THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTION OF MINOR DISPUTES HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH INVESTIGATING THE NEEDS OF CITIZENS FOR RESOLUTION OF MINOR DISPUTES AND THE MECHANISMS WHICH EXIST, OR WHICH HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR SUCH DISPUTE RESOLUTION, IN ORDER TO RECOMMEND TO THE ASSOCIATION AND THE ORGANIZED BAR MODELS PROCEDURES WHICH DEMONSTRATE PROMISE IN MEETING THIS IMPORTANT NEED. PROGRAM COMPONENTS INCLUDE A CLEARINGHOUSE AND INFORMATION SERVICE, A RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION COMPONENT TO DEVELOP MODEL APPROACHES; AND DEVELOPMENT OF MODEL FORMATS, PROMOTION, AND IMPLEMENTATION. THE METHODOLOGY CONSISTS OF AN EVALUATION OF EXISTING ALTERNATIVE RESOLUTION RESOURCE PROGRAMS, WHICH WOULD INVOLVE VISITING KEY EXAMPLES OF EACH OF THE REPRESENTATIVE PROGRAMS TO OBTAIN DATA; DATA ANALYSIS, WHICH WOULD FOCUS ON EXAMINED PROGRAMS WITH RESPECT TO PERFORMANCE, ADAPTABILITY, EFFECTIVENESS, AND IMPACT ON DISPUTANTS; DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED THROUGH INTERESTED STATE AND LOCAL JUDICIAL AGENCIES AND BAR ASSOCIATIONS; AND A WORK PRODUCT WHICH WOULD SERVE TO PRESENT SPECIAL COMMITTEE FINDINGS TO VARIOUS STRATEGIC GROUPS WHOSE SUPPORT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR IMPLEMENTATION. THE PHASES AND TIMING OF THE PROJECT WORK PLAN ARE PRESENTED, ALONG WITH THE RESEARCH CONSULTANT BUDGET. (RCB)