Alternative dispute resolutions are designed to help parties resolve legal disputes outside of a trial court. These processes may include mediation, arbitration, or negotiation. While litigation may be necessary for some cases, especially those involving monetary awards, it is often more time-consuming and expensive than other methods of dispute resolution.
Litigation is also highly stressful, and can take months or even years to reach a final decision, depending on the complexity of your case. This lengthy, inconvenient process can cause significant financial hardship, even if you are able to recover damages and a monetary settlement.
In addition to being less costly and less stressful, alternative dispute resolutions allow for a more private approach to the matter at hand. Unlike traditional court proceedings, which are typically public, the majority of alternative dispute resolutions allow for the matter to remain confidential to all involved parties. This can be beneficial for families, couples who are divorcing, or business partners who need to maintain a relationship after the resolution of their dispute.
The most common type of alternative dispute resolution is mediation, which entails a neutral third party (the mediator) facilitating communication between the parties and helping the disputing parties come to a mutually acceptable agreement. Other forms of alternative dispute resolution include conciliation, facilitation and factfinding. There is also a more formal method of alternative dispute resolution called arbitration, which involves a neutral third party hearing evidence and arguments from both sides and then rendering a binding decision on the matter. alternative dispute resolutions