Judge David R. Lampe announced his retirement from the Kern County Superior Court after 15 years of service.
Judge Lampe will continue his career in a new mediation and arbitration practice doing business as Common Ground Resolutions headquartered in Bakersfield, California. “After 45 years in civil litigation practice and presiding over the Unlimited Civil Direct Calendar, I want to continue to provide a service to the legal community and their clients through alternative dispute methods,” said Lampe. Lampe is concerned with what he sees as a very overburdened civil caseload for the courts, especially in the aftermath of Covid 19 delays. “We must pursue avenues to reasonably resolve cases short of trial in the present conditions. It is simply not possible for the courts to deal with the present volume of cases in the foreseeable future,” he stated.
Lampe will emphasize mediating settlements of litigated cases. He will also provide for arbitration, and also for Temporary Judgeships by stipulation and order. “Temporary Judgeships have not been used very often in the past, but they are provided for under court rule,” Lampe explained. Lampe intends to provide a small hearing room setting for motions, and even some court trials. Temporary Judgeships, rather than arbitrations, allow the parties to maintain the constitutional nature of their proceedings, including the right of appeal and writ.
“I hope to provide a resource for case resolution in Central California and the San Joaquin Valley, which I believe is an underserved area right now,” Lampe concluded
