Alternative Dispute Resolution

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR)

Includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that fall outside of the govermentjudicial process.Despite historic resistance to ADR by both parties and their advocates,ADR has gained widespread acceptance among both the general public and the legal profession in recent years. In fact, some courts now require some parties to resort to ADR of some type, usually mediation, before permitting the parties' cases to be tried. The rising popularity of ADR can be explained by the increasing caseload of traditional courts, the perception that ADR imposes fewer costs than litigation, a preference for confidentiality, and the desire of some parties to have greater control over the selection of the individual or individuals who will decide their dispute.