The following table links to state statutes promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”). By encouraging resolution of civil disputes through ADR, lawmakers steer parties away from formal litigation in a maneuver that preserves judicial resources, reduces caseloads in courts, and keeps private matters off the public record.
Although many of the statutes included below function to maintain the integrity of private arbitration agreements, several states statutorily require ADR for specific types of disputes. These particularized statutes, which are not included below, typically pertain to family law, small claims, and commercial law disputes.
State |
Statute |
Alabama |
Code of Alabama > Title 6 – Civil Practice > Chapter 6 – Remedies > Article 1 – Settlement of Controversies |
Alaska |
Alaska Administrative Code > Title 2 – Administration > Chapter 64 – Administrative Hearings > Article 2 - Hearing Procedures > Section 200 – Alternative Dispute Resolution |
Arizona |
Arizona Revised Statutes > Title 12 – Courts and Civil Proceedings > Chapter 1 – Courts of Record > Article 2 – The Superior Court > §§ 12-133 – 12-137 – Arbitration |
Arkansas |
Code of Arkansas > Title 16 – Practice, Procedure, and Courts > Subtitle 1 – General Provisions > Chapter 7 – Dispute Resolution |
California |
California Code of Civil Procedure > Part 3 – Of Special Proceedings of a Civil Nature > Title 3 – Of Summary Proceedings > Chapter 2.5 – Judicial Arbitration; Title 9 – Arbitration; and Title 11.6 – Civil Action Mediation |
Colorado |
Colorado Revised Statutes > Title 13 – Courts and Court Procedure > Chapter 22 – Contracts and Agreements > Article 22 – Age of Competence > Part 3 – Dispute Resolution Act |
Connecticut |
General Statutes of Connecticut > Volume 13 > Title 52 – Civil Actions > Chapter 909 – Arbitration Proceedings |
Delaware |
The Delaware Code Online > Courts and Judicial Procedure > Part IV – Special Proceedings > Chapter 57 – Uniform Arbitration Act |
District of Columbia |
Code of the District of Columbia > Title 16 – Particular Actions, Proceedings, and Matters > Chapter 42 – Mediation; Uniform Act and Chapter 44 – Arbitration; Revised Uniform Act |
Florida |
2021 Florida Statutes > Title V – Judicial Branch > Chapter 44 – Mediation Alternatives to Judicial Action |
Georgia |
Official Code of Georgia Annotated > Title 9 – Civil Practice > Chapter 9 – Arbitration, ("Georgia Arbitration Code") |
Hawaii |
Hawaii State Code > Division 4 – Courts and Judicial Proceedings > Title 32 – Courts and Court Officers > Chapter 613 – Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution |
Idaho |
Idaho Statutes > Title 7 – Special Proceedings > Chapter 9 – Uniform Arbitration Act |
Illinois |
Illinois Compiled Statutes > Rights and Remedies > Chapter 710 – Alternative Dispute Resolution |
Indiana |
Indiana General Assembly > Title 34 – Civil Law and Procedure > Article 57 – Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution |
Iowa |
Iowa Code > Title XV – Judicial Branch and Judicial Procedures > Chapter 679 – Informal Dispute Resolution |
Kansas |
Kansas State Statutes > Chapter 5 – Arbitration and Award |
Kentucky |
Kentucky Revised Statutes > Title XXXVII – Special Proceedings > Chapter 417 – Arbitration and Award |
Louisiana |
Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 9 – Civil Code-Ancillaries > Louisiana Mediation Act, (§§ 4101-4112) and Louisiana Binding Arbitration Law, (§§ 4201-4276) |
Maine |
Maine Revised Statutes > Title 14 – Court Procedure - Civil > Chapter 706 – Uniform Arbitration Act, (§§ 5927-5949) |
Maryland |
Maryland Code and Court Rules > Courts and Judicial Proceedings > Title 3 – Courts of General Jurisdiction – Jurisdiction/Special Causes of Action > Subtitle 2 – Arbitration and Award, (“Maryland Uniform Arbitration Act”) |
Massachusetts |
General Laws of Massachusetts > Part III – Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases > Title IV – Certain Writs and Proceedings in Special Cases > Chapter 251 – Uniform Arbitration Act for Commercial Disputes |
Michigan |
Michigan Compiled Laws > Chapter 691 – Judiciary > Act 371 of 2012 – Uniform Arbitration Act |
Minnesota |
Minnesota Statutes > Chapter 572 – Arbitration; Mediation; Chapter 572A – Land Use Planning Dispute Resolution; Chapter 572B – Uniform Arbitration Act |
Mississippi |
Mississippi Code > Title 11 – Civil Practice and Procedure > Chapter 15 – Arbitration and Award |
Missouri |
Missouri Revisor of Statutes > Chapter 435 – Arbitration |
Montana |
Montana Code > Title 25 – Civil Procedure > Chapter 40 – Alternative Dispute Resolution |
Nebraska |
Nebraska Revised Statutes > Chapter 25 – Courts; Civil Procedure > Uniform Arbitration Act, (§§ 25-2601-2622); Dispute Resolution Act, (§§ 25-2901 – 25-2921); and Uniform Mediation Act, (§§ 25-2930 – 25-2942) |
Nevada |
Nevada Revised Statutes > Title 3 – Remedies; Special Actions and Proceedings > Chapter 38 – Mediation and Arbitration, (“Uniform Arbitration Act of 2000”) |
New Hampshire |
New Hampshire Revised Statutes > Title LV – Proceedings in Special Cases > Chapter 542 – Arbitration of Disputes |
New Jersey |
New Jersey Statutes > Title 2A – Administration of Civil and Criminal Justice > Section 23A-1 – 23A-30, "The New Jersey Alternative Procedure for Dispute Resolution Act"; Section 23B-1 – Section 23B-36, ("New Jersey Arbitration Act") |
New Mexico |
New Mexico Statutes > Chapter 33 – Miscellaneous Civil Law Matters > Article 7A – Uniform Arbitration and Article 7B – Mediation Procedures Act |
New York |
The Laws of New York > Consolidated Laws of New York > Chapter 8 – Civil Practice Law and Rules > Article 75 – Arbitration |
North Carolina |
North Carolina General Statutes > Chapter 1 – Civil Procedure > Article 45C – Revised Uniform Arbitration Act, (§§ 569.1 – 569.31) and |
North Dakota |
North Dakota Century Code > Title 32 – Judicial Remedies > Chapter 29.3, (“Uniform Arbitration Act”) |
Ohio |
Ohio Revised Code > Title 27 – Courts, General Provisions, Special Remedies > Chapter 2710 – Uniform Mediation Act and Chapter 2711 – Arbitration |
Oklahoma |
Oklahoma Statutes > Title 12 > Civil Procedure > Chapter 1800 > §§ 1801-1806, (“Dispute Resolution Act”); §§ 1821-1825, (“District Court Mediation Act”); §§ 1831-1840, (“Choice in Mediation Act”); §§ 1851-1881, (“Uniform Arbitration Act”) |
Oregon |
Oregon Revised Statutes > Volume 1 – Courts, Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure > Title 3 – Remedies and Special Actions and Proceedings > Chapter 36 – Mediation and Arbitration |
Pennsylvania |
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes > Title 42 – Judiciary and Judicial Procedure > Chapter 73 - Arbitration |
Rhode Island |
State of Rhode Island General Laws > Title 10 – Courts and Civil Procedure – Procedure in Particular Actions > Chapter 3 – Arbitration |
South Carolina |
South Carolina Code of Laws > Title 15 – Civil Remedies and Procedures > Chapter 48 – Uniform Arbitration Act |
South Dakota |
South Dakota Codified Laws > Title 21 – Judicial Remedies > Chapter 25A – Enforcement of Arbitration Agreements, (“Uniform Arbitration Act”) |
Tennessee |
Tennessee Code > Title 29 – Remedies and Special Proceedings > Chapter 5 – Arbitration |
Texas |
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code > Title 7 – Alternate Methods of Dispute Resolution |
Utah |
Utah Code > Title 78B – Judicial Code > Chapter 10 – Utah Uniform Mediation Act and Chapter 11 – Utah Uniform Arbitration Act |
Vermont |
The Vermont Statutes Online > Title 12 – Court Procedure > Chapter 192 – Arbitration Act |
Virginia |
Code of Virginia > Title 8.01 – Civil Remedies and Procedure > Chapter 20.2 – Court-Referred Dispute Resolution Proceedings; Chapter 21 – Arbitration and Award; and Chapter 21.2 – Mediation |
Washington |
Revised Code of Washington > Title 7 – Special Proceedings and Actions > Chapter 4A – Uniform Arbitration Act and Chapter 7 – Uniform Mediation Act |
West Virginia |
West Virginia Code > Chapter 55 – Actions, Suits and Arbitration; Judicial Sale > Article 10 – Arbitration |
Wisconsin |
Wisconsin Statutes > Actions and Proceedings in Special Cases > Chapter 788 – Arbitration |
Wyoming |
Wyoming Statutes – Annotated > Title 1 – Code of Civil Procedure > Chapter 36 – Arbitration, (“Uniform Arbitration Act”) |