Massachusetts

Timothy M. Linnehan
Administrative Attorney/ADR Coordinator
Administrative Office of the TrialCourts
Two Center Plaza, Room 540
Boston, MA  02108
(617) 742-8575
(617) 742-0968 Fax

Susan Jeghelian
Director, Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution (MODR)
One Asheburton Place, Room 501
Boston, MA  02108

Massachusetts Office for Dispute Resolution:  Provides information about MODR and lists services available.

Small Claims

Program Overview:

Referral:

Selection, Qualification, and Training of Neutrals: Volunteer mediators used, need to be associated with community mediation program.

Payment/Costs/Funding: No fees charged in district court.

Civil

Program Overview: Each Trial Court department Chief Justice is required to approve programs qualified to receive court referrals.

Referral: Mandatory ADR is limited to certain pilot programs which meet certain criteria.

Selection, Qualification, and Training of Neutrals: The Trial Court distributes a combined list of approved programs. The Trial Court distributes a combined list of approved programs. Contracts with ADR programs must be awarded through a competitive process. Contracts may provide funds, may provide for a court to refer all or most cases to the program, or both.

Payment/Costs/Funding: Each Trial Court department must prepare an annual ADR plan and seek funds needed for ADR under the plan.

Family

Program Overview: There is no mediation statute. A confidentiality statue covers the state.

Referral:

Selection, Qualifications, and Training of Neutrals: Appointment to a judicial organization and has thirty hours of training and four years of experience as a mediator or accountable to a dispute resolution organization in existence for three years.

Payment/Costs/Funding:

Appellate

Program Overview: Mediation available.

Referral:

Selection, Qualification, and Training of Mediators:

Payment/Costs/Funding:

Criminal

Program Overview:

Referral:

Selection, Qualification, and Training of Mediators:

Payment/Costs/Funding:

Juvenile

Dependency:

Delinquency:

Teen Court: 

Truancy:

Restorative Justice Programs

Sentencing Circle:

Victim-Offender: The Quincy Juvenile Probation Department offers a victim offender mediation program.

Probate

Program Overview:

Referral:

Selection, Qualification, and Training of Neutrals:

Payment/Costs/Funding: