New York City recently signed a contract with online alternative dispute resolution company Cybersettle that will extend and expand the use of Cybersettle to resolve a larger number, and greater variety of claims that are filed against the City.
Cybersettle's press release states:
New York City initiated a pilot program with Cybersettle in 2004 to help reduce a huge backlog of lawsuits against the city and to try to reduce the costs of those lawsuits to the City and its taxpayers. During the two-year pilot, New York City enjoyed a settlement rate of 67% of cases that went through the system within 60-days, and saw the administrative costs of claim settlement drop dramatically. The pilot program was estimated to have saved taxpayers more than $25 million.
The New York Post wrote about the contract here.