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2013 SESSION
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 8.01-576.10 and 8.01-581.22 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 8.01-576.10. Confidentiality of dispute resolution proceeding.
All memoranda, work products and other materials contained in
the case files of a neutral or dispute resolution program are confidential. Any
communication made in or in connection with the dispute resolution proceeding
which that relates to the controversy, including screening, intake
and scheduling a dispute resolution proceeding, whether made to the neutral or
dispute resolution program staff or to a party, or to any other person, is
confidential. However, a written settlement agreement signed by the parties
shall not be confidential, unless the parties otherwise agree in writing.
Confidential materials and communications are not subject to
disclosure in discovery or in any judicial or administrative proceeding except
(i) where all parties to the dispute resolution proceeding agree, in writing,
to waive the confidentiality, (ii) in a subsequent action between the neutral
or dispute resolution program and a party to the dispute resolution proceeding
for damages arising out of the dispute resolution proceeding, (iii) statements,
memoranda, materials and other tangible evidence, otherwise subject to
discovery, which that were not prepared specifically for use in
and actually used in the dispute resolution proceeding, (iv) where a threat to
inflict bodily injury is made, (v) where communications are intentionally used
to plan, attempt to commit, or commit a crime or conceal an ongoing crime, (vi)
where an ethics complaint is made against the neutral by a party to the dispute
resolution proceeding to the extent necessary for the complainant to prove
misconduct and the neutral to defend against such complaint, (vii) where communications
are sought or offered to prove or disprove a claim or complaint of misconduct
or malpractice filed against a party's legal representative based on conduct
occurring during a mediation, (viii) where communications are sought or offered
to prove or disprove any of the grounds listed in § 8.01-576.12 in a proceeding
to vacate a mediated agreement, or (ix) as provided by law or rule. The use of
attorney work product in a dispute resolution proceeding shall not result in a
waiver of the attorney work product privilege.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, in any case
where the dispute involves support of the minor children of the parties,
financial information, including information contained in the child support
guidelines worksheet, and written reasons for any deviation from the guidelines
shall be disclosed to each party and the court for the purpose of computing a
basic child support amount pursuant to § 20-108.2.
§ 8.01-581.22. Confidentiality; exceptions.
All memoranda, work products and other materials contained in the case files of a mediator or mediation program are confidential. Any communication made in or in connection with the mediation, which relates to the controversy being mediated, including screening, intake, and scheduling a mediation, whether made to the mediator, mediation program staff, to a party, or to any other person, is confidential. However, a written mediated agreement signed by the parties shall not be confidential, unless the parties otherwise agree in writing.
Confidential materials and communications are not subject to disclosure in discovery or in any judicial or administrative proceeding except (i) where all parties to the mediation agree, in writing, to waive the confidentiality, (ii) in a subsequent action between the mediator or mediation program and a party to the mediation for damages arising out of the mediation, (iii) statements, memoranda, materials and other tangible evidence, otherwise subject to discovery, which were not prepared specifically for use in and actually used in the mediation, (iv) where a threat to inflict bodily injury is made, (v) where communications are intentionally used to plan, attempt to commit, or commit a crime or conceal an ongoing crime, (vi) where an ethics complaint is made against the mediator by a party to the mediation to the extent necessary for the complainant to prove misconduct and the mediator to defend against such complaint, (vii) where communications are sought or offered to prove or disprove a claim or complaint of misconduct or malpractice filed against a party's legal representative based on conduct occurring during a mediation, (viii) where communications are sought or offered to prove or disprove any of the grounds listed in § 8.01-581.26 in a proceeding to vacate a mediated agreement, or (ix) as provided by law or rule. The use of attorney work product in a mediation shall not result in a waiver of the attorney work product privilege.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, in any case
where the dispute involves support of the minor children of the parties,
financial information, including information contained in the child support
guidelines worksheet, and written reasons for any deviation from the guidelines
shall be disclosed to each party and the court for the purpose of computing a
basic child support amount pursuant to § 20-108.2.