There are various 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 Merrimac, 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. Massachusetts courts may use legal principles to determine the outcome when the parties have not agreed beforehand about how to handle a dispute. In so doing, they look carefully to a particular case to discover the best resolution for all involved. Disputes over contracts and other agreements are handled differently depending on the laws of each state. Attorneys in Merrimac know the laws of Massachusetts, and can offer individualized advice for those involved in business disputes. Discussion with the other business about how to resolve the dispute may also proceed more smoothly under the direction of an attorney, avoiding the need to go to court.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Sometimes contracts themselves require that disputes under them be resolved outside of court. Methods of conflict resolution of this type are called Alternative Dispute Resolution or ADR. ADR includes Mediation, Arbitration and sometimes a combination of the two. All forms of ADR are designed to reach the same decision a court would have, without needing to actually go to court. They carry their own sets of procedures and protocols, and they often involve a neutral third party listening to both sides of a dispute and making a determination based on local law. An attorney specialized in Alternative Dispute Resolution can help you with your business dispute in Merrimac if it is to be resolved out of court.