Sidetaker lets bickering couples submit disputes to court of public opinion


by Diane J. Levin

Diane J. Levin

Diane J. Levin

Sidetaker lets couples submit lovers' quarrels to nonbinding arbitrationIf you seek proof of civilization’s decline, look no further than Sidetaker, a site that lets the public be the judge in spats between quarreling lovers.

Don’t bother to seek nuance or middle ground here; there’s plenty of blame and fingerpointing for couples bickering over everything from toilet flushing habits to illicit affairs.

Sidetaker (slogan: “let the world decide who’s at fault”) of course is in this for the greater good:

…far too many divorces, break ups, and separations happen over non-critical disputes. Over 50% of American marriages end in divorce. In a fight, each person has their side and are usually backed by their friends (on either side). When you can create a jury of anonymous peers to decide who is right or wrong in an argument, then the bias is gone and the person at fault will just have to suck it up.

A noble sentiment indeed. This site is of the same ilk as People’s Court Raw, which brings the added dimension of video to lovers’ quarrels.

(Thanks to Tammy Lenski for the link.)



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Biography




Diane Levin is a dispute resolution professional in the U.S. in the Greater Boston area, and a principal of OptionBridge LLC, a full-service ADR firm headquartered in Concord, New Hampshire. Formerly an attorney practicing tort, labor/employment, and probate law, she now focuses full-time on providing alternatives to litigation.  Since 1995 she has helped clients resolve disputes involving tort, employment, business, estate, family, and real property issues, and serves on numerous mediation panels, including the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Training and coaching are an enduring passion -- she has taught thousands of people to resolve conflict, negotiate better, or become mediators -- from Croatian judges to Fortune 500 executives.

 

While real-world, in-person interactions are important to her work, the internet plays an integral role. Someone who actually builds web sites for fun, Diane serves as technology consultant to mediators and other service providers. She was one of the first people in the world to blog about ADR, and for three years has published the award-winning  MediationChannel.com.  She also tracks and catalogues ADR blogs world-wide at ADRblogs.com, where she has created a community for bloggers writing about constructive ways to resolve disputes.



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