(a) Arbitrations will be held on the date and at the time and place prescribed by the court administrator.(b) The court administrator shall notify all attorneys of record of the date, time and place of the hearing by mail. If a party is not represented by counsel of record, that party shall be given notice by regular mail addressed to the party's last known address. The court administrator shall file of record proof of notice as aforesaid. Notice shall be given to the parties or their attorneys of record at least thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled hearing. The court administrator shall, by regular mail, also notify all arbitrators assigned to an arbitration panel of the dates on which the arbitration panel is assigned to hear arbitration cases and the location of the arbitration hearings.
In addition, prior to the scheduled arbitration date, the court administrator shall, by mail, send all of the arbitrators assigned to the arbitration panel a list containing the names of the cases to be heard, the names of the parties and the names of all counsel for the parties. In the event any of the arbitrators believes that he/she has a conflict of interest in connection with hearing any particular case, the arbitrator shall immediately notify the court administrator in writing that the arbitrator believes there is a conflict of interest and the reasons therefore, with a copy to all counsel or unrepresented parties involved in the particular case.
(c) On the date of the arbitration hearing, all counsel should check in with the representative of the court administrator's office located at the site of the arbitration. Cases in which all parties have checked in and have indicated they are ready to proceed will be assigned to a panel for hearing, by the representative of the court administrator's office after consultation with the panel chairman. All cases on the list are intended to be reached, and all counsel should be prepared to commence their case at the time they are directed to report for the arbitration.(d) In the event that the panels of arbitrators are unable to reach all of the cases scheduled for arbitration on a particular day, the arbitration hearing for those cases that are not reached shall be continued by the court administrator's office to the morning of the next available date for arbitrations generally. In the event that an arbitration hearing has been commenced but is not concluded on the day scheduled for the arbitration hearing, the arbitration hearing shall be continued to the morning of the next available date that the same members of the arbitration panel which commenced hearing the case are scheduled and available to hear arbitration cases.(e) The written notice provided for above shall include the following statement: "This matter will be heard by a board of arbitrators at the time, date and place specified but, if one or more of the parties is not present at the hearing, the matter may be heard at the same time and date before a judge of the court without the absent party or parties. There is no right to a trial de novo on appeal from a decision entered by a judge."
Amended effective 1/1/2020; amended effective 7/1/2023.