Although many civil lawsuits end in a settlement, parties and their legal counsel frequently face challenges in resolving them, especially through alternative dispute resolution methods (ADR) like mediation and arbitration. Though generally faster and cheaper than litigation, ADR can still be time-consuming and expensive, especially because parties must hire mediators or arbitrators. Fortunately, the Middlesex County Superior Court offers plaintiffs and defendants’ attorneys in civil actions another avenue to pursue settlements of their cases.

The Middlesex County Civil Bar Panel (bar panel) is a program under which attorneys and parties in civil cases headed for trial can meet with fellow attorneys who, as volunteers, serve as co-panelists for what is effectively a settlement conference. In recent years, the bar panel has successfully resolved hundreds of cases. Other counties in New Jersey could benefit from establishing similar programs to provide another opportunity for parties to settle their cases and to foster collegiality among members of their local civil litigation bar and their bench.