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Civil Procedure

May 11, 2026

Cutting the cost of complex disputes with special masters

What if you could cut months--or even a year--from getting a case to disposition? In California's constrained courts, a retained neutral acting as special master can deliver faster, more cost-effective outcomes in high-stakes litigation.

Anne-Christine T. Massullo

Judge (ret.)
Signature Resolution

University of Michigan School of Law, 1984

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Cutting the cost of complex disputes with special masters
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What if you could reduce the time it takes to get a case to disposition, either by way of settlement, motion or trial? What if that reduction in time was several months or even up to a year? How could that time savings translate into substantial savings for your client?

This column will examine the limitations on the state courts in California and explain why the early use of a retained neutral to act as a special master for all purposes can be an extre...

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