There are various grounds that can lead to business disputes in Maine. 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 Ellsworth, Maine, reviewing any relevant documents, especially contracts, should be the first step. These documents may determine how the dispute will be resolved. If there are no relevant documents, or the contracts do not have resolution clauses, then the dispute may need to be taken to court. Maine 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 particular set of legal principles is used instead. Disputes over contracts and other agreements are handled differently depending on the laws of each state. Attorneys in Ellsworth know the laws of Maine, and can offer individualized advice for those involved in business disputes. An attorney's knowledge of the law may also lead to a more streamlined discussion with the other business about how to resolve the dispute. Negotiations may even enable you to resolve the dispute without going 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. 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. An attorney familiar with ADR in Ellsworth can counsel you through the process if your business dispute is to be resolved by ADR.