Oklahoma § 12-1803 - Programs for mediation services - Rules and regulations

§ 12-1803. 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, to be administered and supervised

under the direction of the Administrative Director of the Courts.

The Administrative Director shall promulgate rules and regulations,

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

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 12. Civil Procedure

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.

Added by Laws 1983, c. 78, § 3, operative July 1, 1983. Amended by

Laws 1985, c. 260, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1985; Laws 1986, c. 231, § 3,

emerg. eff. June 10, 1986.