In North Dakota, 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 Jamestown, North Dakota, 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. However, the dispute may need to be taken to court if contracts do not have resolution clauses, or if there are no documents relevant to the dispute. North Dakota courts will look to your specific 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 Jamestown are best suited to offer advice in accordance with North Dakota law. Resolution of the dispute may 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 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 eliminates the need to go to court, while attempting to reach the same resolution that a court would have. Different types of ADR involve their own procedures, however, and they often include a neutral third party making a determination based on local law. An attorney specialized in Alternative Dispute Resolution can help you with your business dispute in Jamestown if it is to be resolved out of court.