There are several 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 Oakland, 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 dispute resolution clauses in the contracts, or there are no attending documents at all, the parties may always resort to the courts to resolve the dispute. Maine courts will look to your particular case and try to discover the best resolution. In determining the outcome, they will use a specific set of legal principles designed for situations where the parties have not agreed beforehand on how to handle a dispute. There are laws specific to each state that govern how to approach dispute resolution. Attorneys practicing in Oakland are best suited to offer advice in accordance with Maine law. Negotiations may also proceed more smoothly when an attorney is consulted, which may even lead to a resolution outside of court.

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 makes going to court unnecessary, because it is designed to reach the same result that a court would have. Still, some methods of ADR entail their own formal procedures, most enlisting a third party to decide a dispute based on local law just as a judge would do. If ADR is to be used in resolving your dispute, an attorney in Oakland familiar with ADR procedures can help you develop your case.