Biography
Hon. Fred K. Morrison (Ret). has mediated, arbitrated and acted as special master in a myriad of cases in health care. These matters include disputes between leading health care providers, disputes between health care providers and their insurance companies, patient privacy, wrongful death, fees for services, billing and provider disputes and disputes involving hospitals and their medical equipment suppliers. Justice Morrison has also mediated and arbitrated matters involving hospital contract evaluation, reasonable accommodations for medical staff and denial of health care coverage to individuals.
Justice Morrison joined JAMS in 2009 after serving nine years in the trial courts and over 14 years on the California Third District Court of Appeal. During his tenure on the appellate bench, Justice Morrison authored over 160 published opinions. Attorneys regularly praise Justice Morrison’s quick intelligence, good judgment, common sense, and humility.
Representative Matters
- Mediated action challenging a public health citation against a skilled nursing facility for violations leading to a patient’s death
- Arbitrated declaratory relief dispute between major providers regarding contract interpretation
- Arbitrated dispute between a hospital and supplier of nuclear medicine equipment and technical assistance
- Discovery Referee in qui tam whistle blower case involving drug prices charged to government programs
- Arbitrated three disputes between major providers and health insurance companies
- Arbitrated a dispute between individual and plan over denial of coverage
- Mediated dispute between physician and managed care health plan over doctors right to treat certain patients
- Mediated employment dispute between hospital and an employee over patient privacy violations
- Mediated dispute between hospital and nurse involving failure to accommodate disability
- Ninth Circuit Trustee, Board of Trustees of the American Inns of Court, 2009-2013
- Member, Third District Court of Appeal Committee to Establish Appellate Mediation and Settlement Program
- Presiding Special Master, Commission on Judicial Performance Hearing, 2007
- Member, Supreme Court Advisory Committee for Publication of Court of Appeal Opinions, 2005-2006
- “Medical Malpractice Litigation: Policy, Procedures and Perspective,” John M. Mott Memorial Lecture, University of California, Davis Medical School, 2001
- Speaker, programs on civil litigation and medical malpractice, University of California, Davis Medical School, 2001-present
- Justice Pro Tem, California Supreme Court, 2002
- Judge of the Year, Sacramento County Bar Association, 1997
- Member, Governing Board, California Center for Judicial Education and Research, 1995-2000
- Founding Member and Executive Committee Member, Anthony M. Kennedy Inn of Court, 1990 to present; (President, 1993-1997)
- Member, Sacramento County Bar Association, 1978 – 1985; Bar Council, 1983-1985; Secretary-Treasurer, 1983; Vice-President, 1985
- "From Military to Mediation," ADR Profile, Daily Journal, August 24, 2012
- Justice, California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, 1994-2009
- Judge, Sacramento Superior Court, 1989-1994
- Municipal Court Judge, Sacramento, 1985-1989
- Assistant U.S. Attorney, Sacramento, CA, 1982-1985
- Professor, McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, Sacramento, CA, 1975–1982; Adjunct Professor, 1982-1989
- Second Lieutenant to Brigadier General and National Guard Special Assistant to the Judge Advocate General of the Army, California National Guard, 1975-1993
- U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corp., U.S. Army, 1971-1975
- J.D., magna cum laude, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, 1971
- U.S. Army (tours in Korea and Vietnam), 1963-1975
- B.S. (Psychology), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 1963
Counsel Comments
- "My case settled before arbitration for two reasons: One, Justice Morrison wanted to know the issues and; Two, Justice Morrison made the time and space to hear the issues. I prepared an educational brief on a less common area of the law which not only helped Justice Morrison, but also the respondent in evaluating the claim."
- Attorney - "Justice Morrison has all the virtues of an ideal Scout, and still has the energy and enthusiasm of a person decades younger (although he no longer annually ascends the challenging Mt. Shasta). He combines those attributes with a breadth of experience, a multi-layered background and a fertile mind. And like a Scout, Fred is always prepared."
- Senior Counsel, Sacramento Law Firm - "Justice Morrison checks those boxes of patience, communication skills and respect. My clients have paid a lot of money, or very little money, in cases mediated by Justice Morrison, but they have left feeling that the results were fair. Clients pay attention to him, as do attorneys who want a good result for their clients."
- Managing Partner, Sacramento Law Firm - "He's very approachable and very easy to talk with. He has a quick grasp of the situation and will do his best to get a fair and just result."
- Managing Partner, Sacramento Law Firm - "Because he is a retired Court of Appeal justice, he carries an attitude and a gravitas with clients that your run-of-the-mill attorney mediators just don't have. He's very pleasant, he's very frank, and he has no predispositions. He doesn't favor plaintiffs and he doesn't favor defendants. He reviews the facts of the case."
- Attorney - “He takes a levelheaded and reasoned approach to the matter at hand. He understands the facts and the law, then asks the focused questions with a light touch and a disarming manner.”
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