Critically Discuss the Need for Alternative Forms of Dispute Resolution

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More and more people are seeking other methods of resolving their disputes. Alternative methods are referred to as ‘ADR’, which stands for ‘Alternative Dispute Resolution’, and include any method of resolving a dispute without resorting to using courts. There are many forms of dispute resolution. Firstly there is negotiation. Anyone who has a dispute with another person can always try to resolve it by negotiating directly with them. This has the advantage of being completely private, and is also the quickest and cheapest method of settling a dispute. If the parties cannot come to an agreement they may decide to take the step of instructing solicitors, and those solicitors will usually try to negotiate a settlement. In fact, even when court proceedings have been commenced, the lawyers for the parties will often continue to negotiate on behalf of their clients, and this is reflected in the high number of cases, which are settled out of court. Once lawyers are involved there will be a cost element – clearly, the longer negotiations go on, the higher the costs will be. One of the worrying aspects is the number of cases that drag on for years, only to end in an agreed settlement literally ‘at the door of the court’ on the morning that the trial is due to start. It is this situation that other alternative dispute resolution methods, and in particular, the 1999 Civil Procedure Rules are aimed at avoiding. The second form of dispute resolution is mediation. This is where a neutral mediator helps the parties to reach a compromise solution. The role of a mediator is to consult with each party and see how much common ground there is between them. He/she will explore the position with each party, looking at their needs and carrying offers to and fro, while keeping confidentiality. A mediator will not usually tell the parties his/her own views of the merits of the dispute;

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