The selected settlement officer has broad discretion to structure the settlement process. Any case may be excluded from the program by the assigned judge. Number of cases. No information is yet available on the number of cases referred. Case selection Eligibility of cases.
All civil cases are eligible.
A case may be excluded from the program by the assigned district or magistrate judge. No later than forty-five days before the final pretrial conference, the parties must select and participate in one of the court's approved settlement procedures. If parties do not select a settlement option, the court may order the parties to participate in any of the settlement procedures set forth in Local Rule 23. Opt-out or removal. The assigned judge may, if a party applies or sua sponte, excuse the case from participation in a settlement procedure.