What's New?

Section name changes
In January 2011, the House of Delegates of the South Carolina Bar approved the Section Council’s proposal to change the Section’s name from “Alternative Dispute Resolution Section” to “Dispute Resolution Section,” bringing it in line with the ABA’s use of the term for its Dispute Resolution Section. Although “Alternative Dispute Resolution” was appropriate twenty plus years ago, the Council agreed that mediation and other forms of dispute resolution now appear to be the norm rather than the exception and a name change was appropriate.

Peace Award recipients recognized
The section established a "Peace Award" in 2009 to be presented on a periodic basis to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the field of dispute resolution in South Carolina. The first recipients of the award, recognized at the 2010 Bar Convention, were William L. Howard Sr., chair of the ADR Commission; Capers G. Barr IV; and C.C. “Cotton” Harness III. Mr. Harness, considered by many to be the father of ADR in South Carolina, passed away in the spring of 2010. In his honor the Section Council unanimously voted to change the name of the award to the "C.C. ‘Cotton’ Harness III Peace Award.” In December 2010, the Board of Governors approved the name change.

About the Section
The South Carolina Bar’s Dispute Resolution Section (formerly known as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section) began as a committee and gained Section status in 1994. It currently has more than 300 members. The leaders and members of the Section have played an integral part in the development, promotion and implementation of Dispute Resolution in South Carolina. 

The purpose of the Section is to promote the goals and objectives of the South Carolina Bar in the field of Dispute Resolution. Objectives include educating the bench, the bar and the public to the benefits of Dispute Resolution; encouraging and promoting the use of Dispute Resolution within and without the court system; promoting the adoption of neutral standards; promoting neutral training; and seeking uniformity in legislation concerning Dispute Resolution applications, where appropriate.

Current projects include: increasing awareness of Dispute Resolution through public forums and business seminars; creating consultation task force committees to work with counties that do not have Dispute Resolution pilot programs; developing an electronic mailing list for the Section; and promoting media exposure to Dispute Resolution efforts.

All members of the Dispute Resolution Section are eligible to join the Dispute Resolution listserv, which provides easy electronic communication with fellow members on Dispute Resolution news, events and topics of interest to the Section. If you are having problems or have questions, contact Joan Brown at jbrown@scbar.org.

Section Resources:
Section Leadership
Section Roster
Roster of Certified Neutrals
Section Bylaws
S.C. Court-Annexed ADR Rules
ADR Forms
South Carolina Commission on ADR and the Board of Arbitrator and Mediator Certification
Dispute Resolution Section Signup Form (PDF)
Compilation of ADR Rules and Regulations


Section Minutes
March 25, 2011
May 20, 2011
June 24, 2011
September 23, 2011
December 15, 2011

Staff contact:
Joan Brown
jbrown@scbar.org
(803) 799-6653, ext. 138