Mediation Tune up for the State Court Appellate Machine, A

This Article begins in Part II with a review of the rationale for appellate mediation programs. In Part III the Article will discuss the development and evaluation of a pilot program for the mediation of family appellate cases in Minnesota. The pilot was developed and implemented with the goals of settlement and other qualitative justice measures in mind. Moreover, preliminary evaluation results for the pilot suggest that both continue to be important and can be achieved.3 In Part IV the Article will discuss the elements of program design most likely to make appellate mediation programs succeed, in terms of both efficiency and procedural justice.

The Article will suggest that commitment to both of these goals in appellate mediation programs will help to ensure that there is sufficient "oil" to prevent a "breakdown" in the "engine" of justice.