Imagine you’re making your way to work or going home. You’re following the flow of traffic, listening to music, your mind focused on your first meeting of the day or thinking about what to cooking for dinner when you see it. The unmistakable flash of red, white and blue in your rearview mirror.

Building a better argument to fight against your traffic ticket will increase your chance of success. Objective evidence, pictures, research from the scene, diagrams and witnesses can bolster your chances of winning your case. You will have an opportunity to cross-examine the police officer, so be prepared with questions that support your evidence and maintain a professional attitude.

Mediation is a type of dispute resolution. By understanding the mediation process, you can be effective in resolving your dispute and saving yourself legal fees. It is not adversarial litigation like a trial. With mediation, negotiation and compromise are more common than resistance and blame.

Recently, arbitration has been hotly discussed as an alternative to costly lawsuits.