There is no one accepted definition of ADR. To some, particularly in the US, the term includes all dispute resolution methods other than court proceedings (and therefore includes arbitration). In the UK, ADR is generally understood to describe all dispute resolution methods other than court proceedings and arbitration, or just non-adjudicative dispute resolution methods such as mediation, executive tribunal (in essence a more formal type of mediation, known in the US as "mini-trial") and early neutral evaluation, for example.

For more information about the range of ADR options available, see Practice note, Overview and comparison of ADR processes.