Rule 16.21 - Local Mediation Rule(A) GeneralA court that elects to use mediation shall adopt a local rule governing mediation. The local rule shall do all of the following:
(1) Incorporate by reference the provisions of the "Ohio Uniform Mediation Act" under R.C. Chapter 2710;(2) Identify the case types eligible for mediation and those that are precluded from mediation, if any;(3) Address confidentiality;(4) Prohibit the use of mediation in domestic violence cases pursuant to R.C. 2919.25, 2919.26, 2919.27, and 3113.31. Nothing in this division shall prohibit the use of mediation in either of the following cases:(i) A subsequent divorce or custody case, even though the case may result in the termination of the provisions of a protection order pursuant to R.C. 3113.31;(ii) A juvenile delinquency case.(B)Juvenile courtsA juvenile court that elects to use mediation in abuse, neglect, dependency, unruly, and delinquency cases or juvenile civil protection order cases pursuant to R.C. 2151.34 or 3113.31 shall adopt a local rule that does all of the following:
(1) Complies with division (A) of this rule; (2) Includes procedures in abuse, neglect, and dependency cases to ensure parties who are not represented by counsel attend mediation only if they have waived the right to counsel in open court and that parties represented by counsel attend mediation without counsel only where the right to have counsel present at the mediation has been specifically waived. Waivers may be rescinded at any time. (3) Includes procedures for the selection and referral of a case to mediation at any point after the case is filed; (4) Includes procedures for notifying the parties and nonparty participants of the mediation.Ohio. R. Superi. Ct. 16.21
Adopted September 10, 2019, effective 1/1/2020; amended January 26, 2021, effective 4/15/2021.