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?

In a business dispute in Oak Island, North Carolina, the parties should first go over any relevant documents, especially contracts. There might be terms in these documents that decide how to handle the dispute. If the contracts do not have resolution clauses, or neither business has any recorded documents relevant to the dispute, then the matter might need to be taken to court. 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 Oak Island are best suited to offer advice in accordance with North Carolina law. 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 might even enable you to resolve the dispute without going to court.

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. 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 determine a dispute based on local law just as a judge would do. In Oak Island, Lawyers experienced in ADR can help if your business dispute is to be resolved out of court.