$250 an Hour to Mediate a Federal Case? HAHAHAHAHA!

That's the problem Judge Scola encountered after the court-appointed mediator balked at the hourly rate:

The Defendant relays that the court-appointed mediator has refused to accept the hourly rate of $250 set by Administrative Order 2008-08, instead demanding to paid at $400 per hour.  As such, Defendant would like the Court to order the Clerk to appoint a different mediator.

Hey, it's government work -- $250 an hour ain't bad!

But the mediation must go on:

This Motion [ECF No. 23] is GRANTED. The Clerk is directed to strike Patrick C. Massa of Matrix Mediation as mediator in this case for failure to follow this District’s Administrative Order 2008-08. The Clerk shall also appoint a new mediator forthwith.

I don't know, if I was selected as a court-appointed mediator, I'd rather do this one job for less than have the Court order me removed for failing to agree to the specified government rate.