About Us
The Alternative Dispute Resolution System in Oklahoma is currently made up
of twelve community-based mediation
centers (Early Settlement) and
eleven programs developed
by state agencies. (Appendix A) This system which was authorized (1983)
and funded (1985) by the state legislature through the Oklahoma Dispute Resolution
Act,
12 O.S. Supp. 1997, ยง 1801 et seq., is administered and supervised by the
Administrative Director of the Courts (ADC) through his designee, the
ADR System Director, with the ongoing
input of the
Dispute Resolution Advisory Board.
The state system is
designed to be centrally coordinated through the Administrative Office
of the Courts. Each program within the system is certified by means of
an initial application process and annual contracts with the local
sponsors of the community-based centers and the executive officer(s) of
the state agencies. Mediator candidates for the programs are required to
complete training and an experience-based practicum provided under the
authority of the ADC in order to achieve certification as a mediator.
They are not charged fees for their training. Mediators for the Early
Settlement Program work as volunteers while mediators for the state-agency
programs add mediation to their job duties. The ADC must also certify
both the trainers and the curriculum for the training.
The purpose of the system, as stated in the Act is "to provide to all
citizens of this state convenient access to dispute resolution proceedings
which are fair, effective, inexpensive, and expeditious." The Act also
anticipates that "such proceedings can also help alleviate the backlog
of cases which burden the judicial system in this state."