Any county, municipality, accredited law school, school district, board, commission, department, or agency of this state or its political subdivisions is hereby authorized to establish programs for the purpose of providing mediation as an alternative dispute resolution process or for referring disputes to mediation on an ad hoc basis. For the purposes of the Choice in Mediation Act, "mediation" means a process in which an impartial person, the mediator, facilitates communication between disputing parties to promote settlement of disputes, whether before or in the process of litigation or administrative proceedings.
§ 1832.Mediation As an Alternative Dispute Resolution Process Or On an Ad Hoc Basis
Chapter 38A: Choice in Mediation Act · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceAuthorizes counties, municipalities, law schools, school districts, and state or local government bodies to run mediation programs or refer disputes to mediation case by case, and defines mediation for this act as facilitating settlement before or during litigation or an administrative proceeding.
Full Text of § 1832
Amendment History
Added by Laws 2002, HB 1939, c. 468, §12, eff. 11/1/2002.
Plain-English Summary
Section 1832 opens up who can run a mediation program under the Choice in Mediation Act: any county, municipality, accredited law school, school district, board, commission, department, or agency of the state or its political subdivisions can establish a program to provide mediation as an alternative dispute resolution process, or to refer disputes to mediation on an ad hoc basis.
For purposes of this act, "mediation" means a process where an impartial mediator facilitates communication between disputing parties to promote settlement -- whether the dispute is heading to litigation, already in it, or in an administrative proceeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which government bodies can set up a mediation program under this act?
Counties, municipalities, accredited law schools, school districts, boards, commissions, departments, or agencies of the state or its political subdivisions.
Does this act only cover mediation for lawsuits?
No -- the definition covers promoting settlement "whether before or in the process of litigation or administrative proceedings."
What does referring disputes "on an ad hoc basis" mean?
It lets an entity send individual disputes to mediation case by case, rather than running a full standing program.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, enacted by the Oklahoma Legislature.
Last verified August 3, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: who can run a mediation program oklahoma choice actad hoc mediation oklahoma12 O.S. § 1832