Mediating Lemon Law Cases: Timing, Valuation, and Strategy

Song-Beverly cases stall because each side sees a different case. Plaintiff's counsel counts days out of service and lost confidence in the vehicle. Defense counsel counts mileage driven, causation, and whether the repair ultimately worked. Jacob Cutler of Cutler Mediation Group, spent twelve years litigating lemon law claims before moving to the mediator's chair. He covers when a case is ready to mediate, including the early mediation requirement under AB 1755, and how to value one using actual damages, mileage offset, civil penalties, and attorney fee exposure. The session closes with a hypothetical repurchase dispute for both sides to work through.