Established 1994
Welcome to the 6th District ADR Program
This office serves the Superior, State, Probate and Magistrate Courts of Butts, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Monroe, Pike, Spalding and Upson Counties, all in the Flint, Griffin and Towaliga Judicial Circuits.
What is ADR?
Alternative Dispute Resolution, or “ADR”, refers to any method other than litigation for resolving disputes. ADR methods may include mediation, arbitration and early neutral evaluation. ADR uses a third, neutral person to facilitate negotiations between other parties who are in conflict.
In mediation, the “mediator” will attempt to assist you in working out a solution that is fair, reasonable and acceptable as a way to resolve the dispute. It is not about who is at fault, but rather what can be done to settle the problem.
In arbitration, the “arbitrator” will issue an award after a hearing at which both parties have an opportunity to be heard. Arbitration is non-binding unless the parties agree otherwise.
Early Neutral Evaluation (ENE) is a process in which a lawyer with expertise in the subject matter of the litigation acts as a neutral evaluator of the case.
Statistics
During calendar year 2024, approximately 1,490 cases were referred to the ADR Program. Of those cases, about 1,241 were mediated, with an overall settlement rate of 54%.