Report on Mediation Pilot Project in New York County Surrogate’s Court

SUMMARY

The Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (Nancy Kramer, Chair) issued a report on its work to create a pilot mediation program in New York County Surrogate’s Court.  The project was spearheaded in 2009 by the Hon. Kristin Booth Glen, who offered the City Bar’s ADR Committee the opportunity to design and implement a mediation panel for parties litigating in the Surrogate’s Court.  The Committee worked with members of the City Bar’s Trusts, Estates and Surrogate’s Court Committee, along with members of the Mediation Committee of the Dispute Resolution Section of New York State Bar Association, to establish procedures and model forms and orders.  The mediation program, which was originally designed as a court-annexed program for difficult cases designated by the Surrogate, was restructured in 2013 to operate as an “opt-in” program.  It has been well-received by the Surrogate’s Court judges, who have been encouraging parties with suitable cases to take advantage of the program.