JESSON||RAINS ATTORNEYS AT LAW
  • Home
  • Practice Areas
    • Wills and Trusts
    • Business Law & Litigation
    • Construction Contracts and Litigation
  • Team
    • Edward Jesson - Attorney
    • Kelly Rains Jesson - Attorney
    • Danielle Nodar - Associate Attorney
    • Sue Lambert - Office Manager
    • ​Ashley Deese ​- Paralegal
    • Shayla Martin - Legal Assistant
  • News & Blog
    • COVID-19 Resources
  • Contact
  • Testimonials
  • Free Resources
    • Business Resources
    • Estate Planning Resources
    • Probate Resources
📞 704-444-0594

Blog

What do you mean there’s a cheaper alternative to litigation?

2/6/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
​Litigation happens. We believe it’s beneficial to all parties involved to amicably resolve disputes before getting the courts involved; but sometimes that just isn’t possible.  Litigation costs can be wildly unpredictable, vary on a case by case basis, and can add up quickly.
 
Take two similar cases: In “Case 1,” the case moves quickly towards trial but resolves early at mediation. In “Case 2,” the case moves slowly through discovery, with all parties objecting to the other party’s discovery requests; there is a day-long mediation where the case doesn’t settle; there are complicated issues of law to be researched and argued before the Court; and then a costly trial. It is obvious that “Case 2” would cost more money; however, what is not always obvious in the beginning is whether a case is going to follow “Case 1” or “Case 2”’s path.  We try our best to estimate costs for our clients and be honest (sometimes brutally) about potential cost, but a lot of the cost depends on your opposing party.
 
For our business clients, and in some limited circumstances, individuals, there may be a cheaper and more predictable way: Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”). ADR has been around for a long time and can be contractually mandated between the parties, usually in the form of mediation and/or arbitration. Mediation is when a neutral third party goes back and forth between the parties in an attempt to negotiate a compromise. Arbitration is a middle ground between mediation and a lawsuit.  The parties present their evidence to a neutral third party who will decide the case; however, arbitration is generally far less formal than a lawsuit and costs less time and money because there are no motions filed or discovery exchanged between the parties.
 
There are other advantages to just saving time and money. For example, disputes that a business may not want made public (which would be a matter of public record should litigation ensue) can be resolved in a confidential nature through ADR. Where ADR really shines is in the resolution of complex disputes, like a complex breach of contract dispute or complex construction defect case. Using ADR, the parties can select an expert in the field to act as the arbitrator or mediator, instead of relying on a jury of average people who likely would not have the necessary specialist knowledge to properly decide your case.
 
However, businesses should be careful about blindly throwing in arbitration clauses into their contracts without first consulting an attorney.   If the arbitration clause in your contract is not enforceable, then you will end up in litigation anyway. For example, there have been many lawsuits filed recently regarding the Samsung “exploding” phones. People who have been injured when the Samsung phones spontaneously combust are finding that, when they file the lawsuit, Samsung is filing a motion to dismiss the case because there is an arbitration clause contained within the phone’s warranty guide. While the consumer has 30 days to opt out of that provision after buying the phone, the majority of people do not do so because they do not know about it! Further, pursuant to the contract, the proceedings between the consumer and Samsung are secret, Samsung has the right to choose the arbitrator, and, if Samsung wins, the consumer may be required to pay Samsung’s costly legal fees.
 
Seems like a great deal for Samsung, right? However, In January of 2017, a federal appeals court in California ruled that the arbitration clause did not comply with California law and, therefore, the consumers were not bound by the clause. There have been many other cases in recent history where Courts have refused to enforce arbitration clauses against consumers.  Frequently, the Court’s reasoning is that the clauses are hidden among other terms (so the consumer is “tricked”), not negotiable, and unfair.
 
The takeaway from all of this should be that, while ADR is a useful tool to move cases towards a quick and often relatively cheap resolution, the arbitration clause needs to be enforceable. Litigating the issue of whether an arbitration clause is enforceable can be extremely costly.  Make sure to consult an attorney who can check to ensure that your arbitration clause is enforceable in the states in which you do business. 
2 Comments
Rebecca Gardner link
3/30/2020 03:54:57 pm

It was interesting when you talked about how ADR is a good option for those who need to resolve an issue of a confidential nature. The small business I work for wants to hire someone to help us with a contract dispute with one of our partners. I'll have to look for an ADR solution online to see if we can start mediating the issue ASAP.

Reply
Smits link
12/7/2020 09:40:15 am

My sisters have been in a bit of a spat for a while now, she isn’t willing to meet in person to get it resolved. I wonder if something like alternative online meeting would be a good idea for her?

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe to our newsletter.

    Subscribe

    Author

    Kelly Rains Jesson
    ​Edward A. Jesson

    Categories

    All
    529 Plans
    ADR
    Alternative Dispute Resolution
    Amendments
    Asset Protection
    Asset Purchase
    Assumed Business Name
    B-Corps
    Blockchain
    Business
    Business Formation
    Business Litigation
    Business Purchase
    Business Scam
    Buy/sell
    Civil Procedure
    Collections
    Community
    Construction
    Contracts
    Copyrights
    Corporations
    COVID 19
    Cryptocurrency
    Data Privacy
    DBA
    Default
    Dissolution
    Elder Law
    Employment
    Estate Planning
    Ethics
    Eviction
    Firearms
    Firearm Trusts
    FLSA
    Guardianship
    Health Care Directive
    Holding Company
    Intellectual Property
    Landlord-Tenant
    Liens
    Litigation
    Living Will
    LLC
    News
    No Surprises Act
    Operating Agreement
    Partnership
    Patents
    Power Of Attorney
    Probate
    Real Property
    Retirement
    Secretary Of State
    Small Business
    Trademarks
    Trade Secrets
    Transactional
    Trusts
    Wills

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn

      Contact us.

    Submit

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015

Picture
Jesson & Rains, PLLC
5821 Fairview Road #218
Charlotte, NC 28209
(704) 444-0594
information@jessonrainslaw.com

By appointment only.

SERVICES

Wills & Trusts Probate
Business Law & Litigation
Construction Contracts & Litigation


Our Attorneys
Location

SUPPORT

Contact
Disclaimer
©Jesson & Rains, PLLC  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Practice Areas
    • Wills and Trusts
    • Business Law & Litigation
    • Construction Contracts and Litigation
  • Team
    • Edward Jesson - Attorney
    • Kelly Rains Jesson - Attorney
    • Danielle Nodar - Associate Attorney
    • Sue Lambert - Office Manager
    • ​Ashley Deese ​- Paralegal
    • Shayla Martin - Legal Assistant
  • News & Blog
    • COVID-19 Resources
  • Contact
  • Testimonials
  • Free Resources
    • Business Resources
    • Estate Planning Resources
    • Probate Resources