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The Sources And Consequences Of Disputes Over Contractual Meaning, Randy D. Gordon
The Sources And Consequences Of Disputes Over Contractual Meaning, Randy D. Gordon
Faculty Scholarship
With some frequency, parties agree to the particular words used in a contract they sign, only to later disagree as to the meaning of those words and their legal effect. That is, they each assent to something, but that “something” is something different for each of them. In this Article, I first categorize and trace the sources of recurring points of disagreement as a matter of language and linguistics. Then, I look at the consequences of a dispute that leads a fact finder to conclude that the parties genuinely did not agree to the same thing, which is to say …
The Role Of Language Interpretation In Providing A Quality Mediation Process, Alexandra Carter, Shawn Watts
The Role Of Language Interpretation In Providing A Quality Mediation Process, Alexandra Carter, Shawn Watts
Faculty Scholarship
This paper focuses on the role of language in mediation and the challenges multiple language fluencies bring to the practice. Beginning with a discussion of the process and ethics of mediation as a form of alternative dispute resolution, as distinct from other forms of dispute resolution including arbitration, the paper shifts to consider the importance of language. Language, and more specifically interpretation, plays a central role in the integrity of the mediation process and the quality of its outcomes. Each stage of mediation requires the participants and the mediator understand one another to ensure effective communication and a quality process. …