(a) "Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission" or "ADRC" is the Alternative Dispute Commission established by the Supreme Court pursuant to this Rule.(b) "Baccalaureate degree" and "graduate degree" are only those degrees awarded by an institution of higher education accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education and approved or listed by the United States Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency. A Juris Doctor Degreefrom either: (1) a law school accredited by the American Bar Associationor (2) a Tennessee law school approvedby the Tennessee Board of Law Examinerspursuantto Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 7s hall be deemed a graduate degree underthis Rule. A law degreeearned outside the United States shall be evaluated on a case by case basis by the ADRC based on the provisions of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 7.01.(c) "Court" means any court exercising civil jurisdiction subject to the Tennessee Supreme Court Rules.(d) "Court-Ordered Mediation" is a Rule 31 Mediation in which there is an Order of Reference from a Court or Judicial Officer.(e) "Days" for purposes of the deadlines imposed by this Rule, means calendar days.(f) "Eligible Civil Action" includes any civil action filed in a Court in which the Court has continuing jurisdiction, except civil commitments, adoption proceedings, habeas corpus and extraordinary writs, juvenile delinquency, or dependency and neglect cases. The term "Extraordinary writs" does not encompass claims or applications for injunctive relief.(g) "Judicial Officer" serves by election or continuing appointment in a judicial office, such as: 1) a sitting judge in a Court; or 2) a Juvenile Referee, Divorce Referee, Referee, and Special Master.(h) "Order of Reference" is a written or standing order of a Court or Judicial Officer entered in or related to an Eligible Civil Action in accordance with Section 3 herein directing the parties to participate in a Rule 31 Mediation.(i) A "Rule 31 Mediation" is an informal process in which a Rule 31 Mediator conducts discussions among the parties that is designed to enable them to reach a mutually acceptable agreement among themselves on all or any part of disputed issues: 1) in or related to an Eligible Civil Action; or 2) in any civil dispute in which the Rule 31 Mediator and the parties have agreed in writing that the mediation will be conducted pursuant to Rule 31.(j) A "Rule 31 Mediator is any person listed by the ADRC as a mediator, pursuant to Section 14o f this Rule,who has complied with all applicable renewal listing and continuing education requirements and is approved by the ADRC to conduct Court-Ordered Mediations.