Alternative Dispute Resolution

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) (also known as External Dispute Resolution in some countries, such as Australia) includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that fall outside of the government judicial process. ...

"Alternative dispute resolution" (ADR) is a term generally used to refer to informal dispute resolution processes in which the parties meet with a professional third party who helps them resolve their dispute in a way that is less formal and often more consensual than is done in the courts. While the most common forms of ADR are mediation and arbitration, there are many other forms: judicial settlement conferences, fact-finding, ombudsmen, special masters, etc. Though often voluntary, ADR is sometimes mandated by the courts, which require that disputants try mediation before they take their case to court.

ADR is being increasingly acknowledged in the field of law and commercial sectors both at disputes at their own terms cheaply and expeditiously.

Alternate Dispute Resolution is rapidly developing at national and international level, offering simpler methods of resolving disputes. Increasing trend of ADR services can easily be inferred from the growth of “Arbitration clause” in majority of contracts. There has been a significant growth in number of law school courses, diplomas, seminars, etc. focusing on alternate dispute resolution and rationalizing its effectualness in processing wide range of dispute in society.

ADR is any process used to resolve disputes which is not considered part of the more formal or traditional methods of resolving disputes such as court adjudication. ...

A body of dispute resolution techniques which avoid the inflexibility of litigation and arbitration, and focus instead on enabling the parties to achieve a better or similar result, with the minimum of direct and indirect cost.

A way to resolve disputes outside of the traditional state or federal court systems. Arbitration and mediation are two widely used ADR processes.