§ 1803 Programs for mediation services-Rules and regulations

Codes > Oklahoma Statutes > Title 12 > Chapter 37 > 1803

§ 1803. Programs for mediation services--Rules and regulations

     A. Any county, municipality, accredited law school or agency of this state is hereby authorized to establish programs for the purpose of providing mediation services pursuant to the provisions of the Dispute Resolution Act, [FN1] to be administered and supervised under the direction of the Administrative Director of the Courts. The Administrative Director shall promulgate rules and regulations, [FN2] subject to the approval of the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma, to effectuate the purposes of the Dispute Resolution Act.

     B. Mediation pursuant to the provisions of the Dispute Resolution Act shall be available to any party eligible according to the jurisdictional guidelines established by the Administrative Director. The company or governmental agency shall be represented in mediation by a person authorized in writing to act in behalf of such entity to the extent necessary to arrive at a resolution pursuant to the provisions of the Dispute Resolution Act.

     C. Mediators participating in a program sponsored by a state agency are deemed an employee of that agency solely for the limited purpose of Section 20f of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

     D. Such rules and regulations shall include:

          1. Qualifications to certify mediators to assure their competence and impartiality; and

          2. Jurisdictional guidelines including types of disputes which may be subject to the Dispute Resolution Act; and

          3. Standard procedures for mediation which shall be complied with in all mediation proceedings; and

          4. A method by which a court may grant a continuance in contemplation of dismissal on the condition that the defendant in a criminal action or the plaintiff and defendant in a civil action participate in mediation and a resolution is reached by the parties; and

          5. A form for a written agreement for participation in mediation; and

          6. A form for a written record of the termination of mediation.

     [FN1] Title 12, § 1801 et seq.

     [FN2] The Rules and Procedures for the Dispute Resolution Act are set forth in the Rules portion of this volume, infra. See Table of Contents.