The last decade has witnessed a dramatic national trend toward the use of alternatives to litigation as a method of resolving disputes. Each month new statutes, court rules and administrative regulations require the use of out-of-court procedures to address claims and controversies. In each case the goal is greater fairness, greater efficiency, or greater party control over procedures and results. Some of these processes, such as mediation, mini-trial, and summary jury trial, are aimed at facilitating settlement of controversies prior to trial on the merits. Others, such as binding arbitration, involve private judging of disputes.This course may be used toward the experiential learning requirement.