Mediation Case Law Teaching Videos
Rojas v. Los Angeles County Superior Ct., 93 P.3d 260 (Cal. 2004)
Play time: 1:52 minutes
Affirming denial of tenants' motions to compel production of material produced by owners and builders in connection with mediation held in prior litigation, concluding that state mediation privilege not only protects substance of the negotiations and communications in furtherance of mediation, but also "raw evidence" exchanged at the mediation, when the evidence was compiled specifically for use in the mediation.
Quote from the Court: "[I]n making its recommendation regarding mediation confidentiality, the [California Law Revision] Commission specifically considered the discoverability of both expert reports and photographs and drafted its proposed confidentiality provisions to preclude discovery of such reports and photographs if they were 'prepared for the purpose of, in the course of, or pursuant to, a mediation.' [citation omitted]. These materials also show that the Commission chose language expressly designed to give a mediation participant who takes a photograph for purpose of the mediation 'control over whether it is used' in subsequent litigation, even where 'another photo' cannot be taken because, for example, 'a building has been razed or an injury has healed.'"