Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has been around for
a good while now but what is it and when should it be
used?
ADR is any alternative process used to resolve a dispute without
involving the court. Court action can be incredibly expensive, time
consuming and sometimes unpredictable.
The most common type of ADR is mediation, where an independent
party helps parties to come to a mutually acceptable outcome. It is
not meant to establish the parties' rights, it is a means to
get disagreeing parties to come to an agreement they each can live
with.
It is particularly suited to family disputes, where there may be
a number of sensitivities and family members will be anxious to put
differences behind them once a satisfactory outcome has been
reached.