Virtually all Americans have signed many legal documents that contain mediation and/or arbitration clauses. All Americans should know that once you have signed a contract with an arbitration clause, you are legally obligated to submit any conflicts to an arbitrator, and you will not be able to file a lawsuit within the public court system on the same topic of dispute. Mediation and arbitration clauses are often found in employment agreements, medical forms, financial contracts, business contracts, mortgage agreements and credit card contracts.

Mediation and arbitration have been around...