| Date: | 08/23/2018 |
|---|---|
| Referenced Sources: | Internal court policies & guides |
- This page, Trial Court Policy on Data Collection and Record Keeping, is offered by
- Executive Office of the Trial Court
- Massachusetts Court System
Policy Statement
Policy Statement Trial Court Policy on Data Collection and Record Keeping
Table of Contents
Policy
It is the policy of the Trial Court that courts must, in each case, keep a record of each referral for court connected dispute resolution services under SJC Rule 1:18, Uniform Rules on Dispute Resolution. Approved programs must, in addition to any other requirements established by the Chief Justice of a Trial Court Department, maintain records of cases referred to them to enable the appropriate Department or Departments of the Trial Court to evaluate the program. See Uniform Rules 3(c), 3(d), Commentary to 4(b), and 6(g).
At a minimum, approved programs must maintain for at least three years a written record of each case referred by each particular court using a form prescribed by the Chief Justice for Administration and Management.
Every approved program shall file a report within sixty (60) days following the end of the Trial Court’s fiscal year (June 30) with the Chief Justice of each Department from which they have received a referral using the Dispute Resolution Program Report prescribed by the Chief Justice for Administration and Management. This annual report shall include a summary of the dispute resolution services provided to the Department during the previous fiscal year including a summary of the case record information and the number and nature of written complaints about court connected dispute resolution services received, if any. Reports shall be prepared consistent with the confidentiality requirements of the Uniform Rules on Dispute Resolution.