In New Jersey, 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 involved in a business dispute in Rutherford, New Jersey, reviewing any relevant documents, especially contracts, should be the first step. These documents might decide how the dispute will be resolved. 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. New Jersey 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 specific set of legal principles is used instead. The laws designed to settle contract disputes are different in each state. Lawyers practicing in Rutherford are versed in the contract law of New Jersey, and can help you to handle the dispute should it go to court. 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 occasionally have clauses that mandate resolution outside of court. Methods for reaching out of court solutions are often called Alternative Dispute Resolution or ADR. Mediation and Arbitration are included in the concept of ADR. ADR focuses on reaching the same resolution that a court would have, without the parties actually going to court. Methods of ADR often involve their own protocols, occasionally bringing in a third party to find a solution based on local law. An attorney experienced with ADR in Rutherford can counsel you through the process if your business dispute is to be resolved by ADR.