California Mediators Demand that the Legislature Stop Feeding Mediation Funds to Deep Pockets

Los Angeles, CA (PRWeb) January 5, 2007 -- A group of concerned mediators and attorneys are demanding that the California legislature halt the flow of government Dispute Resolution Program (DRPA) funds to benefit deep pocket corporations and high worth individuals, and concentrate instead on using the funds as the Legislature intended, to fund pre-litigation, community based Dispute Resolution efforts. These mediators and attorneys are seeking an amendment to the statute to emphasize the Legislature's original intent to benefit community dispute resolution programs.

Attorney Charles Parselle states: 'The legislature's stated intent when it enacted the law was to use the funds to resolve disputes between neighbors, domestic disputes and consumer-merchant disputes, by encouraging greater use of alternatives to the courts.'

However, in Los Angeles County, for example, much of the available funding goes to help resolve high value civil cases, already in litigation, in which many litigants are large corporations, insurance companies and well-off individuals.

Adds attorney Elizabeth Moreno: 'We are asking the legislature to re-assert its original intent to provide community alternatives to costly court litigation, by funding community dispute resolution centers.'

For more information on LA Mediators and the proposed Amendments to the Dispute Resolutions Programs Act, call Charles B. Parselle at 818.346.5810 or Elizabeth A. Moreno at 310.444.3804 or visit http://lamediators.org.

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