The Superior Court administers the highly successful Court-Annexed Arbitration Program, which speeds the disposition of certain less-complex civil cases in which there is $100,000 or less at issue. Matters such as contract disputes, personal injury claims, and property damage suits may be certified to this alternative dispute resolution program.
During an arbitration hearing, evidence is presented in an informal setting to a court-trained attorney/arbitrator who, after considering the same, makes an award in the case usually within ten (10) days of the hearing. Arbitration not only speeds case resolution but also saves litigants and taxpayers millions of dollars a year by eliminating many of the costs associated with lengthy, formal trials. Arbitration also frees courtrooms and allows judicial officers to concentrate on more serious or complex civil and criminal cases. Over the last five (5) years, fifty-three percent (53%) of those cases designated to court-annexed arbitration have resulted in disposition.
Also administered through the Superior Court Arbitration Office is the annual “Settlement Week" which is held in Providence in December each year, during which civil cases may be resolved through mediation. Additional settlement weeks in the counties have been held with much success, extending this option to cases filed outside of Providence. Over the last five (5) years, sixty-seven percent (67%) of those cases heard were settled through mediation.