Mediation program works.

Your article on the Los Angeles Superior Court's mediation programs ("Big Ticket Cases Get Low Cost Solutions," July 11) does not take into account the interests of either the bar or the parties who appear in the court.

The Los Angeles Superior Court has long provided a variety of programs designed to assist in the resolution of disputes. Those programs have settled thousands upon thousands of cases. When a case is resolved by settlement, the cost to the court of continuing litigation is eliminated.

Among the options provided by the court is the availability of mediators through a volunteer panel.

A few private mediators have recently complained that it is inappropriate for the court to maintain a panel of volunteer mediators who can be used in cases claimed to have a value in excess of $50,000.

But it is extraordinarily difficult to determine whether a case does or does not have a value in excess of $50,000. The courts do not order cases to the volunteer panels if they are known to have a value in excess of that amount, but the parties may choose to use the volunteer mediators.

The Los Angeles County Bar Association has recently passed a resolution in support of the court's programs in light of the valued service that the volunteer mediators provide to the courts, the parties and the bar. We believe that both our clients and the court system benefit from those programs and we urge the court to continue to provide a variety of options for dispute resolution.

Edith Matthai President Los Angeles County Bar Association