655.465 Annotation
A claimant's failure to participate in mediation within the 90-day period under sub. (7) does not require dismissal. The court may determine appropriate the sanction. Schulz v. Nienhuis,
152 Wis. 2d 434,
448 N.W.2d 655 (1989).
655.465 Annotation
If a party wishes to reschedule a mediation session for a time outside the 90-day statutory period, the party must obtain a written agreement to do so. If a respondent requests a rescheduling without providing a mutually agreed upon date within the 90 days and no written agreement is obtained, the mediation period does not terminate until the rescheduled mediation session is completed. Seaquist v. Physicians Ins, Co.
192 Wis. 2d 530,
531 N.W.2d 437 (Ct. App. 1995).
655.465 Annotation
Completion of mediation within the period under sub. (7) is not a jurisdictional prerequisite for maintenance of a medical malpractice suit. Bertorello v. St. Joseph's Hospital of Marshfield,
685 F. Supp. 192 (W. D. Wis. 1988).
655.54
655.54
Filing fee. Requests for mediation filed with the director of state courts are subject to a filing fee of $11. The filing fee shall be paid into the mediation fund under
s. 655.68.
655.54 History
History: 1985 a. 340;
1989 a. 187 s.
28.
655.58
655.58
Mediation procedure. 655.58(1)(1)
No record. Mediation shall be conducted without a stenographic record or any other transcript.
655.58(2)
(2) No exams, subpoenas, oaths. No physical examinations or production of records may be ordered, no witnesses may be subpoenaed and no oaths may be administered in mediation, whether by a mediation panel or member thereof or as a result of application to a court by any person.
655.58(3)
(3) No expert witnesses; panel consultants permitted. 655.58(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), no expert witnesses, opinions or reports may be submitted or otherwise used in mediation.
655.58(3)(b)
(b) The mediation panel or any member thereof may consult with any expert, and upon authorization of the director of state courts may compensate the expert from the appropriation under
s. 20.680 (2) (qm).
655.58(4)
(4) Patient records confidential except to parties. All patient health care records in the possession of a mediation panel shall be kept confidential by all members of the mediation panel and all other persons participating in mediation. Every person participating in mediation shall make available to one another and all members of the mediation panel all patient health care records of the patient named in the request for mediation that are in the person's possession.
655.58(5)
(5) Counsel permitted. Any person participating in mediation may be represented by counsel authorized to act for his or her respective client.
655.58 History
History: 1985 a. 340;
1989 a. 187 s.
28.
655.61(1)(1) The mediation fund created under
s. 655.68 shall be financed from fees charged to health care providers. The director of state courts shall, by February 1 annually, determine the revenues needed for the operation of the mediation system during the succeeding fiscal year and inform the board of governors of that amount. The director of state courts shall also inform the board of governors of the number of requests for mediation involving each type of health care provider set out in
s. 655.002 for the most recent fiscal year for which statistics are available. The board of governors shall, by rule, set fees to charge health care providers at a level sufficient to provide the necessary revenue.
655.61(1m)
(1m) Notwithstanding
sub. (1), the board of governors may exempt any type of health care provider set out in
s. 655.002 from payment of the annual fee based on a low number of requests for mediation involving that type of health care provider.
655.61(2)
(2) The annual fees under
sub. (1) shall be collected in a manner prescribed by rule of the commissioner. The commissioner shall pay all money collected under
sub. (1) into the mediation fund created under
s. 655.68.
MEDIATION FUND
655.68(1)(1)
Creation. There is created a mediation fund to pay the administrative expenses of the mediation system created under
subch. VI.
655.68(2)
(2) Administration and operation. Management of the mediation fund is vested with the director of state courts.
655.68(4)
(4) Accounting and financial reports. 655.68(4)(a)(a) Any person authorized to receive deposits, withdraw moneys, issue vouchers or otherwise disburse mediation fund moneys shall post a blanket fidelity bond in an amount reasonably sufficient to protect mediation fund assets. The cost of the bond shall be paid from the mediation fund.
655.68(4)(b)
(b) The state investment board shall invest money held in the mediation fund in short-term, fixed-return, interest-bearing investments. All income derived from these investments returns to the mediation fund.
655.68(4)(c)
(c) On or before March 1 annually, the director of state courts shall submit a report on the operation of the mediation system and on the status of the mediation fund to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under
s. 13.172 (3).
