Interruption of the running of the limitation period of claims by initiating mediation

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of interrupting the running of the limitation period through the initiation of mediation. First, this issue is analysed in the context of other circumstances provided for in the Civil Code, which may interrupt the running of the limitation period but frequently provoke controversy. These examples are used to demonstrate that interpretative difficulties arise in respect of the initiation of mediation proceedings as well, as an event interrupting the running of the limitation period. Such difficulties are primarily due to the fact that while Article 1836 § 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) states that mediation proceedings are initiated from the moment one of the parties serves the mediator with a petition to conduct mediation proceedings, there is no regulation addressing the matter of formal defects in the petition; legal scholars take diametrically opposing positions in respect of whether it is possible to remedy these defects and initiate the mediation process, and whether the running of the limitation period can thereby be interrupted. In addition, Article 1836 § 2 CCP is another source of uncertainty as it provides for a range of circumstances in which the proper serving of the petition does not lead to the initiation of mediation proceedings. The article subjects these regulations to thorough analysis, with particular attention paid to the impact of these situations on interruption of the limitation period on claims (including assessment of the justifiability of such legal solutions and with reference to the views of scholars, as well as de lege ferenda remarks). Mention is also made of issues associated with the limitation period in cases where the court directs the parties to engage in mediation.