94 STAT. 18
PUBLIC LAW 96-190—FEB. 12, 1980 (3) the term "Center" means the Dispute Resolution Resource Center established under section 6(a); (4) the term "dispute resolution mechanism" means— (A) a court with jurisdiction over minor disputes; (B) a forum which provides for arbitration, mediation, conciliation, or a similar procedure, which is available to resolve a minor dispute; or (C) a governmental agency or mechanism with the objective of resolving minor disputes; (5) the term "grant recipient" means any State or local government, any State or local governmental agency, and any nonprofit organization which receives a grant under section 8; (6) the term "local" means of or pertaining to any political subdivision of a State; and (7) the term "State" means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any of the territories and possessions of the United States. CRITERIA FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION MECHANISMS
28 USC app.
ggc 4 Any grant recipient which desires to use any fmancial assistance received under this Act in connection with establishing or maintaining a dispute resolution m.echanism shall provide satisfactory assurances to the Attorney General that the dispute resolution mechanism will provide for— (1) assistance to persons using the dispute resolution mechanism; (2) the resolution of disputes at times and locations which are convenient to persons the dispute resolution mechanism is intended to serve; (3) adequate arrangements for participation by persons who are limited by language barriers or other disabilities; (4) reasonable, fair, and readily understandable forms, rules, and procedures, which shall include, where appropriate, those which would— (A) ensure that all parties to a dispute are directly involved in the resolution of the dispute, and that the resolution is adequately implemented; (B) promote, where feasible, the voluntary resolution of disputes (including the resolution of disputes by the parties before resorting to the dispute resolution mechanism established by the grant recipient); (C) promote the resolution of disputes by persons not ordinarily involved in the judicial system; (D) provide an easy way for any person to determine the proper name in which, and the proper procedure by which, any person may be made a party to a dispute resolution proceeding; (E) permit the use of dispute resolution mechanisms by the business community if State law so permits; and (F) ensure reasonable privacy protection for individuals involved in the dispute resolution process; (5) the dissemination of information relating to the availability, location, and use of other redress mechanisms in the event that dispute resolution efforts fail or the dispute involved does not come within the jurisdiction of the dispute resolution mechanism;
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