Leadership Team

Peaceful Resolutions for all Oklahomans! We have the privilege of serving as the leaders of the nationally-recognized Alternative Dispute Resolution System, which is centrally coordinated through the Supreme Court of Oklahoma, Administrative Office of the Courts. The purpose of the program, as stated in the Act, is “to provide all citizens of this state convenient access to dispute resolution proceedings which are fair, effective, inexpensive, and expeditious.” There is NO cost to use the program services!

The Alternative Dispute Resolution System in Oklahoma is made up of 13 community-based court-connected Early Settlement Mediation centers and 15 state agency programs. This system, which was authorized (1983) and funded (1985) by the state legislature through the Oklahoma Dispute Resolution Act 12 O.S. 1801-1813 et seq., is administered and supervised by the Administrative Director of the Courts through her designee, the State Director, with the ongoing guidance of the Dispute Resolution Advisory Board. The program is funded by a $7 district court civil filing fee. Annual renewable grants are awarded to the sponsoring agencies by the Administrative Director of the Courts.

Over 350 community volunteers from all walks of life are trained and certified by the Administrative Director of the Courts and serve as mediators for the Early Settlement programs across the state. The court-connected, community-based program serves all 77 counties in Oklahoma. Parties may request mediation services through the local Early Settlement program serving the county in which they reside.