PHOENIX – Arizona’s Administrative Office of the Courts announces the launch of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), a new pilot program in Pinal County, beginning March 25, 2019. ODR is a free service that can be used over the internet without having to go to a courthouse. When a party in the Pinal County Superior Court files to initiate or modify a family court matter, ODR will allow the parties to negotiate their case online with the help of a court facilitator. The service is free, and in most cases, eliminates the need for parties to appear in person at the courthouse.
Based on the issue to be decided and other factors, the Pinal County Superior Court’s Conciliation Services Department identifies the cases that can take part in ODR and invites the parties to register in the program. The program is available to the parties 24 hours a day from either a computer or a mobile device and allows the parties to communicate directly with the court facilitator assigned to their case. The facilitator moderates the conversation between the parties and prepares the court documents online for filing with the court.
Pinal County’s program is one of several pilot programs testing this technology for its potential use in courts around the state. For more information about participating in Pinal County’s program, please contact the Pinal County Superior Court, Conciliation Services Department at 520-866-5760.