A new Administrative Order in Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida now permits a presiding circuit or county court judge to refer civil cases to non-binding arbitration without the consent of the parties, much like cases are referred to mediation. This is the first time in our local courts that such a dispute resolution mechanism, other than mediation, is available for the judicial officer to resolve backlogged cases due to Covid-19 court closures. The development is expected, as other jurisdictions have demonstrated success in culling dockets with this technique. Though some counsel and their clients have expressed disdain for the process, which can be more like a mini-trial, others have found it useful in getting to the heart of the dispute. Per the order, the non-binding arbitration hearing shall be conducted informally with a decision within ten days of the final adjournment. Presentation of testimony shall be kept to a minimum and other matters shall be presented primarily through the statements and arguments of counsel. Arbitration fees shall be equally divided between the parties, unless otherwise agreed by the parties or ordered by the court. The arbitrator or chief arbitrator shall determine the hearing procedures in advance of the hearing, including what live testimony, if any, will be permitted and the nature, scope, and duration which will be set forth in the Notice of Non-binding Arbitration Hearing. When a case is referred to non-binding arbitration the parties shall have fifteen days within which to agree on the number and selection of their own arbitrator(s); otherwise, the presiding judge shall determine the number of arbitrators and select them. See more here-- https://bit.ly/3oD0QlS
