Required nonbinding arbitration or mediation at the request of either party, where claims amountto $25,000 or less. The law relaxed the rules of evidence in such proceedings, and limits the duration of such proceedings to three hours. The law also allowed an unsatisfied party to try his or her case de novo in court, but required the “appealing” party to pay the other party’s costs and attorneys’ fees, if the “appealing” party did not improve his or her position by at least 15 percent.