Business disputes in Pennsylvania often happen in several different areas. Frequently businesses disagree on the exact terms of prior contracts or arrangements. Also, billing issues and property matters can give rise to disagreements in the business setting.

What to Do in a Business Dispute?

In a business dispute in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, 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. Pennsylvania 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. The laws designed to settle contract disputes are different in each state. Attorneys practicing in Lehigh County are versed in the contract law of Pennsylvania, 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 may even enable you to resolve the dispute without going to court.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Sometimes contracts themselves require that disputes under them be resolved outside of court. Methods of conflict resolution of this type are called Alternative Dispute Resolution or ADR. ADR includes Mediation, Arbitration and sometimes a combination of the two. 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, sometimes bringing in a third party to find a solution based on local law. An attorney familiar with ADR in Lehigh County can counsel you through the process if your business dispute is to be resolved by ADR.