[§667-81]  Outcome of dispute resolution; neutral's closing report.  (a)  Within ten days from the conclusion of the dispute resolution, the neutral shall file a closing report with the department, which verifies the parties' presence at the session, compliance with the requirements of this part, and reports whether the parties reached an agreement to resolve the dispute and the date of the dispute resolution's conclusion.  Upon receipt of the neutral's closing report, the department shall close the case.  The department shall forward a written copy of the neutral's closing report by registered or certified mail to the parties within five days after receipt from the neutral.

     (b)  If, despite the parties' participation in the dispute resolution process and compliance with the requirements of this part, the parties are not able to come to an agreement, the neutral shall file a closing report with the department that the parties met the program requirements.  The mortgagee may file or record the report at the bureau of conveyances or the land court, as appropriate.  Upon recording of the report pursuant to this subsection, the foreclosure process shall resume along the timeline as it existed on the date before the mortgagor elected dispute resolution, and may proceed as otherwise provided by law.  The mortgagee shall notify the mortgagor of the recording date and document number of this report and the deadline date to cure default in an amended foreclosure notice.  Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require the neutral to wait the full sixty days allotted for dispute resolution to determine that the parties were unable to reach an agreement and file a report.

     (c)  If the parties have complied with the requirements of this part and have reached an agreement, the agreement shall be memorialized in a settlement document signed by the parties or their authorized representatives.  If the parties or their authorized representatives participate in the dispute resolution session in person, the settlement document shall be signed in the presence of the neutral.  If any of the parties or their authorized representatives participate in the dispute resolution through telephone, videoconference, or other immediately available contemporaneous telecommunications medium, the settlement document shall be signed and returned to the neutral no later than ten days after the conclusion of the dispute resolution session.  The parties shall be responsible for drafting any agreement reached, and for filing or recording with the land court or the bureau of conveyances, as appropriate, and enforcing the settlement document.  The neutral shall file the settlement document with the neutral's closing report.  The settlement document shall be a contract between the parties and shall be enforceable in a private contract action in a court of appropriate jurisdiction in the event of breach by either party.  If the settlement document allows for foreclosure or other transfer of the subject property, the stay of the foreclosure under section 667-83 shall be released upon filing or recording the settlement document with the land court or bureau of conveyances, as appropriate.  Thereafter, the land court or bureau of conveyances may record a notice of sale or other conveyance document, as appropriate.

     (d)  If the parties to a dispute resolution process reach an agreement which resolves the matters at issue in the dispute resolution before the first day of the scheduled dispute resolution session scheduled pursuant to this section, the parties shall notify the neutral by that date.  The neutral shall thereafter issue a closing report that the parties have reached an agreement prior to the commencement of a dispute resolution session.  If the agreement provides for foreclosure, the parties shall memorialize the agreement in a writing signed by both parties and provided to the neutral.  Any agreement authorizing foreclosure shall be attached to the neutral's closing report.  The parties may file or record the report at the bureau of conveyances or the land court, as appropriate.  If the agreement authorizes foreclosure, the stay of the foreclosure under section 667-83 shall be released upon filing or recording with the land court or bureau of conveyances, as appropriate.  Thereafter, the land court or bureau of conveyances may record a notice of sale or other conveyance document, as appropriate.  No fees shall be refunded if the parties come to an agreement prior to a dispute resolution session conducted pursuant to this part. [L 2011, c 48, pt of §1]