SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES VOLUNTARY SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE (VSC) GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPANTS Case Number: ___________________________ Case Name: ______________________________________________ Conference Date: ________________________ Conference Time: __________________________________________ Conference Location: _______________________________________________________________________________ † Notice Waived † Plaintiff’s counsel to give Notice †Other:___________________________________ Settlement (Plaintiff)___________________________________ Phone No.:___________________________ Officers: (Defendant)__________________________________________ Phone No.:___________________________ 1) SETTING CONFERENCE DATE Once the voluntary settlement conference (VSC) has been scheduled, the date may not be changed. An action assigned to a VSC precludes future assignment to any other form of Court sponsored pro bono ADR. 2) ATTENDANCE Trial counsel and persons with full authority to settle the case must personally attend the conference unless excused by the court for good cause. If consent to settle is required for any reason, the party with the consensual authority must be personally present at the conference. Trial counsel for all parties appearing in the action must be fully prepared to discuss the evidence involving both liability and damages. 3) SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE STATEMENT Each party must submit to the settlement officers, but not file with the Court, and serve on every other party a settlement conference statement no later than five court days before the initial date set for the settlement conference. The settlement conference statement must contain a good faith settlement demand, an itemization of economic and non-economic damages by each plaintiff, a good faith offer of settlement by each defendant, and a statement identifying and discussing in detail all facts and law pertinent to the issues of liability and damages involved in the case as to the party 4) EVIDENCE CODE Evidence Code section 1152 (concerning offers of compromise) applies to the settlement conference. 5) SETTLEMENT If the case is settled, all parties must notify the ADR office immediately. In cases settled within two days prior to the scheduled conference, Plaintiff’s counsel, or the self represented plaintiff, shall immediately send a copy of written notice of settlement to the ADR office. If settlement is reached during the settlement conference, the settlement may be enforced pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 664.6. Code of Civil Procedure section 664.6 provides that the Court may (a) upon motion, enter judgment pursuant to the terms of the settlement and (b) if requested by the parties, dismiss and retain jurisdiction to enforce the terms of the settlement. In order to be enforceable and binding, the settlement agreement must either be reduced to writing signed by all parties, adjusters and counsel or agreed to "orally before the court" per Code of Civil Procedure section 664.6. LAADR 080 (New) LASC Approved 04-10 VOLUNTARY SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE (VSC) GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPANTS American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com