Defamation and Malicious Publication (Scotland) Act 2021

33 Interruption of limitation period: mediation

After section 19CA of the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 (interruption of limitation period: arbitration) insert—

“19CB Interruption of section 18A(1) limitation period: mediation

(1) In any computation of the period specified in section 18A(1), any period of mediation in relation to a relevant matter is to be disregarded.

(2) For the purposes of this section, a period of mediation—

(a) begins on the day on which a mediator is appointed by the parties, and

(b) ends on such day as the parties may agree or, otherwise, on the day—

(i) on which a party notifies another party that they are withdrawing from the mediation,

(ii) which falls 14 days after the day on which a party makes a request for confirmation that another party is continuing with the mediation (and no response has been received), or

(iii) which falls 14 days after the day on which the mediator resigns or dies or otherwise becomes incapable of acting (and no replacement has been appointed).

(3) In this section—

• “mediation” means a structured process, whereby two or more parties to a dispute attempt, with the assistance of a mediator, to resolve or reduce disagreement between or among them with a view to resolution of the dispute without recourse to court,

• “mediator” means an independent person who is appointed by the parties to conduct a mediation, whether or not for remuneration, in an effective, impartial, and competent way,

• “party” means a party to the mediation, and

• “relevant matter” means a matter to which a limitation period applies by virtue of section 18A(1).”.