Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Services
ADR refers to settling legal disputes outside of the courtroom through the use of third parties. At Conflict Resolution & Mediation Center, we offer the following forms of ADR and we can help you find the right method for your situation.
Mediation
Do you have a legal dispute and think the only way to solve it is to sue somebody? Nobody wants to sue a friend, neighbor, or employer. Consider mediation.
Mediation is a commonly used form of ADR that allows you to settle your disputes, with or without a lawsuit, with or without an attorney, and it all happens outside of the courtroom.
Here is how it works: a trained, impartial person (commonly referred to as a neutral), with expertise or knowledge of the applicable area of law, meets with parties to a dispute and helps them look at their mutual problems, identify and consider their options, and determine if they can voluntarily agree on a solution.
On average, mediation takes 2-4 hours, costs approximately one-third of going to court, and most parties that attempt mediation are able to reach an agreement. The agreement is put in writing, signed by the parties, and can be reduced to a court order making it enforceable. Below is a list of the cases we generally mediate.
Arbitration
Many businesses and government agencies utilize arbitration as a form of resolving disputes. Rather than obtaining attorneys and suing other parties, arbitration can provide the same benefits in a much quicker time period and with less expense.
Here is how it works: a trained, impartial person, with experience and knowledge in the applicable area of the law, meets with parties to a dispute, reviews the evidence and testimony presented by the parties, and makes a decision that is binding on both parties and enforceable in court.
Unlike mediation, an arbitrator acts much like a judge, but without the delays or formal rules of evidence associated with legal action. Contact our office today to find out more about our arbitration services.
Parenting Time Coordinator
Did you go through all the time and expense of obtaining a custody and visitation order, but find yourself still arguing over the "grey" areas, like which visitation has priority - weekend visits or holiday visits? You can go back to court to clarify the issues...or you can contact a Parenting Time Coordinator.
A Parenting Time Coordinator is trained to meet with parties in a custody/visitation dispute to interpret, clarify, and address circumstances not specifically addressed by an existing custody/visitation order.
Unlike a mediator who helps parties reach a new agreement, a parenting time coordinator does not change the existing order, but helps the parties find pratical ways of complying with it.
Using a parenting time coordinator to address the day-to-day issues is less expensive and less time consuming than going to court. A resolution is often reached the same day.
We Mediate:
- Divorces
- Child Custody
- Visitation
- Real Estate Disputes
- Agricultural Disputes
- Personal Injury
- Debtor-Creditor Disputes
and many more.
OTHER SERVICES:
Early Neutral Evaluation
Early Neutral Evaluation (ENE) is a new concept to South Dakota, but has been used successfully in Minnesota for several years. Issues surrounding our families are more emotional than other forms of legal disputes.
ENE allows a trained, impartial person to work with the parties to a family law dispute within 30-60 days of commencing the case in an effort to reach an agreement before the parties and their family suffer from the stress, financial burdens, and emotional affects caused by litigation.
Contact our office for more information on ENE services.
EEOC Investigator
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is charged with investigating and enforcing federal laws concerning discrimination in the work place. EEOC Investigators are hired by companies to conduct investigations of complaints received from employees concernig sexual harassement, race discrimination, or even "bullying" type actvities. In addition, investigators can be hired by businesses to review their policies to ensure compliance with the Equal Employment Opportunity Act.
We have trained and experienced male and female investigators to conduct investigations into allegations of sexual harassment.