Electronic Resources & Technology Librarian
Arbitration and Mediation
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Definition: Any procedure for settling a dispute by means other than litigation, as by arbitration or mediation. Also termed dispute resolution; appropriate dispute resolution; assisted dispute resolution. Black's Law Dictionary, 12th ed. 2024, Thomson Reuters
Main forms of ADR
Arbitration is a dispute-resolution process used as an alternative to formal court proceedings, in which parties choose a neutral third party to resolve the dispute by making a final and binding decision. Title 9 of the United States Code, Arbitration, is codified and enacted into positive law and may be cited as '9 U.S.C. § __'.
- 9 U.S.C. Arbitration on Lexis+ (requires login)
- 9 U.S.C. Arbitration on Westlaw (requires login)
Primary and secondary arbitration materials
- Westlaw Practical Law Guide to Arbitration (requires login)
- Lexis Arbitration Materials (requires login)
International arbitration resources
- International Arbitration: Mealey's Litigation Report (requires Lexis login)
- Westlaw International Arbitration Materials (requires login)
- International Commercial Arbitration research guide from Georgetown Law Library
Mediation, unlike arbitration, is a nonbinding method of dispute resolution in which a neutral third party works with disputing parties to reach a mutually-agreeable resolution.
Uniform Mediation Act
- The Uniform Mediation Act has been enacted in the District of Columbia and 12 U.S. states, including Vermont.
- Uniform Mediation Act on Lexis (requires login)
- Uniform Mediation Act on Westlaw (requires login)
Primary and secondary mediation materials
- Mediation topics within the Code of Federal Regulation (requires Westlaw login)
- Overview of mediation sources, cases, and analysis (requires Westlaw login)
- Representing Clients in Mediation, American Bar Association (requires Lexis login)
Additional ADR resources
- Dispute Resolution Overview from the American Bar Association
- Legal Information Institute overview of ADR from Cornell Law School
ADR Ethics Codes and Standards
- State Mediation Codes of Conduct and Mediation Ethical Advisory Opinions [PDF], American Bar Association
- Panel Ethics and Guidelines for Arbitrators and Mediators, American Arbitration Association
- Dispute Resolution Policy and Standards, American Bar Association
For a broader discussion of ethics in ADR:
- Search the library catalog for books on this topic.
- Search HeinOnline for relevant journal articles.
Keyword suggestions: ethics (or guidelines, standards, etc) and arbitration (or ADR, mediation, negotiation, etc)