Rule 1302 - List Of Arbitrators. Appointment To Board(a) The Prothonotary of each county shall prepare and maintain a list of available arbitrators, which shall include all the members of the bar maintaining an office or residence within the 44th Judicial District. Exclusion from the list shall be by special order of the court.(b)(1) The Prothonotary of each county shall appoint one board of arbitrators for each month of the year. The schedule of arbitrators shall be compiled prior to January 1 of each year and notice given to the bar. Each board shall consist of three attorneys. The Prothonotary shall designate the chairman of each board of arbitrators. The chairman shall have been admitted to the bar not less than three years.(2) Cases subject to arbitration shall be listed therefore on praecipe of either counsel.(3) No attorney shall serve on a board of arbitration in any matter in which a member of his or her firm or an office associate is counsel for any party to the proceeding.(4) All arbitration hearings for Wyoming County shall be held on the first Thursday of each month in the jury room of the Wyoming County Courthouse unless otherwise set by the Chairman of the Board of Arbitrators. The chairman shall schedule the time of each hearing and shall provide written notice thereof to the other arbitrators and counsel of record (or parties, if they are unrepresented) by ordinary mail.(5) All arbitration hearings for Sullivan County shall be held in the courtroom of the Sullivan County Courthouse on such dates and at such time as shall be set by the Chairman of the Board of Arbitrators, who shall provide notice to the other arbitrators and counsel of record (or parties, if they are unrepresented) by ordinary mail.(6) All cases praeciped for arbitration during a calendar month in Wyoming County shall be set for arbitration in the succeeding month, except cases praeciped on or after the 20th of each month, which shall be scheduled for the month following the succeeding month.(c)(1) All continuances shall be in the discretion of the Chairman of the Board and shall be made to a day and time certain not more than thirty days from the date originally set by the chairman, who shall give notices of the continued date and time to the parties or their attorneys of record at least five days prior thereto, by ordinary mail or telephone.(2) If an attorney shall be unable to serve on an arbitration panel, he or she shall so inform the Chairman of the Board in writing. It shall be the responsibility of the Chairman of the Board to appoint a substitute arbitrator.(3) All cases assigned to a month's arbitration panel shall be heard by that panel. There will be no continuances to another panel.(d)(1) Each member of a board of arbitration who has signed the report of the board upon conclusion of the case, or filed a minority report in conjunction therewith, shall receive as compensation for his services a fee and mileage in accordance with the following schedule: Chairman of the Board - $100.00; (if the case is settled, discontinued, or withdrawn from arbitration - $50.00); Associate Arbitrator - $75.00.
(2) Where notice of settlement, discontinuance, or withdrawal is given after a board of arbitrators has assembled at the designated hearing location, the arbitrators shall be paid full fees as hereinbefore provided.(3) In addition, any board member who maintains his principal office (or residence if he has no separate office) other than the municipality in which the hearing is held shall receive mileage at the same rate as paid by the County of Wyoming to its employees to and from his or her said office (or place of residence, if applicable) to the place of hearing on each occasion of required attendance. In cases requiring hearings of unusual duration, or involving questions of unusual complexity, the court, upon petition and for cause shown, may allow additional compensation. All compensation and mileage payments shall be paid from county funds, as in the case of all other county debts. Fees paid to arbitrators shall not be taxed as costs nor follow the award as other costs.44th Jud. Dist. Rule 1302