In North Carolina, business disputes commonly occur over a variety of different matters. Most often, businesses can disagree on the clauses of contracts and prior arrangements. Property matters and billing issues also frequently form the basis of disputes between businesses.

What to Do in a Business Dispute?

If you are involved in a business dispute in Gaston County, North Carolina you should first review all relevant documents, including past and current contracts. These documents might contain clauses that dictate how and where you should handle a dispute. If there are no dispute resolution clauses in the contracts, or there are no attending documents at all, the parties might always resort to the courts to resolve the dispute. In trying to discover the best resolution for two parties who have not agreed beforehand on a resolution, North Carolina courts will use specific legal principles designed for the situation. There are laws specific to each state that govern how to approach dispute resolution. Lawyers practicing in Gaston County are best suited to offer advice in accordance with North Carolina law. Resolution of the dispute might even be reached outside of court once an attorney's knowledge of the law smoothens negotiations between the two parties.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Contracts often have terms requiring that a dispute be handled outside of court. This is called Alternative Dispute Resolution or ADR, and it includes Mediation and Arbitration among others. All types 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 decision based on local law. If ADR is to be used in resolving your dispute, an attorney in Gaston County familiar with ADR procedures can help you develop your case.