Alternative dispute resolution

At some stage in our lives most of us will get caught up in a civil dispute - perhaps involving an employer, a neighbour, our bank, or a complete stranger. Rather than face the daunting, expensive and time-consuming prospect of going to court, in Australia today counselling and mediation are becoming cost-effective alternatives for many smaller civil cases involving a range of disputes. This program - made with the assistance of the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria, the Small Claims Tribunal and other relevant civil mediation bodies, uses a dramatised case study (involving a motor vehicle accident) to show how mediation and alternative dispute resolution can help solve a property damage dispute.