The Superior Court of Los Angeles County—the nation’s largest trial court—has announced a groundbreaking joint effort with Stanford Law School and ODR.com to design, implement, and test a comprehensive, next-generation online case resolution system.

This initiative aims to deliver fair, timely justice at an unprecedented scale, prioritizing accessible, people-centered digital services. Presiding Judge Sergio C. Tapia II emphasized that the new online pathway will specifically support court users without legal representation, ensuring multiple avenues to achieve a just resolution.

The project builds upon Stanford’s April 2025 Blueprint for Expanding Access to Justice report, which identified the redesign of the court’s existing ODR system as a core recommendation for improving court operations.

Each partner brings critical strengths to the co-design process. Stanford Law’s Rhode Center and Legal Design Lab will drive a robust, user-centered design process rooted in empirical research. Meanwhile, ODR.com will leverage its decades of experience developing and operating scalable dispute resolution systems to build the technical infrastructure.

Colin Rule, CEO of ODR.com and Mediate.com, highlighted the collaboration as a “unique opportunity” to create an ODR experience that is clear, accessible, and perfectly aligned with court safeguards. Crucially, the design process led by Margaret Hagan of Stanford’s Legal Design Lab will prioritize balancing advanced technology with the essential “human touch” needed in dispute resolution.

By combining Stanford’s design expertise, ODR.com’s technological capabilities, and the Court’s strategic commitment to modernization, this partnership promises to set a new national standard for early case resolution.