Originally from Dispute Resolution Journal

Two hundred years ago, the federal judiciary system was an efficient mechanism for resolving citizen disputes. Dealing with a population of about 3 million, it resolved standard cases quickly and inexpensively.

The court system has not changed, but its constituency has. Today's population of 245 million- to whom "I'll see you in court" has become as common as "have a nice day"-has created a crisis in the courts that the founders of the system never envisioned. In an increasingly litigious society, the lawsuit has become the primary mechanism for resolving disputes, and a critically overloaded court system is forced to deal with disagreements that could be settled elsewhere.