Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 12-1831: Short title - Purpose

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.