A. Sections 11 through 20 of this act shall be known as the “Choice in Mediation Act”.
B. The Legislature has previously enacted measures designed to create programs for and encourage the use of mediation in resolving disputes involving citizens of this state. These measures provide guidelines and standards for qualifications of mediators and their use in resolving disputes. Over the years since the first of these measures was enacted, there has developed a significant number of trained and experienced mediators, some of whom work solely in volunteer programs under the Dispute Resolution Act and some of whom provide mediation services on a “for fee” basis, either solely or in addition to volunteer work. The power of the parties to a dispute to settle their own dispute with the help of a neutral person being the essence of mediation, there now exists a need to clarify the choice available to disputants to select a mediator.
Added by Laws 2002, c. 468, § 11, eff. Nov. 1, 2002.