Business disputes in South Carolina 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?

The first step when involved in a business dispute in Lexington County, South Carolina should be to review any documents relevant to the matter, such as contracts. It may have already been decided in these documents how disputes will be handled. 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. Where the parties have not agreed beforehand about how to handle disputes, legal principles have been designed to determine the resolution. When they are called upon, South Carolina courts try to discover the best resolution by looking to the facts of the particular situation presented. There are laws specific to each state that govern how to approach dispute resolution. Attorneys practicing in Lexington County are best suited to offer advice in accordance with South 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

Disputes in contracts must often be resolved outside of court according to a dispute resolution clause. Methods of resolving a conflict outside of court are called Alternative Dispute Resolution or ADR. These methods include Mediation, Arbitration and Collaboration. 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 Lexington County if it is to be resolved out of court.