In Florida, there are several 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 involved in a business dispute in Fruitland Park, Florida, reviewing any relevant documents, especially contracts, should be the first step. These documents might decide how the dispute will be resolved. Not all contracts have dispute resolution clauses, of course, and occasionally neither business has any documents relevant to the dispute at all. If that is the case, a court might be needed to resolve the dispute. Florida courts look to the individual cases in determining the best resolution. Where two parties have not agreed beforehand on how to handle a dispute, a specific set of legal principles is used instead. There are laws specific to each state that govern how to approach dispute resolution. Lawyers practicing in Fruitland Park are best suited to offer advice in accordance with Florida law. Discussion with the other business about how to resolve the dispute might also proceed more smoothly under the direction of an attorney, avoiding the need to go to court.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Most contracts have terms that will decide how a dispute is handled. These are often referred to as Alternative Dispute Resolution or ADR clauses. These methods of resolution include 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. An attorney experienced with ADR in Fruitland Park can counsel you through the process if your business dispute is to be resolved by ADR.