Business disputes in South Dakota 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 Canton, South Dakota 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. In trying to discover the best resolution for two parties who have not agreed beforehand on a resolution, South Dakota courts will use particular legal principles designed for the situation. The laws designed to settle contract disputes are different in each state. Attorneys practicing in Canton are versed in the contract law of South Dakota, and can help you to handle the dispute should it go to court. 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

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 specialized in Alternative Dispute Resolution can help you with your business dispute in Canton if it is to be resolved out of court.