Section 734.20  Definitions

The following terms as used in this Part shall have the following meanings:

"Consumer" means the person who initiates a mediation procedure pursuant to Section 734.100.

"Mediation" means a process in which an impartial third party works with the disputing parties to facilitate and, if possible, to reach a mutually acceptable resolution of all of the issues in a dispute.

"Mediator" means an independent neutral third-party or trained member of Commission staff who acts in a non-judicial capacity to facilitate communication, promote understanding, focus the parties on their interests, and seek creative problem solving to enable the parties to reach their own resolution of the dispute.

"Party" means a person who initiates a mediation proceeding by filing a written request for mediation or a telecommunications carrier that responds to the request for mediation pursuant to Section 13-713 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, or unincorporated association.