Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 94 Part 1.djvu/67

 PUBLIC LAW 96-190—FEB. 12, 1980

94 STAT. 17

Public Law 96-190 96th Congress An Act To provide financial assistance for the development and maintenance of effective, fair, inexpensive, and expeditious mechanisms for the resolution for minor disputes.

Feb. 12, 1980 [S. 423]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Dispute United States of America in Congress assembled,

Resolution Act.

SHORT TITLE

1. This Act may be cited as the "Dispute Resolution Act". 28 USC app. 28 USC app. SEC. 2. (a) The Congressfindsand declares that— (1) for the majority of Americans, mechanisms for the resolution of minor disputes are largely unavailable, inaccessible, ineffective, expensive, or unfair, (2) the inadequacies of dispute resolution mechanisms in the United States have resulted in dissatisfaction and many types of inadequately resolved grievances and disputes; (3) each individual dispute, such as that between neighbors, a consumer and seller, and a landlord and tenant, for which adequate resolution mechanisms do not exist may be of relatively small social or economic magnitude, but taken collectively such disputes are of enormous social and economic consequence; (4) there is a lack of necessary resources or expertise in many areas of the Nation to develop new or improved consumer dispute resolution mechanisms, neighborhood dispute resolution mecha* nisms, and other necessary dispute resolution mechanisms; (5) the inadequacy of dispute resolution mechanisms throughout the United States is contrary to the general welfare of die people; (6) neighborhood, local, or community based dispute resolution mechanisms can provide and promote expeditious, inexpensive, equitable, and voluntary resolution of disputes, as well as serve as models for other dispute resolution mechanisms; and (7) the utilization of neighborhood, local, or community resources, including volunteers (and particularly senior citizens) and available building space such as space in public facilities, can provide for accessible, cost-effective resolution of minor disputes. (b) It is the purpose of this Act to assist the States and other interested parties m providing to all persons convenient access to dispute resolution mechanisms which are effective, fair, inexpensive, and expeditious. SECTION

DEFINITIONS 28 USC app. SEC. 3. For purposes of this Act— (1) the term "Advisory Board" means the Dispute Resolution Advisory Board established under section 7(a); (2) the term "Attorney General" means the Attorney General of the United States (or the designee of the Attorney Ueneral of the United States);

�