Rule 30. Arizona Appellate Settlement Conference Program

(a) Generally The Arizona Appellate Settlement Conference Program (the “program”) provides an alternative process for resolving certain civil appeals. The program's objectives are to provide parties to an appeal a procedure to:

(1) Realistically explore settlement of the entire case or issues in the case;

(2) Limit and simplify issues on appeal; and

(3) Aid the speedy and just resolution of the appeal

(b) Division Policies Each division of the Court of Appeals may establish its policy for: parties to participate in the program or to object to participation; assignment of cases to the program; selection of appellate mediators; and other procedures including settlement conferences. Each policy must provide that:

(1) All proceedings in this program are confidential, are not discoverable, and are inadmissible in evidence in any judicial proceeding A party to an appeal selected for the program likewise may not communicate to a third person any information that he or she discusses or learns of in the course of the program, except to the extent required by law or compelled by process.

(2) Appellate mediators, settlement conference attorneys and all other court employees involved in the program are absolutely immune from suit for all conduct in the course of their official duties

(3) Any person who participates as an appellate mediator must not later participate in any way in the consideration or disposition of the appeal