Superior Court of California, County of Yolo

Welcome to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) section of the Yolo County Superior Court web site. Our purpose here is to acquaint you with court's programs for alternative dispute resolution.

"Courts of this country should not be the places where resolution of disputes begins. They should be the places where disputes end, after alternative methods of resolving disputes have been considered and tried."
- Justice Sandra Day O'Connor United States Supreme Court

Not every case has to be resolved in the courtroom. More and more people and businesses are using ADR to resolve their legal problems. ADR is usually faster, cheaper and easier than going to trial. It also lets litigants resolve their disputes in a more private environment. Some forms of ADR, such as mediation, give people the chance to shape mutually acceptable agreements that can provide them an effective opportunity to settle their disputes.

The Yolo County Superior Court currently has mediation and arbitration programs for all applicable civil cases. At the civil case management conference (CMC) election of an ADR process is discussed and encouraged. The court's goal is to make civil litigation in Yolo County more effective by reducing the delay in bringing difficult cases to trial, more efficient by reducing the cost to the public and the litigants, and to be more responsive to everyone's desire to resolve disputes early and fully.

ADR is an integral part of the Case Management process. Local Rules 12 and 13 and Appendices 3 and 4 to the local rules all have provisions that apply to the ADR programs. Please consult the Local Rules and Policies.

Click on the subjects on the left margin banner (or keep reading) to learn more about how the ADR program works.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Program