In Iowa, 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 a business dispute should happen in Fort Dodge, Iowa, you should review any documents that are relevant to the disagreement, especially contracts. These documents may have clauses that must be followed when considering how to resolve the dispute. Not all contracts have dispute resolution clauses, of course, and sometimes neither business has any documents relevant to the dispute at all. If that is the case, a court may be needed to resolve the dispute. In trying to discover the best resolution for two parties who have not agreed beforehand on a resolution, Iowa courts will use particular legal principles designed for the situation. Each state has different business laws about dispute resolution and contract law. An Attorney practicing in Fort Dodge can help you handle your dispute in accordance with the applicable Iowa laws. Resolution of the dispute may even be reached outside of court once an attorney's knowledge of the law smoothens negotiations between the two parties.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Disputes in contracts must often be resolved outside of court according to a dispute resolution clause. Methods of resolving a conflict outside of court are called Alternative Dispute Resolution or ADR. These methods include Mediation, Arbitration and Collaboration. ADR eliminates 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 determination based on local law. An attorney familiar with ADR in Fort Dodge can counsel you through the process if your business dispute is to be resolved by ADR.