. Neutral Compensation: Neutrals receive a stipend of $25.00 per session. No stipulations for no shows. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Continuing education required for neutrals. Most mediators do participate in continuing education. Evaluation of Neutrals: No formal evaluation of neutrals is conducted. However, the program conducts periodic in-service programs and observations. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys may attend sessions. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A Background Information: Five active mediators currently serve the program FY 2006 Annual Report 130 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 131 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Whitfield County Magistrate Court Mediation Program P.O. Box 386 Dalton, GA 30277 Office: (706) 278-5052 Fax: (706) 278-8810 Areas/Counties Served: Whitfield County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: Freda Maynard, Program Director Statistic Type MAGISTRATE Civil Criminal Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 29 0 24 11 0 3 0 3 3 0 Impasse 13 0 Courts Served: Magistrate Courts Collecting Fees: Superior, Probate, Magistrate Program Start Date: 1997 Fee Surcharge: $7 Court/System required participation in ADR processes: No Types of cases / issues currently handled: Any contested civil or criminal case, including pre-arrest criminal cases, may be referred to mediation with approval of the chief judge. Cases are not referred by category, but upon individual review. Special consideration for referral may be given to certain types of cases. Parties may petition the Court to refer the case to mediation. Excluded Cases: None How Cases Are Selected: Cases are reviewed by the chief judge for appropriateness. Neutral Selection: Neutrals are selected by the program; however parties may petition the court for appointment of another neutral for good cause shown. Neutral Compensation: Neutrals serve as volunteers and are not compensated. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Neutrals are strongly encouraged to attend CE seminars. Evaluation of Neutrals: No formal evaluation of neutrals is conducted. Attorney Involvement: Attorney involvement is infrequent. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A Background Information: This program began in 1997 as a pilot supported by a grant from the Kiwanis Club of Dalton. FY 2006 Annual Report 132 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 133 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Whitfield County Juvenile Court Mediation Program 205 N. Selvidge Street Dalton, GA 30720 Office: (706) 278-6558 Fax: (706) 272-7018) E-Mail: dmoellerr@whitfieldcountyga.us Areas/Counties Served: Whitfield County ADR Processes Offered: Mediation Program Staff: David Moeller, Court Administrator Statistic Type JUVENILE General Program Statistics FY 06' July 2005- June 2006 Settled/ MEDIATION Cases Dismissed Referred Prior Cases Mediated Full Agreement Partial Agreement 0 0 0 0 0 Impasse 0 Courts Served: Juvenile Court Courts Collecting Fees: Juvenile Court Program Start Date: 1990 Fee Surcharge: None Supervision Fees: The Juvenile Court collects a supervision fee. A separate mediation fee is not charged. Court/System required participation in ADR processes: No Types of cases / issues currently handled: Parent/child conflicts; property damage cases; civil cases referred from magistrate court; first-offender shoplifting cases with the permission of the merchant; school fights; pot smoking; truancy; visitation plans between the Department of Family and Children Services and parents (citizen review panels); student disputes at the regional youth detention center. Excluded Cases: Shoplifting cases are typically excluded. How Cases Are Selected: Cases are referred to mediation by Intake or the judge. Neutral Selection: The Court Administrator appoints mediators on a rotating basis. Neutral Compensation: All mediators are unpaid volunteers. Continuing Education for Neutrals: Continuing education is preferred but not required. Evaluation of Neutrals: No formal evaluation procedure is in place at this time. Attorney Involvement: Attorneys do not regularly attend mediation sessions with their clients. Seminar requirement for divorcing parents in domestic cases: N/A FY 2006 Annual Report 134 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Background Information: Started in 1990, the Whitfield County program is the oldest juvenile court mediation program in the state. The program is served by a dedicated group of volunteers who have invested their time and energies into the program's survival. FY 2006 Annual Report 135 Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution FY 2006 Annual Report 136