alternative dispute resolution - state statutes

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

Chapter 7A – Judicial Department > Article 5 – Jurisdiction > Section 37.1 – Section 38.7, (“North Carolina Dispute Resolution Act”)

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”)

[Last reviewed in December of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]