710 ILCS 20/ Illinois Not-For-Profit Dispute Resolution Center Act.

(710 ILCS 20/1) (from Ch. 37, par. 851)

Sec. 1. The General Assembly finds that the resolution of certain disputes can be costly and time-consuming in the context of a formal judicial proceeding; and that mediation of disputes has a great potential for efficiently reducing the volume of matters which burden the court system in this State; and that unresolved disputes which individually may be of small social or economic magnitude are collectively of enormous social and economic consequence; and that many seemingly minor conflicts between individuals may escalate into major social problems unless resolved early in an atmosphere in which the disputants can discuss their differences through an informal yet structured process; and that there is a compelling need in a complex society for dispute resolution centers in which people can participate in creating lasting resolutions to ongoing conflicts; and that not-for-profit dispute resolution centers can make a substantial contribution to the operation and maintenance of the courts of this State by keeping some matters from litigation and by providing a mechanism for resolving certain pending matters.

(Source: P.A. 85-756.)

(710 ILCS 20/1.1) (from Ch. 37, par. 851.1)

Sec. 1.1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the Illinois Not-For-Profit Dispute Resolution Center Act.

(Source: P.A. 85-756.)

(710 ILCS 20/2) (from Ch. 37, par. 852)

Sec. 2. As used in this Act:

(a) "Dispute resolution center" means a not-for-profit organization which is exempt from the payment of federal income tax pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and which is organized to provide mediation services, including but not limited to mediation services provided at no charge to disputants in connection with disputes referred from the court system.

(b) "Mediation" means a voluntary process in which an impartial mediator actively assists disputants in identifying and clarifying issues of concern and in designing and agreeing to solutions for those issues.

(c) "Mediator" means a person who has received at least 30 hours of training in the areas of negotiation, nonverbal communication, agreement writing, neutrality and ethics.

(Source: P.A. 93-240, eff. 1-1-04.)

(710 ILCS 20/3) (from Ch. 37, par. 853)

Sec. 3. (a) In judicial circuits which include a county with a population of over 2,000,000 inhabitants, a dispute resolution fund shall be established.

(b) In any other judicial circuit a dispute resolution fund shall be established upon a finding by the Chief Judge of the circuit that:

(1) a dispute resolution center would significantly enhance the administration of justice in that circuit; and

(2) a dispute resolution center exists or should be created in the judicial circuit.

(c) In each judicial circuit in which a dispute resolution fund is established, the clerks of the circuit court shall charge and collect a dispute resolution fund fee of $2, such fee to be paid by the party initiating the action at the time of filing the first pleading in all civil cases. Such fees shall not be charged in any proceeding commenced by or on behalf of a unit of local government.

Such fees shall be in addition to all other fees and charges of such clerks, shall be assessable as costs, and shall be remitted by such clerks monthly to the county treasurers, and shall be disbursed monthly by the county treasurer to the dispute resolution fund established under this Section. Each such clerk shall commence such charges and collections upon receipt of written notice from the Chief Judge of the judicial circuit that a dispute resolution fund has been established.

(d) Each dispute resolution fund established under this Section shall be administered by the Chief Judge of the judicial circuit in which the fund is established.

(Source: P.A. 102-130, eff. 1-1-22.)

(710 ILCS 20/4) (from Ch. 37, par. 854)

Sec. 4. (a) Subject to the supervisory authority of the Supreme Court, the Chief Judge of each judicial circuit in which a dispute resolution fund has been established shall annually make grant disbursements from the fund to dispute resolution centers within the judicial circuit which meet the criteria in Section 4 of this Act.

(b) Disbursements by the Chief Judge shall be made to qualified dispute resolution centers within a judicial circuit based on each center's proportionate share of the total number of cases resolved by all qualified centers in that circuit during the year prior to application.

(c) In no event shall the disbursement to any dispute resolution center in one year exceed $300,000. Any amounts collected under Section 3 but not disbursed in a particular year shall:

(1) in single-county judicial circuits, be paid to the county treasurer for the administration of justice in the judicial circuit; and

(2) in judicial circuits of more than one county, be paid to the county treasurers of each county of the judicial circuit for the administration of justice in the judicial circuit, in amounts in proportion to the amounts of the disbursements made by each of the county treasurers to the fund during the year.

(d) A dispute resolution center may accept funds from other public entities or private sources.

(Source: P.A. 102-130, eff. 1-1-22.)

(710 ILCS 20/5) (from Ch. 37, par. 855)

Sec. 5. (a) Subject to the supervisory authority of the Supreme Court, the Chief Judge of each judicial circuit in which a dispute resolution fund has been established shall make rules pertaining to the operation and standards to be adhered to by dispute resolution centers in that judicial circuit in order to qualify for funding. Such rules shall provide for the following in connection with mediation of disputes referred from the court system:

(1) Each dispute resolution center applying for funding shall report the number of cases which have been successfully resolved in each of the 3 preceding years.

(2) All mediators shall be trained in conflict resolution techniques for at least 30 hours and shall participate in an ongoing peer review program. Mediators shall perform their duties as volunteers, and shall not receive any compensation for their services.

(3) Mediation shall be scheduled within 30 days of commencement of a case unless good cause exists for not scheduling mediation.

(4) Each dispute resolution center receiving funding under this Act shall maintain records which shall be available for inspection by the office of the Chief Judge of the circuit and which shall demonstrate adherence to applicable requirements.

(5) Prior to mediation, disputants shall be advised of the objectives of mediation, the function of the mediator, and the role of the disputants in the mediation process.

(6) A dispute shall be considered to be successfully resolved when a written agreement which sets forth the obligations and responsibilities of the disputants is signed by the disputants.

(b) Subject to the supervisory authority of the Supreme Court, the Chief Judge of each judicial circuit in which a dispute resolution fund has been established shall make rules concerning the types of cases which the judges of the circuit may refer to a qualified dispute resolution center, and may make any other rules necessary for the operation of the Act in that judicial circuit.

(Source: P.A. 93-240, eff. 1-1-04.)

(710 ILCS 20/6) (from Ch. 37, par. 856)

Sec. 6. All memoranda, work products, or case files of a qualified dispute resolution center and its mediators shall be confidential and shall not be subject to discovery or other disclosure in any judicial or administrative proceeding. Any communication made during the resolution process by any participant, mediator, or any other person present at the mediation shall be a confidential communication.

(Source: P.A. 85-756.)