Intervention in the early stages of a family or neighborhood dispute can defuse a situation where persons overwhelmed by anxiety or hostility might explode into violence. Alternative dispute resolution services provide an option to expensive and often divisive litigation, and to the legally binding win/lose situation of adjudication. These services assist people to reach a mutually acceptable resolution to conflict. They enable disputants, particularly those in an ongoing relationship, to settle their disputes voluntarily, in a private and informal setting. Mediation services are usually free, or may involve a small charge to disputants. In recent years a number of court annexed mediation and conciliation services have been introduced as a cost-effective means of speeding up the judicial process. At its best, mediation facilitates enduring settlement and restores pride and dignity to those in conflict.