AB 1950 (2025) — Civil actions: mediation.

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 18, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 9, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

ASSEMBLY BILLNo. 1950

Introduced by Assembly Member Harabedian

February 13, 2026

An act to add Section 1775.16 to the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to civil actions.

Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law authorizes the presiding judge, or a judge designated as an alternative to judicial arbitration, of the courts of the County of Los Angeles to submit to mediation any civil case in which arbitration is otherwise required, as specified. Beginning on January 1, 2027, existing law will prohibit the court from ordering a case into mediation unless, among other required conditions, the amount in controversy does not exceed $75,000.

This bill would authorize the Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles to issue an order permitting any case into mediation, notwithstanding the $75,000 limitation on the amount in controversy described above. The bill would require any case submitted to mediation pursuant to such order to meet all mandatory conditions to qualify for mediation, other than the limitation on the amount in controversy. The bill would require all cases ordered to mediation to be entitled up to 3 hours of no-cost mediation services provided by a court-sanctioned mediation program. The bill would authorize the parties to appear remotely. The bill would also prohibit a mediation ordered pursuant to these provisions from delaying or serving as grounds to continue the trial date or otherwise to delay or continue any expedited procedures. If the presiding judge issues the order described above, the bill would require the court to transmit a report to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary on or before January 31, 2028, and annually thereafter, containing specified information about the cases submitted to mediation. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Los Angeles.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 1775.16 is added to the Code of Civil Procedure, to read:

1775.16.

(a) Notwithstanding the limitation on the amount in controversy established in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1775.5, the Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles may order any case into mediation.

(b) If the court issues an order pursuant to subdivision (a), all of the conditions prescribed by Section 1775.5, other than the limitation on the amount in controversy specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of that section, shall apply to a mediation conducted pursuant to the order.

(c) (1) All cases ordered to mediation pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be entitled up to three hours of no-cost mediation services provided by a court-sanctioned mediation program.

(2) Parties subject to the mediation pursuant to subdivision (a) may appear remotely.

(d) A mediation ordered pursuant to this section shall not delay or serve as grounds to continue the trial date or otherwise to delay or continue any expedited procedures, including, but not limited to, procedures pursuant to Section 36.

(e) If the presiding judge of the court issues an order pursuant to subdivision (a), the Superior Court of Los Angeles County shall transmit a report to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary on or before January 31, 2028, and annually thereafter, containing all of the following:

(1) The number of cases ordered to mediation pursuant to this section.

(2) The number of cases in which the trial date was delayed after being ordered to mediation.

(3) The number of cases in which a full or partial settlement was reached as a result of mediation.

(f) (1) To the extent feasible, the Superior Court of Los Angeles County shall report the data specified in subdivision (d) by case type.

(2) The report required by subdivision (d) shall comply with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(g) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section shall remain in effect until January 1, 2032, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 2.

The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because the Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles has robust court-sanctioned and supported mediation resources available to assist with the Court’s 67 percent increase in civil filings since 2022.