Everyone who gets involved with the judicial system soon finds themselves immersed in ever-increasing costs, lengthy delays, tenuous judicial resources, and ultimately, the loss of control of the outcome by submitting an issue to a judge or jury. Only afterwards does it become obvious that litigation is often not the most productive way to resolve disputes. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) including mediation and arbitration, is a faster and cheaper way to resolution. But unfortunately, ADR is resisted by the insurance industry, especially in Oregon, where claim values are artificially depressed, and claims are vigorously defended to keep them that way. Defense lawyers bank on frustrating claimants and defeating meritorious claims by draining resources. Playing these games is high risk for regular folks and tax write-offs for insurance carriers. The real nature of it is rarely taught in law schools; judges often have little if any civil litigation experience; and jurors really don't want to be there. Our judicial system is unsurpassed, but it nonetheless is an ocean of complications only substantial experience can successfully navigate.