As mediators here in the U.S. know, the Uniform Mediation Act holds significant import for the practice of mediation, particularly with respect to issues of confidentiality and privilege. All eyes are watching closely as Utah appears ready to adopt the Uniform Mediation Act (UMA), with some amendments. Click here to view the text of the current bill.

If it does take this step, Utah will be in good company–Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, and Washington State have already enacted the UMA. In addition, the Council of the District of Columbia has also passed its own version of the UMA, which currently awaits the Mayor’s signature.

Curious about the status of the Uniform Mediation Act as well as other uniform acts in all 50 U.S. states? Visit the web site for the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, select the act you’re interested in retrieving information for, then choose the state, and click on search.

Here in Massachusetts, the word on the street says that the Uniform Mediation Act is somewhere in committee, but not even politically connected mediators know what the fate of the bill is at this time. It would be nice if someone decides to hold a public hearing to discuss the UMA on its merits, since there are plenty of us who’d like to add our two cents to the debate.

For more information on the Uniform Mediation Act, stop by the Association for Conflict Resolution. You may also want to read Robert Benjamin’s essay from back in 2001 on the UMA as Trojan horse.)

(This story is via the DisputEd gang, always with their ears to the ground.)

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