Alternative Dispute Resolution Alternative Dispute Resolution has many benefits as it serves as a legal substitute for civil dispute resolution. Most courts prefer the ADR process over litigation. In some countries the option of ADR must be explored before attempting to initiate litigation proceedings. Most district courts and appellate courts will oversee negotiations of an ADR. In some circumstances ADRs are not resolved well and in those cases the involvement of the courts will resolve the remaining disputes. Alternative dispute resolution is an important part of our legal system, which many citizens rely on to resolve civil disputes. ADR has been part of the legal history of the United States since colonial times. Alternative dispute resolution, better known as (ADR) in the legal field, was first used in the late 1800s. Initially ADR was used not to replace court proceedings, but to function as a resolution tool for issues such as the civil struggle between workers and managers. ADR has various identifiable titles such as mediation, negotiation and transaction. Congress has authorized the process of ADR awareness of independent civil contracting in states such as New York and Massachusetts. Official mediation agencies subsequently emerged. For example, the Board of Mediation and the National Mediation Board were two of the first ADRs that arose in the early 1900s (Delaware, 2008). At about the same time, in 1913, the Newlands Act was passed with the agreement to protect the interest of voluntary negotiations. During the 1932 American Bar Association, lawyers succeeded in convincing courts to refer qualifying cases to the mediation and collective bargaining process. Lawyers argued that out-of-court negotiations would save time and costs for both the courts and the parties. The courts agreed with the idea and soon followed suit. Later, during the civil rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s, Congress established the CRS, also known as the Community Relations Service. Once the U.S. Department of Justice establishes this administrative service, civilians in schools, prisons, and other civilian matters could reap the benefits of conciliation. The Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, Alternative Dispute Resolution Fact Sheet/Civil Division states: “ADR is the general term for a wide variety of dispute resolution processes alternative to litigation” (Santa Clara, 2002) . The purpose of ADR is to save time and money, reduce stress and provide greater control, flexibility and participation in a legal matter.