Rule 3.800.Definitions

Rule 3.800 sets the vocabulary for the entire Alternative Dispute Resolution division of the California Rules of Court. “Alternative dispute resolution process,” or “ADR process,” is defined broadly: any process outside formal litigation where a neutral person, or several, resolves a dispute or helps the parties resolve it themselves. That umbrella definition covers everything from arbitration to mediation to other neutral-assisted approaches the rules address elsewhere in the division.

“Mediation” gets its own, narrower definition: a process where a neutral facilitates communication between disputing parties so they can reach an agreement both sides find acceptable. The rule draws a sharp line around that definition by excluding one specific thing — a settlement conference held under rule 3.1380 does not count as mediation for purposes of this division. That distinction matters because a judicial settlement conference is a step inside the litigation itself, run by or before a judicial officer, while mediation under this division follows its own separate set of rules on confidentiality, mediator qualifications, and procedure.