Conflict is a fact of life. If we interact with others, there are going to be times when our interests collide with those of someone else. Conflict might arise over the location of a boundary, about the interpretation of a term of an agreement, in business or the work place, or between family members. Whenever opposing legal interests arise, most of us would like a fair, relatively inexpensive and quick way to resolve the issue.

The court system we use today has been developed on the foundation of the Magna Carta, the Great Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which was signed almost 1000 years ago. Our civil court system involves having a judge determine who is “right” and who is “wrong”, or where fault is to be attributed. That’s why courts have judges – to judge. However, many of our modern day legal conflicts do not require a finding of who is right and who is wrong. For instance, in separation and divorce, is there really a “right” way to cut up the family pie? And most parents would agree that there is no one “right” parenting plan. Similarly, in business, when a conflict arises between partners, is it truly helpful to spend a lot of time and money trying to prove the other partner at fault?

Providing a fair, less expensive and quicker solution to legal disputes is what alternative dispute resolution is all about. Alternative Dispute Resolution takes place out of the courtroom. The terms of the agreement reached by the parties through alternative dispute resolution methods are formalized in writing, and the Written Agreement is often filed at a court registry, so that the Written Agreement can take on the force and effect as if a court had ordered the terms.

There are generally three types of ADR:
• Mediation
• Collaborative Law
• Arbitration

At Resolution Place, you can learn how these ways of resolving disputes might best apply to your situation. We offer an initial consultation for $145 (including tax) where you can meet with a lawyer at Resolution Place to explore your options and look at the costs and time associated with each option.