The use of a process other than going to court to resolve a case is called Alternative Dispute Resolution, or ADR. There is an increasing emphasis on settling family law disputes out of court. The reasons for this shift in legal trends are both financial and personal.

• Alternative Dispute Resolution is typically more cost effective because the parties share the expense of the "neutral." Even if their atttorneys are present, the discussion is often more solution-focused than in a litigation process, which also helps to control costs.

• ADR produces optimal outcomes for the parties and their children (if any) because the parties, rather than a judge, are making the decisions. Since the parties have more control over the outcomes of their case, they are more likely to be satisfied with the results.

• ADR tends to reduce animosity between the parties because they are engaged in discussion of a wide variety of issues, allowing them to reach an agreement about what works best for them and their children.

No one will ever know a family, their children, or their personalities better than the parties involved. Some judges have standard ways of deciding issues in cases going to trial, which don't take such personal factors into account. Judges also have a wide range of ways to decide on each issue, so there is no guarantee that either party will be happy with the decisions of their case.

Alternative Dispute Resolution puts the parties in control of their own destinies. There are many processes available. Some may be more appropriate than others for a particular case, depending on the circumstances.

The following is a list of available Alternative Dispute Resolution processes available through Pat:

• Mediation
• Arbitration
• Early Neutral Evaluation
• Parenting Time Expeditor
• Parenting Consultant
• Collaborative Law
• Cooperative Law

Please select the process that you would like to read about from the drop-down menu.