AB-1523 • 2026

Court-ordered mediation.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Committee on Judiciary (A) - (Assembly Members Kalra (Chair), Dixon (Vice Chair), Bauer-Kahan, Bryan, Connolly, Harabedian, Pacheco, Papan, Stefani, and Zbur)
Last action: 2025-10-01
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 201, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details about the consequences if no agreement is reached in mediation.

Court-Ordered Mediation

This law increases the limit for court-ordered mediation from $50,000 to $75,000 and adds new requirements before a court can order mediation.

What This Bill Does

Increases the amount in dispute needed for court-ordered mediation from $50,000 to $75,000 starting January 1, 2027.
Requires there to be no ongoing discovery disputes and at least one party must notify the court of interest in mediation before a court can order it.
If the parties cannot agree on a mediator, the court will choose one without charging the people involved.
Mediation must end with either an agreement or a statement that no agreement was reached.

Who It Names or Affects

People and businesses in civil cases where there is more than $50,000 at stake.
Courts handling these types of cases.

Terms To Know

discovery disputes: Arguments or disagreements about the exchange of information between parties in a legal case.
mediation: A process where a neutral person helps people in conflict to reach an agreement without going to court.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if mediation is ordered but no agreement is reached.
It only applies to civil cases and does not affect criminal cases or other types of legal disputes.

Bill History

2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 201, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 2877.).
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2397.).
2025-08-26 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-25 California Legislative Information
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
2025-08-20 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-19 California Legislative Information
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
2025-06-19 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-06-18 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 17).
2025-05-28 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on JUD.
2025-05-20 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-19 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 1594.)
2025-05-07 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-06 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (May 6).
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on JUD.
2025-03-19 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee April 18.
2025-03-18 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1523, Committee on Judiciary.
Court-ordered mediation.
Existing law prohibits a court from ordering a civil action into mediation when the amount in controversy exceeds $50,000, as specified.
This bill would, as of January 1, 2027, increase the dollar amount of the above-described amount in controversy limitation to $75,000 and impose additional requirements, such as there being no ongoing discovery disputes and at least one party notifying the court of an interest in mediation, to be met before a court may order a civil action into mediation. If the parties do not stipulate to a mutually agreeable mediator, the bill would require the court to select a mediator, at no cost to the parties. Court-ordered
mediation would be required to conclude with a mutually acceptable statement of agreement or nonagreement, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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