In Costa Rica, in addition to judicial processes, there are also alternative processes to resolve conflicts, such as out-of-court conciliation. This process is a popular option because it is faster, cheaper, and more effective in resolving disputes.

What is out-of-court conciliation? It is a voluntary process in which the parties with differences meet with an impartial third party (conciliator) to reach an agreement without having to go to court.

Benefits of out-of-court conciliation:

• Speed of dispute resolution: Conciliation can be much faster than court proceedings. While a judicial process can take years to resolve, conciliation can be carried out in a matter of weeks.
• Cost savings: it is a cheaper option and in many cases the costs can be shared between the parties, which means that expenses can be significantly lower than in a court proceeding.
• Greater control over the outcome: The parties have greater control over the final outcome that in the case of the judicial process where it is the judge who has the power to make the decision. This means that in conciliation the agreement can be more beneficial for both parties.
• Greater flexibility: Agreements can be more customized and better meet the needs of the parties.
• Increased confidentiality: The parties may agree to maintain the confidentiality of the process and the agreements reached.

¿In which situations can out-of-court conciliation be used? It can be carried out for all those controversies in multi-personal relationships in which the parties do not want to go through the state instances, as for example in a labor relationship or in a contract in which one of the parties fails to comply with one of the clauses indicated.

¿Why consider out-of-court conciliation? Out-of-court conciliation fosters good communication and understanding between the parties, is faster in the resolution of the controversy and brings effectiveness to the process. Therefore, it is an option to always consider when resolving conflicts in Costa Rica. In case you are facing a conflict and wish to get advice about the process to deal with it, do not hesitate to complete the contact form and our team of specialized lawyers will contact you as soon as possible