There are several grounds that can lead to business disputes in Massachusetts. Business may disagree about the terms of contracts and prior arrangements. Billing issues, property matters and other grounds can also give rise to disputes between businesses.

What to Do in a Business Dispute?

If involved in a business dispute in Berkley, Massachusetts, reviewing any relevant documents, especially contracts, should be the first step. These documents may determine how the dispute will be resolved. If the contracts do not have resolution clauses, or neither business has any recorded documents relevant to the dispute, then the matter may 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, Massachusetts courts try to discover the best resolution by looking to the facts of the particular situation presented. There are laws specific to each state that govern how to approach dispute resolution. Attorneys practicing in Berkley are best suited to offer advice in accordance with Massachusetts law. 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

Many contracts have terms that will determine 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 focuses on reaching the same resolution that a court would have, without the parties actually going to court. Methods of ADR often involve their own protocols, sometimes bringing in a third party to find a solution based on local law. In Berkley, Attorneys practiced in ADR can help if your business dispute is to be resolved out of court.