Indiana law permits people facing family law litigation to submit the issues about which they disagree to arbitration. This means that instead of heading to court to have a judge decide issues in a public court hearing, families can hire a private decision maker who will listen to the evidence in a confidential less formal proceeding. This proceeding is overseen by an arbitrator selected by the parties. An arbitrator is an experienced family law attorney who has experience making decisions for families.
Why is arbitration attractive for families who need important decisions to be made? Consider the following benefits:
- Arbitration allows you to finish your case faster.
Going to court often involves delays. Hearings are often rescheduled because of a busy court docket or delays requested by one of the parties. The reality is that it can take months to get your day in court and then longer to get a final decision. Arbitration allows a hearing to happen on your schedule without worry that the court will be too busy to schedule your hearing. Scheduling an arbitration is no harder to schedule than a business meeting involving multiple parties. Chances are you have your hearing sooner and your arbitrator will be able to issue a written decision much faster.
- Arbitration allows you to spend less money while still getting a decision.
Arbitration hearings are generally less formal and involved than a hearing in court. This reduced formality helps to reduce the cost. The preparation is not as involved and potentially requires less lawyer time than a traditional court hearing. The cost savings also adds up when you consider the faster resolution possible through the arbitration process.
- Arbitration allows you to make the agreements you want to make.
Sometimes you and the other party in your case want to make an agreement that is unique or unusual. If you are concerned about whether a judge will approve your agreement, you can submit your dispute to arbitration. An arbitrator can accept your agreements even if they are out of the box. Acceptance of your terms and issuance of an arbitration order that blesses your agreement ensures that your agreement becomes an enforceable order.
- Arbitration can be combined with mediation to reach a tailored result.
Perhaps you and the other party in your case can agree on some issues but not every issue. In that case, consider participating in a combination mediation/ arbitration. You can mediate the issues on which you are in agreement but move the disagreed issues directly into arbitration. Wanzer Edwards offers a mediation/arbitration duo of professionals to allow you to get a full resolution of your case in a shorter amount of time. Be done sooner and reach a tailored solution.
If you are interested in exploring arbitration, contact Wanzer Edwards today.
