It was first established in the State court system, then adopted by the Federal court for diversity cases. Most judges believe that the program is effective in increasing the likelihood of settlement of diversity cases, though some are suspending judgment until the program has been in place for a longer period. A rigorous examination of case records to obtain an objective measure of the effect of the program on settlement rates is possible, though technical problems exist in developing the proper comparison groups. Interviews with attorneys who have participated in the program will provide impressions of its effect on settlement and will answer a number of questions that are of concern to the judges. However, the impressions of attorneys are unlikely to be limited to their experiences with diversity cases, and will not provide the objective examination of the program that may be desired. Before further research is undertaken, careful consideration of the goals of such a study will be required. Footnotes and tables are provided.