Alternative Dispute Resolution

The judicial authority may, upon stipulation of the parties, refer a civil action to a program of alternative dispute resolution agreed to by the par- ties. The judicial authority shall set a time limit on the duration of the referral, which shall not exceed ninety days. The referral of an action to such a program will stay the time periods within which all further pleadings, motions, requests, discovery and other procedures must be filed or undertaken until such time as the alternative dispute resolu- tion process is completed or the time period set by the judicial authority has elapsed, whichever occurs sooner. Such referred action shall be exempt from the docket management program during the time of the referral. (P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 546T.) (Amended June 24, 2002, to take effect Jan. 1, 2003.)