The court may, upon stipulation of the parties, refer a civil action to an alternative dispute resolution program agreed to by the parties. The court shall not in any way impact or influence the alternative dispute resolution program selected by the parties. The court shall set a time limit on the duration of the referral, which shall not exceed ninety days. Such referral shall stay the time periods within which all further pleadings, motions, requests, discovery and other procedures must be filed or undertaken until such time as the alternative dispute resolution process is completed or the time period set by the court has elapsed, whichever occurs sooner.