Sec. 154.021. REFERRAL OF PENDING DISPUTES FOR ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURE. (a) A court may, on its own motion or the motion of a party, refer a pending dispute for resolution by an alternative dispute resolution procedure including:
(1) an alternative dispute resolution system established under Chapter 26, Acts of the 68th Legislature, Regular Session, 1983 (Article 2372aa, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes);
(2) a dispute resolution organization; or
(3) a nonjudicial and informally conducted forum for the voluntary settlement of citizens' disputes through the intervention of an impartial third party, including those alternative dispute resolution procedures described under this subchapter.
(b) The court shall confer with the parties in the determination of the most appropriate alternative dispute resolution procedure.
(c) Except as provided by agreement of the parties, a court may not order mediation in an action that is subject to the Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. Sections 1-16).
Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 1121, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 1987.
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 621 (H.B. 1083), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.
Section: Previous 154.001 154.002 154.003 154.021 154.022 154.023 154.024 154.025 154.026 154.027 154.028 154.051 154.052 154.053 154.054 NextLast modified: September 28, 2016