Written agreements are commonly excepted from mediation confidentiality protections, permitting the Act to embrace current practices in a majority of States. See Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. Section 12-2238 (1993); Cal. Evid. Code Section 1120(1) (West 1997) (general); Cal. Evid. Code Section 1123 (West 1997) (general); Cal. Gov't. Code Section 12980(i) (West 1998) (housing discrimination); Colo. Rev. Stat. Section 24- 34-506.5 (1993) (housing discrimination); Ga. Code Ann. Section 45-19-36(e) (1989) (fair employment); 775 Ill. Comp. Stat. Section 5/7B-102(E)(3) (1989) (human rights); Ind. Code Section 679.2 (1998) (general); Iowa. Code Ann. Section 216.15(B) (1999) (civil rights); Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. Section 344.200(4) (1996) (civil rights); La. Rev. Stat. Ann. Section 9:4112(B)(1)(c) (1997) (general); La. Rev. Stat. Ann. Section 51:2257(D) (1998) (human rights); 5 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. Section 4612(1)(A) (1995) (human rights); Md. Code 1957 Ann. Art. 49(B) Section 28 (1991) (human rights); Mass. Gen. Laws. ch. 151B, Section 5 (1991) (job discrimination); Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 213.077 (1992) (human rights); Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 43-2908 (1993) (parenting act); N.J. Stat. Ann. Section 10:5-14 (1992) (civil rights); Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. Section 36.220(2)(a) (1997) (general); Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. 36.262 (1989) (agricultural foreclosure); 42 Pa. Consol. Stat. Section 5949(b)(1) (1996) (general); Tenn. Code Ann. Section 4-21-303(d) (1996) (human rights); Tex. Gov't. Code Ann. Section 2008.057 (1999) (Administrative Procedure Act); Vt. R. Civ. P., Rule 16.3 (1998) (general civil); Va. Code Ann. Section 8.01-576.10 (1994) (general); Va. Code Ann. Section 8.01-581.22 ( 1988) (general); Wash. Rev. Code Section 5.60.070 (1)(e) and (f) (1993) ( 1993) (general); Wash. Rev. Code Section 26.09.015(3) (1991) (divorce); Wash. Rev. Code Section 49.60.240 (1995) (human rights); W.Va. Code Section 5- 11A-11(b)(4) (1992) (fair housing); W.Va. Code Section 6B-2- 4(r) (1990) (public employees); Wis. Stat. Section 767.11(12) (1993) (family court); Wis. Stat. Section 904.085(4)(a) (1997) (general).

This exception is noteworthy only for what is not included: oral agreements. The disadvantage of exempting oral settlements is that nearly everything said during a mediation session could bear on either whether the parties came to an agreement or the content of the agreement. In other words, an exception for oral agreements has the potential to swallow the rule of privilege. As a result, mediation participants might be less candid, not knowing whether a controversy later would erupt over an oral