Staff Analysis of the Legislation
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SB 464 amends Title 9 of the OCGA to add a new chapter to provide uniform laws governing mediation and participants in mediation in civil practice. The chapter specifies that mediation parties are entitled to privileges against disclosure, admissibility, and discovery and the scope of these privileges. These privileges may be waived for a number of exceptions including if a court finds that there is a need for the evidence that substantially outweighs the interest in protecting confidentiality. Mediators are required to disclose any conflicts of interest. All international commercial mediations will, by default, be governed by the Model Law of the United Nations Commission. This chapter also supersedes federal law on electronic signatures in Global and National Commerce Act. |