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Hon. Rex Heeseman (Ret.)

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Home Office: Los Angeles, California View More
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Judge Rex Heeseman (Ret.) joined JAMS in 2014 following a distinguished career as litigator and judge. His ADR practice concentrates on mediations and arbitrations; he is also retained to conduct neutral analysis or as Master/Referee. Judge Heeseman's experiences give him a unique perspective on likely judicial attitudes and rulings, as well as jury verdicts. He is attuned to the vicissitudes of litigation, and brings an academic, judicial and practical perspective to the resolution of matters. His insights assist parties in overcoming obstacles to settlement.

ADR Qualifications

  • Judge, Los Angeles Superior Court (2005-2014), presiding over 93 jury trials, adjudicating in excess of 100 bench trials, and serving as a Mandatory Settlement Conference Judge
  • Represented numerous clients in a wide variety of civil litigation matters (1971-2005)
  • Co-author of The Rutter Group's "Insurance Litigation" 

Representative Matters

Business Commercial

  • Arbitration ruling re founder vs. terminated CEO
  • Arbitration ruling re share buyout agreement
  • Arbitration ruling re patent purchases
  • Arbitration rulings re firm's unpaid invoices, and related legal services
  • Dissolution, mergers and acquisitions, including D&O claims
  • Activities by agents or brokers
  • Tortious interference with economic relationship/business advantage

 

Construction Defect

  • Arbitration ruling re 450+ multi-use development
  • Arbitration ruling re renovation of Laguna Beach residence
  • Arbitration re significant water intrusion
  • Tri-panel arbitrations re sizeable projects

 

Employment Law

  • Arbitration ruling re "misclassification" claims
  • Arbitration ruling re "prevailing wage" claims
  • Arbitration ruling re wage and hour claims
  • Arbitration ruling re disability discrimination
  • Arbitration ruling re National Origin discrimination
  • Employment litigation re Korean corporations
  • Awards of attorney's fees and costs

 

Health Care

  • Responsibility for payment of health claims
  • Hospital or insurer challenges regarding medical care
  • Doctor's claims regarding value of business at retirement
  • Doctors' dispute over partnership/shared use agreements

 

Insurance

  • Wildfire insurance claims and issues
  • Arbitration ruling regarding reinsurance of motion pictures
  • Bad faith and genuine dispute assertions
  • "Top off the policy" contentions
  • Insurer contribution and similar claims
  • Allocation among primary, excess, and/or umbrella insurers
  • Broker malpractice

 

Personal Injury

  • Arbitration rulings re legal malpractice and related contentions
  • Arbitration rulings re personal injury claims
  • Arbitration ruling re "theft" of settlement funds
  • Jury trial of children's multi-million-dollar claims against father
  • Jury trial of personal injuries at home of well-known actress
  • Medical and legal malpractice

 

Real Property

  • Arbitration ruling re sale of multi-million dollar residence
  • Arbitration ruling re partnership for upgrading high-end residences
  • Arbitration ruling re dispute with surety relating to military construction
  • Dispute between family members re Malibu properties
  • Real Property controversies, including related insurance disputes

 

Special Master

  • Analysis of NY law re media contracts
  • Mock Judge for bench trials
  • Mock Judge for appellate arguments
  • Analysis of litigant's strengths and weaknesses
  • Fee recommendation after "prevailing party" finding 

 

Rex Heeseman

Hon. Rex Heeseman (Ret.) | JAMS Mediator & Arbitrator

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Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS.

Publications
  • Co-author, TRG's "Insurance Litigation," California Practice Guide
  • Legal Columnist, Los Angeles Daily Journal
    • “Business Torts”
    • “Punitive Damages”
    • “Insurance Law”

 

Speaking Engagements

  • The Rutter Group
    • “Wildfire Insurance Claims and Issues” (2025)
    • "COVID-19: Coverage, Claims, and Civil Litigation" (2020)
    • “Insurance Litigation Update” (annually, since 1991)
    • “Anatomy of an Insurance Policy” (5 times)
    • “Critical Coverage Topics” (4 times)
    • “Shernoff Bad Faith Seminar” (5 times)
  • Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA)
    • “Trial of Bad Faith Case”
    • “Premises Liability”
    • “Government Tort Liability”
  • West Coast Casualty (WCC) Seminar
    • “Use of Experts"
    • "WRAP Policies"
  • MC and CLM Seminar
    • “Judicial Perspective on CD Litigation”
    • "Impact of CC&Rs"

 

Professional Activities

  • Attorney-Member, State of California's Judicial Council
  • Member, Ninth Circuit's Advisory Committee

Background and Education

  • LLB, Stanford Law School
  • BA, Claremont McKenna College
  • Judge, Superior Court for the County of Los Angeles
  • Justice Pro Tem, Second District Court of Appeal (Division 3)
  • Adjunct Professor of Law, Loyola Law School, 2002-2014
  • Lecturer, UCLA Law School, 2002
  • Assistant and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney
  • Captain, U.S. Army

Virtual & In-Person Locations

Home Offices

  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Orange County, CA

Virtual hearings available nationwide

News & Insights

Events

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