A mediator has been appointed to handle disputes that arise in the chapter 9 cases of Stockton and Mammoth Lakes, two struggling California municipalities that recently turned to bankruptcy as they try to return to stable financial footing, Dow Jones DBR Small Cap reported today. Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Perris of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon has been appointed mediator for both cases, a decision made by the Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit, which "determined that a need" for one such mediator exists, according a court order filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Sacramento. Chief Judge Alex Kozinksi, who made the appointment, said that Judge Perris will still carry out her duties in Portland, Ore.
