Uniform Mediation Act - History and Context
There are more than 2,500 state statutes regulating the practice of mediation. The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) and the American Bar Association (ABA) joined forces to create a more uniform law that would decrease confusion as well as promote candor. The two bodies spent five years drafting the law and in 2001, NCCUSL approved the UMA and in 2002, the ABA followed suit.
The UMA was introduced in Ohio as House Bill 303, was passed by both the House and Senate in 2004, and was signed by Governor Bob Taft on Jan. 28, 2005. Ohio became the fourth state to enact the law, joining Nebraska, Illinois and New Jersey. The UMA will be Sections 2710.01-2710.10 of the Ohio Revised Code as of Oct. 29, 2005, thereby repealing Section 2317.023.