Alternative Dispute Resolution / Mediation
There are a number of ways to resolve civil disputes without going through litigation in the court room. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) utilizes a neutral party who is impartial to help resolve the dispute between parties.
One form of ADR is called mediation. Mediation can be used by disputing parties with or without a lawsuit being filed.
During the mediation process the referring court retains jurisdiction of the case if a lawsuit has been filed or is under appeal. Mediators are normally chosen by the disputing parties or they can be chosen by the court. Mediation can be extremely helpful at resolving disputes especially before they become completely inflexible in their stances.
Some of the advantages of ADR include:
Faster resolution of the dispute. Lawsuits can often take years as they proceed through the judicial process.
ADR can often save money in court costs, attorney fees, and expert witness costs.
ADR is informal and less rigid than the court process, which can help the parties form unique creative solutions to resolve their dispute.
- ADR can help reduce the stress associated with a lawsuit by resolving the dispute quickly and in a less costly manner.
