Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is a blanket term that refers to a number of different procedures for settling disputes that do not rely on litigated judgments. The hallmark of ADR is that all parties voluntarily accept a third party who assists with the process and/or the substance of the dispute.

The court system is designed to resolve serious disputes. Trained lawyers use an adversarial approach to make their case before a judge and the jury. The hearings are formal in that there are strict rules about acceptable evidence and procedure. There is usually a public record of a case, and rulings may serve to set policy or precedent. Litigation is often expensive and time-consuming and leads to judgments where a win for one side represents a ...