Local Mandatory Arbitration Rule 5.1
                               NOTICE OF HEARING


   (a) Time For Hearing.  The arbitrator shall set the time, date, and place of
the hearing and shall give reasonable notice of the hearing date to the
parties.  Except by stipulation or for good cause shown, the hearing shall be
scheduled to take place not sooner than 21 days, nor later than 63 days, from
the date of the assignment of the case to the arbitrator, however, in no
instance shall the original hearing date be set later than 120 days from the
appointment of the arbitrator.  The arbitrator may grant a continuance of the
hearing date not to exceed 60 days beyond the original hearing date.  In the
absence of agreement of the parties and arbitrator on the date for any hearing,
the arbitrator shall have the authority to set a hearing date over the
objection of the parties which is consistent with this rule.  Any setting of
the original hearing date later than 120 days from the appointment of the
arbitrator or any continuance of a hearing date more than 60 days from the
original hearing date must be noted on the civil motion docket before the
Presiding Judge and will be granted only for good cause shown.

   (b) Confirmation of Hearing.  Parties must confirm the hearing date with the
arbitrator one week prior to hearing.  Failure to confirm the hearing with the
arbitrator may result in the cancellation of hearing at the arbitrator's
discretion.  Parties must notify arbitrator of a settlement reached prior to
the scheduled hearing date in accordance with LMAR 4.4.


[Adopted Effective September 1, 1996; Amended Effective September 1, 1998, September 1, 2003]