Law Commons^™

Are We Ready For Mediation In Cyberspace?, Joel B. Eisen

BYU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Defending The Weak And Fighting Unfairness: Can Mediators Respond To The Challenge?, Michael Coyle

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

As mediation gains in popularity as a tool for resolving civil disputes, and particularly as a substitute for court decisions, some have questioned mediation's ability to assure fairness of process and outcome. Others have argued that the main strength of mediation lies in the power it gives the parties to invent their own approach to resolving their dispute, leaving little room for mediators to impose their own notions of fairness on the process. This article examines the extent to which mediators have an obligation to address issues of fairness in the processes they manage. Through a functional and context-based analysis …

Why Arbitrate?: Ontario's Recent Experience With Commercial Arbitration, Randy A. Pepper

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

In 1988, Ontario adopted the International Commercial Arbitration Act and in January 1992 the Arbitration Act, 1991 came into force for domestic arbitrations. These statutes and similar legislation in other provinces pushed Canadian arbitration regimes into the forefront of industrial nations. However, there has not been a significant increase in the number of commercial arbitrations being conducted in Ontario. This article suggests that Ontario is ideally placed to become an important centre for domestic and international arbitration. The author asserts that if commercial parties and their counsel were more familiar with the benefits of the arbitral process and with the …

Protecting The Confidentiality Of Communications In Mediation, Owen V. Gray

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

This article explores the justifications for protecting mediation communications from disclosure. It reviews the existing legal protections for mediated dispute settlement discussions. The major issues that seem to arise when statutory reform is considered are identified, and a recent study of the issue by the Manitoba Law Reform Commission is described and critiqued. The author argues that a distinction should be made between circumstances in which a party is required or permitted to testify about what took place in mediation, and circumstances in which the mediator may be required to do so. He suggests that mere extension to mediation of …

Would Adr Have Saved Romeo And Juliet?, Pam Marshall

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

Like many disputes, Romeo and Juliet is a story with no winners; the outcome is destined to be lose-lose. Disputes are an inevitable part of human interaction and people need to learn effective and reasonable ways of dealing with their disputes. The question is how can this be done in a way that leaves people intact. The article compares and contrasts two modes for resolving disputes: adjudication and alternative dispute resolution (ADR). The article looks at what happens when disputes arise-how do problems become "disputes" and what do people do about them? The role of lawyers as dispute creators as …

Unwilling Actors: Why Voluntary Mediation Works, Why Mandatory Mediation Might Not, Gary Smith

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

This article examines the debate over the introduction of mandatory mediation in civil litigation. It analyzes why and how voluntary mediation works in order to measure how the process might change under the new regime being implemented in Ontario. The underlying narrative structures of mediation are exposed using semiotic theories commonly employed in the study of theatre. This article will show that mediation, when imposed on unwilling parties, will hinder its efficacy and compromise its theatrical processes. The author concludes that the best way to ensure that making mediation mandatory does not discredit the efficacy and benefits of the process …

Conciliation Des Litiges Et Formes Alternatives De Régulation En Droit Administratif Fédéral, France Houle, Daniel Mockle

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

Despite the considerable attention devoted to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Canada, few studies are available on its impact in public law, especially in federal administrative law. Yet, there is much evidence that these techniques are increasingly used and it is therefore timely to catalogue and classify them. To this end, a distinction is drawn between dispute resolution techniques used for transactional purposes and those used for regulatory purposes. This classification provides the basis for a theoretical analysis which focuses on public law and raises questions generally neglected in the existing literature concerning ADR: the particular nature of federal law, …

Mediation In Environmental Conflicts: The Belgian Methodology, Catherine Zwetkoff

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

Dr. Zwetkoff analyzes the effectiveness and feasibility of using traditional ADR techniques to resolve environmental disputes in Belgium.

Alternative Dispute Resolution In Commercial Intellectual Property Disputes , Scott H. Blackman, Rebecca M. Mcneill

American University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Reining In The Manifest Disregard Of The Law Standard: The Key To Restoring Order To The Law Of Vacatur, Stephen L. Hayford

Journal of Dispute Resolution

The thesis of this article is that if the "manifest disregard" of the law standard is either rejected as doctrinally unsound or somehow harmonized with Section 10(a) of the FAA in a manner that precludes judicial intrusion into the merits of commercial arbitration awards, the legitimacy of all of the remaining nonstatutory grounds for vacatur will be eviscerated. If those nonstatutory standards were eliminated, the law of vacatur would be restored to the simple, straightforward standards articulated by Congress in Section 10(a) of the FAA

Fallacy Of Duffield V. Robertson And Rosenberg V. Merrill Lynch: The Continuing Viability Of Mandatory Pre-Dispute Title Vii Arbitration Agreements In The Post-Civil Rights Act Of 1991 Era, The, Kristen Decker, William Krizner

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Two recent decisions, one in the Ninth Circuit and one in a Massachusetts District Court, have erroneously held that mandatory Title VII pre-dispute arbitration clauses are unenforceable under the Civil Rights Act of 1991.' A statutory construction analysis of the 1991 Civil Rights Act demonstrates that Congress did not intend to abolish the use of such clauses. Instead, Congress intended to support the use of mandatory pre-dispute arbitration as a valid and useful forum for the resolution of disputes arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The purpose of the following Article is twofold. First, this …

Is Alternative Dispute Resolution A Possibility In The Riverboat Gambling Quagmire - Akin V. Missouri Gaming Commission, Matthew Potter

Journal of Dispute Resolution

During the 1990s, the emergence of riverboat gambling operations has led to an avalanche of social and political debates.' Since 1989, riverboat gaming has been electorally approved in several midwestern states, including Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Louisiana.4 However, this voter acceptance of a formerly stigmatized industry has not come without a significant backlash. In particular, religious groups have denounced riverboat gambling, claiming that such activity inevitably leads to, inter alia, dissipated savings, chronic addictions, and other ancillary societal vices, including prostitution, alcoholism, and drug abuse.'

Eleventh Circuit Adopts Manifest Disregard Of The Law As A Non-Statutory Ground For Vacating An Arbitration Award - Montes V. Shearson Lehman Brothers, Inc., The, Daniel S. Cohen

Journal of Dispute Resolution

When parties agree to resolve disputes through arbitration, they expect the resolution to be binding and final. There are a few situations, however, where a court will be willing to intervene and vacate the arbitration board's award. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, in Montes v. Shearson Lehman Brothers, Inc., recognized that manifest disregard of the law by an arbitrator is a reason to abandon the arbitrator's ruling and remand the case to a new arbitration board. The court established that when it can be shown that the arbitrator knew the law and expressly ignored it, his decision will not …

Utilitarian Analysis Of The Objectives Of Criminal Plea Negotiation And Negotiation Strategy Choice, Joseph W. Vanover

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This article examines the repercussions of choosing a negotiating style for the present criminal case on the actions of opposing counsel in future cases. It scrutinizes the criminal plea negotiating process from the perspective of both a prosecuting attorney and a defense attorney. It analyzes this process using two philosophical theories: act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism.

Survey Of Domestic Mediator Qualifications And Suggestions For A Uniform Paradigm, A, Timothy Lohmar, Heidi Gryte, Amy Markel

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Plagued by the burdens of congestion in the family courts system, many jurisdictions have resorted to both court-connected and independent mediation referral as a means to relieve the hurdles of domestic litigation.' In efforts to ensure the quality of mediators to whom they refer cases, many states have resorted to statutory provisions which prescribe certain criteria which domestic mediators must meet. What has evolved is a variety of domestic mediator skills, personal qualities, and knowledge standards incorporated by jurisdictions throughout the United States. This note will attempt to identify the predominant themes recurrent in states ordaining statutory domestic mediator qualifications, …

Employment Protection And Domestic Violence: Addressing Abuse In The Labor Grievance Process, Jennifer Atterbury

Journal of Dispute Resolution

The effects of domestic violence are not limited to the home environment. Its effects are felt in employment when abused employees are absent from work and when violent incidents erupt in the workplace. For example, a bruised employee might be too injured and embarrassed to attend work, or an estranged spouse might stalk and harass a victim on the job. Another issue arises in that employers often discipline victims of domestic violence for absenteeism and incidents of violence that occur in the workplace. Discipline of union members is governed by collective bargaining agreements and subject to the labor grievance process. …

Recent Developments: The Uniform Arbitration Act, Benjamin K. Byrd, Mondonna L. Ghasedi, Robert J. Steintjes, Michelle Trant

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This Article is an overview of recent court decisions that interpret state versions of the Uniform Arbitration Act ("U.A.A.").' Arbitration statutes patterned after the U.A.A. have been adopted by thirty-four states and the District of Columbia.' The goal of this project is to promote uniformity in the interpretation of the U.A.A. by articulating the underlying policies and rationales of recent court decisions interpreting the U.A.A.

A Proposed Conflict Of Interest Rule For Attorney-Mediators, Michelle D. Gaines

Washington Law Review

Maintaining the success and fairness of mediation requires mediators to be impartial toward all parties and to protect the confidentiality of mediation sessions. Attorney-mediators encounter conflicts of interest, based on prior or subsequent representation of clients, that can disrupt impartiality or confidentiality. When attorneys practice mediation, it is unclear where they should look for guidance: attorney rules of professional conduct, mediator ethical standards, or both. Additionally, attorney-mediators encounter unique issues that ethical guidelines designed for attorneys or mediators do not address adequately. This Comment proposes a comprehensive conflict of interest rule for inclusion in the Rules of Professional Conduct that …

Introduction: Current Issues In Arbitration, Shannon E. Pinkston

Vanderbilt Law Review

"[An incompetent attorney can delay a case for years, while a competent attorney can delay it for even longer."'

This oft-repeated joke illustrates the public perception of the delays and expense that accompany courtroom litigation. Indeed, growing frustration with crowded courts and exorbitant legal costs fuels the widespread Alternative Dispute Resolution ("ADR") movement. Notwithstanding the dramatic increase in its use, ADR, defined as "procedures for settling disputes by means other than litigation," is not a novel idea. In fact, ADR was present in America as early as the seventeenth century. In certain parts of colonial America, voluntary arbitration was a …

Mediation In Kentucky: Where Do We Go From Here?, Vanessa Mitchell

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents - Issue 2

Journal of Dispute Resolution

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents - Issue 1

Journal of Dispute Resolution

No abstract provided.

Qualification Requirements Of Mediators, Norma Jeanne Hill

Journal of Dispute Resolution

As the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution spreads, the question of who is qualified to provide mediation services becomes ever more important. In determining which selection methods to use in choosing qualified mediators for a particular court or program, attention should be paid to the effectiveness of each specific method, the cost to use it, and whether the method unduly discriminates against individuals of different cultural groups or with varying mediation styles. Just like any other selection procedure in the world of employment, a mediator qualification requirement ought to be analyzed in terms of effectiveness, cost, and discriminatory effects before …

Title Page

Journal of Dispute Resolution

No abstract provided.

Functus Officio: Does The Doctrine Apply In Labor Arbitration - Teamsters Local 312 V. Matlack, Inc., Amy Markel

Journal of Dispute Resolution

The doctrine of functus officio was developed at common law in response to concerns about the "solemnity of judgments" and the effect of outside influences on arbitrators' decisions.2 Although not strictly applied in arbitration that is conducted pursuant to the Labor Management Relations Act,3 the doctrine of functus officio prevents an arbitrator from vacating, modifying, supplementing, or correcting his award . Most courts recognize three narrow exceptions to the doctrine which allow an arbitrator to revisit his award under limited circumstances. This Note examines the application of the "clarification exception" to the doctrine in a labor dispute setting and outlines …

Preliminary Injunction Of Arbitration Proceedings - Six Clinics Holding Corporation, Ii V. Cafcomp Systems, Inc., Heidi Albers

Journal of Dispute Resolution

The issue presented in Six Clinics Holding Corporation, I v. Cafcomp Systems, Inc., is whether a court is prohibited from issuing a preliminary injunction in a case subject to arbitration.' The parties had a private agreement to arbitrate any disputes, but the court enjoined the arbitration in order to determine a federal issue outside the arbitrator's jurisdiction The defendant argued that the Anti-Injunction Act, which prohibits federal courts from enjoining state court proceedings, was violated.4 However, the court found a loophole by stating that a private arbitration is not a state proceeding and thus is not governed by the Act.5 …

Protecting Against Employment Discrimination: The Ninth Circuit's Interpretation Of Mandatory Arbitration Of Title Vii Claims - Renteria V. Prudential Ins. Co. Of America, Todd C. Stanton

Journal of Dispute Resolution

The growing trend toward reliance upon arbitration, rather than judicial adjudication, has resulted in a reformation regarding the resolution of disputes within the employment industry. It has become a standard practice of many employers to require that employees sign employment agreements before they are allowed to work. Recently, these types of agreements have begun to require that employees resolve any disputes or claims against their employers through arbitration rather than judicial adjudication. Unfortunately, the average employee is often unaware of the binding nature of these agreements until a dispute actually arises with his or her employer. The Ninth Circuit has …

Restoring Faith In The Attorney/Client Relationship: Alaska's Mandatory Fee Arbitration - A. Fred Miller, Attorneys At Law, P.C. V. Purvis, Byron D. Brown

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Arbitration is an effective method of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in resolving a disagreement between an attorney and client over legal fees. The arbitration proceeding offers benefits for both lawyers and clients. Attorneys avoid having to sue a former client for a delinquent bill and face the very real possibility of a malpractice counterclaim. The client, on the other hand, avoids the aggravation of retaining another counsel to defend the suit. Mandatory fee arbitration, as established by the Alaska Supreme Court, places the decision to submit to arbitration squarely in the client's hands. Once the client chooses arbitration, the attorney …

Arbitration Agreements: Should A Union Be Allowed To Make Collective Bargaining Agreements That Bind Individuals' Federal Statutory Claims To Arbitration - Brisentine V. Stone & (And) Webster Engineering Corp., Troy Groat

Journal of Dispute Resolution

With the constant increase of employment litigation2 among individuals, unions and companies, the use of arbitration clauses continues to grow each day. While it is clear that arbitration clauses can be beneficial, it is not clear when and in what situations they should be binding, and hence, waive the rights of parties to have their day in court. Against this backdrop, the Brisentine court faced the issue of whether a union, when making a collective bargaining agreement, can bind individual employee's federal statutory rights to arbitration

Faa Exclusionary Clause: Are We Headed For A Broader Interpretation Of Interstate Commerce - Miller V. Public Storage Management, Inc., The, Matthew Potter

Journal of Dispute Resolution

The Federal Arbitration Act ("FAA") encompasses a vast spectrum of arbitration controversies. The FAA provides that "[a] written provision in .. . a contract evidencing a transaction involving commerce to settle by arbitration a controversy thereafter arising out of such contract or transaction... shall be valid, irrevocable, and enforceable."2 The preceding section of the Act, however, states that "nothing herein contained shall apply to contracts of employment of seamen, railroad employees, or any other class of workers engaged in foreign or interstate commerce."3 In their efforts to maintain a balance between these competing interests, many courts have attempted to assemble …