The Supreme Court of North Carolina recently issued an order, dated June 3, 2020, amending the Rules for Mediated Settlement Conferences and Other Settlement Procedures in Superior Court Civil Actions. The order requires all mediations to be conducted through the use of remote technology (ie: by telephone, videoconference, or other electronic means) except by (1) court order, or (2) agreement of all parties and persons required to attend and the mediator to (a) an in-person mediation, and (b) compliance with all federal, state, and local safety guidelines that have been issued.

Previously, the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission issued guidelines outlining the circumstances under which the parties and mediator have a choice regarding in-person or remote mediation.