These ADR services are offered at no charge, either on the day of trial or before the trial date (pre-trial), through the District Court ADR Programs. Arbitration is a legally binding process that resolves contract disputes without having to take the disagreement to court.A party filing an initial petition to compel arbitration must file the petition in the circuit court for the jurisdiction (that is, a Maryland. ADR includes: Mediation; Settlement conferences; Community conferencing. You can take advantage of some of these services even before you file a court case. Arbitration is a process for settling disputes related to the contract. Many contracts contain a mandatory arbitration clause. Rule 15-101 - Application of Uniform Arbitration Act to Certain Proceedings (a) Binding Arbitration While Court Action Pending. The arbitrator's final decision on the case is called the "award. " This is like a judge's or jury's decision in a court case.