The State Courts encourage all parties in civil cases, criminal cases and community disputes to explore alternative dispute resolution (ADR) options before going to trial.
The Court Dispute Resolution Cluster (CDRC) provides the following options:
- Mediation.
- Conciliation.
- Neutral evaluation.
The courts may refer parties for ADR or parties may request for it at any time during a case.
If a case is heard at the CDRC, parties will go through a judge-driven court dispute resolution (CDR) process that gives the parties the opportunity to resolve their dispute faster and more economically than through a trial.
Judges lead the dispute resolution process at the CDRC.
This means parties can tap the expertise of the judges, who can:
- Facilitate discussions between the disputing parties.
- (For conciliation) Suggest possible solutions to help parties resolve their dispute.
- (For neutral evaluation) Provide a realistic assessment of the strengths of the case should it proceed to trial.
Source: https://www.judiciary.gov.sg/alternatives-to-trial/state-courts-court-dispute-resolution