This is a comprehensive study of one of the first court-ordered arbitration programs in the country (instituted in 1987). The program operated in three diverse judicial districts (urban, semi-urban and rural) and addressed civil cases involving a damage claim of $15,000 or less. The study found that litigants' satisfaction with outcomes and procedures improved; attorneys were satisfied with program; eligible civil cases were disposed of more quickly than with standard procedures; and the number of civil trials decreased.