The decision quickly came under fire on the Internet discussion list Cyberia, where some members questioned its fairness, noting that the complainant, James E. Tierney, is affiliated with the VM project as a advisor on consumer fraud issues, and one of the respondents, Email America, did not participate in the proceedings. I just can't wait to see some more default judgments from a tribunal with no sovereign authority. But David Johnson, co-director of the CLI, defended the decision. The text of the decision is available from the VM Web site. While the VM may be the most controversial provider of online ADR, it was not the first.
Fees vary depending on the nature and scope of the dispute.
This includes the first three hours of neutral time. This San Francisco-based company provides a range of traditional ADR services to businesses. It recently began offering online mediation, conducted via e-mail or on a private IRC channel. The process allows the parties to engage in online dialogue as well as to exchange documents, files and photographs. Fees for the service vary according to the size and nature of the case.