National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws

211 E. Ontario St., Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60611
tel 312-915-0195, fax 312-915-0187

For Immediate Release

UNIFORM LAW GROUP WRAPS UP MEETING
New Mediation Law Among Acts Approved

August 16, 2001— Five new uniform acts, dealing with issues ranging from confidentiality in mediation to consumer leases, were approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) at its 2001 Annual Meeting in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, from August 10 - 17.

"This has been a very busy week, and we have accomplished a great deal," says John L. McClaugherty, outgoing president of NCCUSL and a lawyer in Charleston, West Virginia. "Not only did we complete five new uniform acts for states' consideration, but another six acts were extensively debated. The importance of our activities here in West Virginia this week cannot be overstated.

NCCUSL, now in its 110th year, comprises more than 300 lawyers, judges, law professors, and legislators and other state officials — all lawyers — from every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Commissioners are appointed by their states to draft and promote enactment of uniform laws that are designed to solve problems common to all the states.

A uniform act must be considered at two annual meetings by all commissioners before it can be approved. After receiving the NCCUSL seal of approval, a uniform act is officially promulgated for consideration by the states, and legislatures are urged to adopt it. Since its inception, the NCCUSL has been responsible for more than 200 acts, among them such bulwarks of state statutory law as the Uniform Commercial Code, the Uniform Probate Code and the Uniform Controlled Substances Act.

Among the acts approved by NCCUSL is the Uniform Mediation Act. The increasing use of mediation by individuals and businesses has been accompanied by an increasing number of statutes dealing with the matter. Current rules on mediation can be found in more than 2,500 state statutes; more than 250 of these deal with issues of confidentiality and privileges alone. Many of these statutes can be replaced by the new uniform act, which has more general rules on confidentiality and privilege.

A new act drafted to regulate state consumer leasing was also approved. The Uniform Consumer Leases Act covers leases of consumer goods for terms longer than four months. It assures fair practices in consumer leasing.

The Uniform Limited Partnership Act, last amended in 1985 and adopted in nearly every state, has been completely revised to adapt the act to new uses. The revision reflects the shift in use of limited partnerships from businesses to family limited partnerships used in estate planning.

Amendments to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), last amended in 1996 and adopted in every state, were also approved. Some of the changes in this act include expanding the definition of "state" so other countries may have their orders enforced in the US under the terms of UIFSA.

Important amendments to the Uniform Commercial Code were approved. UCC Article 1, the general provisions section of the UCC, was amended to harmonize with ongoing UCC projects and recent revisions. The Uniform Commercial Code is a joint project of the NCCUSL and the American Law Institute.

Other amendments to the Uniform Commercial Code were also debated, but not completed. UCC Article 2, Sales, and UCC Article 2A, Leases, were both scheduled for final approval, but after much debate, it was decided that these acts require more consideration before they can be completed.

For further information on the NCCUSL, or for current information about any acts or committees, please visit our Web site at www.nccusl.org.

For further information, please contact John McCabe or Katie Robinson at (312) 915-0195 or Gabrielle Bamberger at (212)333-5222. Also check the NCCUSL website at www.nccusl.org