Many people don’t know what “dispute resolution” means in a legal context. They understand what litigation is, but often don’t know there are alternative processes.
What is Dispute Resolution?
Dispute resolution is a term used to describe several processes that are used to resolve deep-rooted conflicts between parties. Dispute resolution processes fall into two general categories: alternative dispute resolution or adjudication processes. Adjudication processes include litigation or arbitration, in which an arbitrator, judge, or jury decide on the resolution of the conflict. On the other hand, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) includes a number of processes parties consensually enter into such as mediation, negotiation, conciliation, etc. through which parties discuss and attempt to reach a resolution.
Who Does This Apply To?
Anyone or multiple of these dispute resolution processes can be used to resolve any type of dispute including family, employment, business, etc. However, ADR has many advantages over adjudication processes as it is much faster and cheaper than traditional court proceedings and can provide all parties with greater control and participation in the resolution. While an attorney’s role is fairly well known in the adjudication process, attorneys also help guide their clients through ADR. Attorney’s do this by explaining their legal rights, all parties’ potential wrongdoing, and the likelihood of successful outcomes at each stage of the dispute resolution.
Hopefully now you understand a bit more about dispute resolution and can be better informed when determining the best way to resolve your legal issues.
by Rebecca Colvin
