In Iowa, there are various different grounds that can lead to a business dispute. Often, prior agreements and contracts have terms that the businesses disagree upon. Disputes can also occur over property matters, billing issues or other disagreements.

What to Do in a Business Dispute?

If a business dispute should happen in Ottumwa, Iowa, you should review any documents that are relevant to the disagreement, especially contracts. These documents might have clauses that must be followed when considering how to resolve the dispute. If there are no relevant documents, or the contracts do not have resolution clauses, then the dispute might need to be taken to court. Where the parties have not agreed beforehand about how to handle disputes, legal principles have been designed to determine the resolution. When they are called upon, Iowa courts try to discover the best resolution by looking to the facts of the specific situation presented. Each state has different business laws about dispute resolution and contract law. An Lawyer practicing in Ottumwa can help you handle your dispute in accordance with the applicable Iowa laws. Negotiations might also proceed more smoothly when an attorney is consulted, which may even lead to a resolution outside of court.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Contracts often have terms requiring that a dispute be handled outside of court. This is called Alternative Dispute Resolution or ADR, and it includes Mediation and Arbitration among others. ADR eradicates the need to go to court, while attempting to reach the same resolution that a court would have. Different types of ADR involve their own procedures, however, and they often include a neutral third party making a decision based on local law. If your business dispute is to be resolved by ADR, an attorney experienced with these methods in Ottumwa can counsel you throughout the process and develop the case you will present.