Superior Court of the District of Columbia Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division 500 Indiana Avenue, NW, JM Level, Moultrie Annex Washington, D.C. 20001 Phone (202) 879-1478 Fax (202)879-4619 Tax Mediation Information Package The attached Confidential Settlement Statement (CSS) and Settlement Offer Form must be completed and forwarded to the Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division. You must also forward a copy of the Settlement Offer Form to the Office of the Corporation Counsel 60 days prior to your scheduled mediation conference. NO EXCEPTIONS! A party who fails to file the CSS Statement and Settlement Offer on time may be ordered to appear and show cause why sanctions should not be imposed. (Please remember that the CSS should be forwarded only to the MultiDoor Division.) Unless otherwise specified, all tax mediations are held in Building A, 515 - 5th Street, N.W., Room 112, Washington, D.C. The Program Officer will notify you Of the date and time of your mediation. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Program Officer at the above-referenced telephone number. Revised 6198 2001 © American LegalNet, Inc. Tax Mediation Procedures and Confidential Settlement Statement Extensive experience throughout the country has shown that a high percentage of Civil cases referred to mediation is amicably settled without the need for an expensive and timeconsuming trial. The likelihood of settlement is enhanced when all parties meet face-to-face for discussions in the presence of a neutral party. The Court has therefore instituted these procedures to be followed whenever the Court orders a case to mediation. Parties and counsel are cautioned that sanctions mav be imposed on those who do not comply I. SCHEDULING AND ATTENDANCE 1. All parties and their attorneys must appear at the mediation conference set by the Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division in accordance with the Order entered in the case. A notice scheduling this case before a particular mediator will be sent to counsel and/or parties approximately 30 days before the scheduled conference date. Counsel/parties may contact the Tax Program Officer at (202) 879-1478 with questions regarding the mediation and/or the Confidential Settlement Statement. 2. Any party or attorney who believes that he or she has been incorrectly notified to appear for mediation must contact the Civil Clerk’s Office and provide the appropriate documentation. Where no such action is taken, the party or counsel will be required to fully participate in the mediation or case evaluation. 3. Corporations, partnerships and other business or governmental entities must bring an officer, partner or other individual with settlement authority to the mediation or case evaluation conference, unless previously excused by the Judge, mediator or neutral evaluator. If counsel appears without such an individual, counsel must have full settlement authority. 4. If settlement must be approved by a person not present at the conference, counsel is personally responsible for having that person available by telephone during the session. 5. A party residing outside the local metropolitan area, who has been excused from attending by the Judge or Mediator, can be available by long distance collect telephone call. Counsel must advise the Multi-Door Division prior to the mediation conference of any such arrangement and provide the name of the individual party who will be available by telephone. Revised l/99 2001 © American LegalNet, Inc. Mediation Procedures and Confidential Settlement Statement Form Page Two II. Conference Procedures 1. Prior to the conference, each party must complete the attached Confidential Settlement Statement (CSS) and file it with the Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division, JM Annex, 500 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. This form must be filed by the “CSS Return” date indicated on the scheduling notice. DO NOT SEND COPIES OF THE CONFIDENTIAL STATEMENT TO THE CLERK, THE ASSIGNED JUDGE, OR TO THE OTHER PARTIES. A party who fails to file the Statement on time may be ordered to appear and show cause why sanctions should not be imposed. Counsel may file one settlement statement for all parties he or she represents, provided that all those parties are clearly and expressly indicated on the statement. 2. If the case settles prior to the conference, the original and one copy of the praecipe or document disposing of the case should be filed with the clerk’s office. A copy must also be sent to the Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division in lieu of a Confidential Settlement Statement. Counsel must be certain to inform the MultiDoor Division of settlements occurring prior to the mediation conference. 3. The mediation sessions is confidential. The participants will be asked to sign the attached “Statement of Understanding” at the beginning of the session confirming their understanding of the session’s confidential nature. All proceedings at the mediation, including any statement made by any party, attorney or other participant, are privileged. They may not be construed as an admission against interest and nothing said at such sessions may be used in court in connection with the case or any other litigation. No party is bound by anything said or done at the mediation conference unless a settlement is reached and a settlement praecipe is filed with the Court. 4. The mediator will meet initially with all the parties and counsel. He or she may then meet with each side privately as necessary to clarify important issues and to allow parties to reveal in confidence the factors viewed as critical to settlement. Through a series of meetings with the parties, individually and together, the mediator will try to facilitate an agreement that will satisfy the interests of all concerned. Revised l/99 2001 © American LegalNet, Inc.