Judge: Sarah J. Heidel, Case: 24GDCV00292, Date: 2025-04-15 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 24GDCV00292    Hearing Date: April 15, 2025    Dept: V

The parties in the above-captioned case are referred to the Mediation Volunteer Panel (MVP), a court-connected program administered by the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Office. Cases referred to the MVP program will be eligible for three hours of virtual mediation at no cost with a qualified and impartial mediator who volunteers preparation time and the first three hours of the virtual mediation session. Thereafter, if the parties wish to continue the mediation, the mediator may charge the hourly rate as listed in their MVP profile listed on the Court’s website at www.lacourt.org/ADR. The ADR Office will email a detailed Notice of Referral to Mediation (Notice) to all parties and their attorneys of record. The Notice directs the parties or their attorneys to meet and confer regarding the selection of a mediator and submit an online Response to the Notice. Parties may select a mediator from the MVP profiles or request the ADR Office to assign a mediator. Mediator profiles, including contact information, areas of expertise, and hourly rates, are available on the Court’s ADR webpage. Regardless of the method of mediator selection, the plaintiff or plaintiff’s counsel must submit an online Response within 15 calendar days of the date on the Notice. A link to the Response Form is available on the Court’s ADR webpage and on the Notice of Referral to Mediation. The ADR Office will email a Notice of Mediator Assignment to the mediator and the parties in all MVP cases once the Response Form is received and processed. If an MVP mediator is not available, the ADR Office may refer cases to other no-cost or low-cost mediation resources when necessary (e.g. Mediation Center of Los Angeles or the Civil Mediation Vendor Resource List). The assigned MVP mediator will communicate mediation details, including preparation instructions and the date, time, and links to the virtual mediation session. The entire mediation process must be completed prior to the completion date set by the judge. Parties and attorneys 
are responsible for attending the mediation session and ensuring that all persons necessary to resolve the case participate. The mediation shall be completed by 09/01/25. Submission of an action to mediation does not affect time periods specified in the Trial Court Delay Reduction Act (Gov. Code, § 68600 et seq.) except as provided in C.R.C. 3.896 (a). Parties are directed to read and comply with the MVP information and procedures outlined in the General Order in re Mediation Volunteer Panel and Notice of Referral to Mediation. For questions, parties should contact the ADR Office at 213-830-0458 or ADRCivil@lacourt.org.

Post-Mediation Status Conference is scheduled for 09/02/25 at 08:30 AM in Department V at Alhambra Courthouse.

In the event that the case is not settled as the conference date approaches, counsel shall file a joint statement, not later than five days prior to the conference, apprising the Court of their efforts to settle the case and/or resolve the case through alternative dispute resolution. The clerk shall give notice.