In North Carolina, business disputes commonly occur over a variety of different matters. Most often, businesses can disagree on the terms 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 Trent Woods, North Carolina, the parties should first go over any relevant documents, especially contracts. There may be terms in these documents that determine 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 may need to be taken to court. North Carolina 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. There are laws specific to each state that govern how to approach dispute resolution. Attorneys practicing in Trent Woods 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 may even enable you to resolve the dispute without going to court.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Contracts often have clauses 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 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 Trent Woods familiar with ADR procedures can help you develop your case.