Difference between revisions of "Small Claims Mediation (20:X)"

This  rule  applies  to  all  registries  except  the  Vancouver  (Robson  Square)  court  registry.  Parties pursuing mediation under Rule 7.3 should consider mediating through the Conflict Resolution Clinic (CoRe) – See [[Section III. D.: Alternative Dispute Resolution]]. Any  party  to  a  proceeding  where  the  amount  of  a claim, counterclaim,  or  third  party  notice  exceeds $10,000 may initiate mediation by filing a Notice to Mediate (Form 29) and serving it on every other party to the proceeding203. If mediation has been scheduled all parties must select a mediator, attend the mediation, and agree on the amount that each party will pay towards the costs of mediation204; by default,  the  parties  will  split  the  cost205.  If  the  parties  cannot  agree  on  a  mediator,  the BCMediator Roster Society may be requested to appoint one206. Parties must attend the mediation session in person unless an application is filed for adjournment207, for a teleconference208, or for an exemption209. If a party fails to attend as required, the mediator will fill  out  a  verification  of  default  (Form  31)  and  provide  it  to  the  party  in  attendance210.  After  filing Form  31,  the  party  in  attendance  can  file  a  request  for  judgment  or  dismissal  (Form  23)  which dismisses the claim if the party not attending is the claimant or gives a default order if the party not attending is the defendant211. C.Mediation in V ancouver (Robson Square) – Rule 7.4 Claims  exceeding  $5,000  or  personal  injury  claims  in  any  amount  are  subject  to  mandatory mediation212. There are a few exceptions213 including where the claim is for a financial debt and Rule 9.2 applies. The Registrar will serve the parties with a Notice of Mediation (Form 27) informing them of the date, time, and place of the mediation session214. If the claim is for damages for personal injuries, the claimant must file and serve the other parties with a  certificate  of  readiness  (Form  7)  and  required  documents215.  The  claimant  should  review  the applicable rules for the proper timeline and how to obtain extensions. Each  party  must  attend  the  mediation  session  in  person  unless  an  application  is  filed  for adjournment216, for a teleconference217, or unless an exemption is granted218. If a party fails to attend the mediation session, the party in attendance will receive a verification of non-attendance (Form 22) that can be filed with the Registrar219. After filing Form 22, the party in attendance can file a request