At any time before a medical malpractice action is brought to trial, the parties shall participate in mediation governed by procedures established in the South Carolina Circuit Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules in effect at the time for the State or any portion of the State. Parties may also agree to participate in binding arbitration, nonbinding arbitration, early neutral evaluation, or other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
HISTORY: 2005 Act No. 32, Section 5, eff July 1, 2005, for causes of action arising after that date; 2006 Act No. 354, Section 3, eff June 9, 2006.
Effect of Amendment
The 2006 amendment in the second sentence added "nonbinding arbitration, early neutral evaluation, or other forms of alternative dispute resolution".