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The Impact On "The Vanishing Trial" If People Of Faith Were Faithful To Religious Principles Of Settling Disputes Without Litigation , Anthony R. Benedetto

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

Commentators have expressed concern about "the vanishing trial" with respect to the possible loss of precedent and the loss of opportunities for aggrieved persons to have their concerns resolved in the judicial arena. Ignoring the controversy surrounding whether the number of trials is actually decreasing significantly, this paper asks whether the number of trials would be significantly affected if all people of faith resolved their disputes within their religious communities, or at least outside of the secular court setting. The impact on secular case law of the disappearance of such disputes is then estimated. Finally, recommendations are presented for overcoming …