Section 436.362 - Mediation requirements1. At any time, either a claimant or contractor may offer to resolve a claim against a contractor through mediation. Mediation pursuant to this section shall be nonbinding and independently administered. The contractor and claimant shall mutually agree upon a qualified independent and neutral mediator and shall equally share the cost of the mediator. If the parties agree upon a mediator, then the mediation shall take place within a reasonable time period, but in no event later than forty-five days after service of a request for mediation by a claimant upon a contractor or a request by a contractor upon a claimant. A contractor who receives a request for mediation from a claimant shall serve a response in writing within fourteen days and may include within the response the name of a proposed mediator and mediation date. A claimant who receives a request for mediation from a contractor shall serve a response in writing within fourteen days and may include within the response the name of a proposed mediator and mediation date.2. The contractor or claimant may include in the mediation any person or entity reasonably necessary for resolution of the claim asserted. This subsection shall not be construed to mandate attendance at a mediation by a person or entity other than the contractor or claimant served with a notice of claim.3. If all the parties to a dispute agree in writing to submit their dispute to any forum for arbitration, conciliation, or mediation, then no person who serves as arbitrator, conciliator or mediator, nor any agent or employee of that person, shall be subpoenaed or otherwise compelled to disclose any matter disclosed in the process of setting up or conducting the arbitration, conciliation, or mediation.4. Arbitration, conciliation, and mediation proceedings shall be regarded as settlement negotiations and the confidentiality of such proceeding shall be as set forth in supreme court rule 17.5. Notwithstanding any provisions of law or the agreements of the parties to the contrary, the resolution of the dispute by the parties through mediation or otherwise shall not operate to release any claim of the claimant except the claim described in the notice of defect, and shall not operate to release the claim described in the notice of defect until the agreed-upon remedy has been accomplished. L. 2005S.B. 168 § 431.312