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Articles Published by Donald Cripe at Mediate.com

Award Winning Mediator. Law Professor (Mediation/ADR), Univ. of La Verne College of Law; Superior Court Judicial Arbitrator since 1996—having conducted several hundred arbitrations; Settlement Judge since 1996; Family Law Mediator-Riverside Sup Ct Mandatory Dispute Resolution Conference Program; General Mediator-Dispute Resolution Services, Riverside; Civil Mediator- Riverside County Sup.Ct; Riverside Sup Ct Mediation Panel; Inland Valleys Justice Center’s Mediation Panel. Have conducted in excess of 3000 mediations on a wide variety of matters, including most of which have been indentified in my professional experience section. I conduct Fee Arbitrations for the Riverside County Bar Assn. Panel of Independent Arbitrators for Kaiser Health Plans and am a Guest Lecturer for Family Law Mediation Students at the Loma Linda University Graduate School of Psyc. On the Panel of Arbitrators & Mediators for the AAA. Arbitrator and Mediator for the AHLA

1996-Present: Judicial Arbitrator
1996-2001: Settlement Judge (acting) San Bern Fam Ct
1999-Pres: Mediator Riverside DRS
1999-Pres: Mediator Riverside Sup Ct
2003-Pres: Mediator: Riverside Fam Ct
2006-Pres: Special Master, Riverside Sup, Ct
2009-Pres: Mediation Panel-Riverside Sup Ct
2009-Pres: Mediator/Arbitrator for IVJC
2009-2011: Kaiser Independent Arbitrator
2011-Pres: Am Arb Ass'n
2012-Pres: Am Health Lawyers Ass'n
2012-2015: Award Top 3 Mediators for the Riverside Sup Ct 2013: Jane Addams Award--Family Law Mediations 2014: Solomon Award--Family Law Me

Current: Professor of Law (Mediation/ADR) Univ. of LaVerne College of Law

11/87 to Present: General Civil Practice including, but not limited to Plaintiff and Defense in: Business Litigation (i.e, Contracts, Shareholder Litigation, etc); Personal Injury; Civil Rights; Insurance Law; Real Estate—Plaintiff and Defense (Brokers, Agents, Buyers, Quiet Title; Judicial Foreclosure, etc); Construction; Construction Defects; Building Contractor Litigation; Collections; Medical Malpractice (including Medicine, Surgical, Obstetric, Chiropractic, Dental and Oral Surgery) Defense; Medical Malpractice (same areas) Plaintiff; Municipal Law; Commercial Litigation; Adversary Proceedings in Bankruptcy Court and Family Law. Also significant experience in Unlawful Detainer matters; Small Claims disputes and community/family centered disputes. Numerous Jury and Bench Trials and literally hundreds of Law & Motion hearings on most Civil and Family Law issues. I have participated as a Temporary Judge since 1996. I have substantial experience with “Pro Per” litigants.

Award Winning Mediator Professor of Law: Mediation/ADR, Univ. of LaVerne College of Law;
Superior Court Judicial Arbitrator since 1996—having conducted several hundred Arbitrations; “Settlement Judge” since 1996; Family Law Mediator with the Riverside Superior Court Mandatory Dispute Resolution Conference Program; General Mediator with Dispute Resolution Services, Riverside; Mediator with the Riverside County Superior Court; Member of the Riverside Superior Court Mediation Panel; Member of the Riverside Superior Court Family Law ADR subcommittee; Member of the Inland Valleys Justice Center’s Mediation Panel. I am also on the program development committee for Inland Valleys as well as the training representative for new mediators and staff. Have conducted in excess of 3000 mediations on a wide variety of matters, including most of which have been indentified in my professional experience section, above. I conduct Fee Arbitrations for the Riverside County Bar Association. I have also been on the Panel of Independent Arbitrators for Kaiser Health Plans and am a Guest Lecturer for Family Law Mediation Students at the Loma Linda University Graduate School of Psychology. I on the panel of arbitrators and mediators for the American Arbitration Association. I am an Arbitrator & Mediator with the American Association of Health Lawyers.

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, West Oahu College - B.A. with Distinction Psychology 1985 (Class Rank: #1)
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW - J.D. 1988 (appx. top 25%)
- Wildmon Merit Scholar (Full Scholastic Scholarship)
Straus Institute Mediation Training;
American Arbitration Association Training: Mediation & Arbitration; American Institute of Mediation: Mediating Litigated Cases; Center for Understanding in Mediation Mediation Training; Mediating High Conflict Cases; Dispute Resolution Service Mediation Training;
Formal Training for Temporary Judges, including Judicial Conduct and Ethics;
State and County Bar Training as a Fee Arbitrator;

Even as a litigator, I have consistently tried to move my cases to resolution through Alternative Dispute Resolution, preferably by way of mediation. I am a very active mediator trained and able to employ a variety of approaches from the extremes of Facilitative and Evaluative. I am able to tailor my approach to mediation to the desires of the parties and counsel. When I conduct a mediation, it is for the purpose of resolving the matter and not “pro forma.” I take this process and my conduct, as well as my professional reputation as a conflict resolution professional, very seriously. I want the parties to any mediation I conduct to leave feeling as if they had accomplished something of value even if the case does not settle. I am willing to work with the parties as long as it takes to come to a resolution. I will be the last person to leave your mediation.

$1,200.00, or amount calculated upon the estimated time for mediation at the applicable rate (i.e., est: 4 hrs @ $300/hr = $1,200) payable upon engagement, earned on receipt.

Hourly Fees (exceeding 4 hours beginning at the end of the fourth hour) [hourly fees include preparation & post mediation document preparation]

Basic Issue Mediation (Non-Complex, i.e., basic contract, tort, family law)**

2 – 4 Private parties: $300/hr. equally divided among the parties*

5 or more private parties: $350/hr. equally divided among the parties*

Business/Complex Mediation (construction, medical, other technical issues)

Binding Arb/UIM Arbitration: $375.00/hr, Min 4 hrs: must estimate time before engagement. Billing based upon 4 hr. min. or the estimated time, whichever is greater.

There will be a Facility Fee charged at the rate charged to me (typically about $30-$40/hr) unless parties or I can make other less expensive arrangements.

Travel time out of the Riverside/San Bernardino city areas is subject to negotiation, but would include mileage and expenses in addition to a discounted travel rate.

Basic Issue Mediation may involve small businesses with basic issues in dispute.

Division of fees must be resolved among the parties before the commencement of mediation with one party identified as the payor to which fee statements shall be submitted.

All parties to Mediation must sign a written Mediation Fee Agreement/Agreement to Mediate, Confidentiality Agreement and the Minimum Mediation Fee must be paid before any date is booked.

I am also on the panel of approved Special Masters/Referees for the Riverside and San Bernardino Superior Courts and have acted as such since 2006.

Jeffrey Erickson Professional Colleague John Caballero Professional Colleague Richard A. Kennedy Professional Colleague John Boyd Professional Colleague John Pacheco Professional Colleague (Judge) Charles Field Professional Colleague (Retired Judge) James Heiting Professional Colleague Dennis Wojs Professional Colleague Soheila Azizi Professional Colleague William Strohmeyer Professional Colleague