On Your Own; Your Legal Right @ Eighteen On Your Own formatted final version | Page 38

Vermont, at 1-800-889-2047. Another referral source is the Vermont Bar
Association Lawyer Referral Service, at 1-800-649-7036.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Increasingly, disputes traditionally resolved by judges in courtrooms have
begun to be handled by methods of alternative dispute resolution, or ADR.
The most common form of ADR is called mediation. Mediation allows
people to settle their disputes via compromise without having to spend
the time or emotional energy on lengthy court proceedings.
Mediation typically achieves resolution much more quickly than the court
process, and often the parties in mediation have more options than the
Court would have to resolve a case. In addition, the participants in
mediation have more control over the process, because no agreement will
be reached unless both sides agree to it. There are a number of lawyers
who specialize in mediation. They can be found by searching online or by
contacting the court for a list of mediators in your area.
IDENTITY THEFT
What is identity theft?
Identity theft is a crime. The thief uses your personal information – like
your name, your Social Security number, or your credit card number –
without your permission for an unlawful purpose.
For example, someone might use your Social Security and name to get a
credit card, take out a loan, or rent an apartment. Sometimes the person
stealing your identity is a family member or friend. That’s identity theft,
too.
Why is identity theft a problem?
Let’s say the thief gets a credit card in your name, spends a lot of money
on the card, and then stops paying the credit card bill. The credit card
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