In this doctoral dissertation, the author explores the economic efficiency of Alternative Dispute Resolution methods in civil matters as compared to the economic efficiency of litigation as a regular method of resolving civil disputes. The research is aimed at establishing the factors which make ADR methods (negotiation, mediation, arbitration and others) more efficient than litigation and, consequently, identifying the available legal instruments which may be used by the state to minimize the total social costs of litigation. In order to explore the economic implications of some legal solutions related to ADR methods, the author has applied the normative legal method and the comparative law method, keeping the research within the confines of the applicable law of the United States and the Serbian legislation. Besides the applied legal methods, the theoretical part of the dissertation comprises the basic microeconomic concepts of the Chicago school of economic analysis of law, the concept of Game theory and the concept of Agency theory, as well as the concept of Behavioral law and economics. In line with the anticipated outcomes, the theoretical elaboration based on the aforementioned methods has confirmed the advantages of the said ADR methods as compared to litigation in terms of costs saving and other important resources. In addition to the theoretical elaboration on the subject matter, the author has carried out a case study on the efficiency of mediation at the Niš Mediation Center instituted in the First-instance Court of civil jurisdiction in Niš. The case study covers the qualitative and the quantitative research on the efficiency of mediation. The quantitative research includes a comparative analysis of some cases where mediation has or has not been applied. The research is based on the data obtained by direct access into the court files and records on mediation proceedings as well as by collecting other available data. The qualitative research involves examining the attitudes of judges (mediators) and lawyers on the efficiency of mediation and litigation, the effects underlying the application of the Mediation Act, the problems encountered in practice, the causes of (in)efficient use of mediation, and a host of other related issues. The qualitative research has been conducted by using the standard scientific methodology techniques - interviews and questionnaires. In general, the mediation procedure has proved to be faster, shorter and cheaper than the civil procedure; the civil procedure involving a court-ordered mediation is less costly and less time-consuming than the civil procedure without a court-ordered mediation; moreover, mediation has significantly contributed to reducing the litigation costs in a number of successfully resolved individual disputes. Despite all these facts, the research has confirmed that the resolution of civil disputes by mediation does not significantly contribute to improving the efficiency of the civil procedure in the First-instance Court in Niš. The research has also shown that litigation remains the predominant method for resolving civil disputes in comparison to mediation and, generally speaking, other ADR methods. In this respect, the author suggests some legislative changes as necessary measures to improve the efficiency of mediation and thus the efficiency of the civil procedure by introducing mandatory mediation and instituting an enforceability of mediation agreement. In addition, the author suggests introducing some changes in the organization of the mediation process which would provide incentives for strengthening the litigants’ decision to use mediation (such as reducing mediation fees, particularly in small claim disputes). U ovom radu istraživana je ekonomska efikasnost alternativnih metoda rešavanja građanskopravnih sporova (ADR metoda), kao i ekonomska efikasnost parnice, kao redovnog metoda rešavanja građanskopravnih sporova. Cilj istraživanja ogledao se u utvrđivanju faktora koji ADR metode (pregovaranje, medijaciju, arbitražu i ostale metode) čine efikasnijim od parnice i, na osnovu tako utvrđenih faktora, identifikovanju instrumenata koji državi stoje na raspolaganju, a koji mogu dovesti do minimiziranja ukupnih društvenih troškova parničnog postupka. Radi proučavanja ekonomskih implikacija određenih zakonskih rešenja koja se odnose na ADR metode, korišćeni su normativni metod i uporedno-pravni metod, uz prostorno ograničenje na važeće zakone u Americi i Srbiji. Osim pravnih metoda, u teorijskom delu disertacije korišćeni su i bazični mikroekonomski koncepti čikaške ekonomske analize prava, koncepti teorije igara i agencijske teorije, kao i postavke bihejvioralnog prava i ekonomije. Teorijskom elaboracijom, baziranom na spomenutim metodima, u skladu sa očekivanjima, potvrđene su prednosti navedenih ADR metoda u odnosu na parnicu u pogledu uštede troškova i drugih značajnih resursa. Osim teorijske obrade ove teme, sprovedena je i studija slučaja o efikasnosti medijacije u Odeljenju centra za medijaciju Osnovnog suda u Nišu. Studija je obuhvatila kvantitativno i kvalitativno istraživanje efikasnosti medijacije. Kvantitativno istraživanje, tj. komparativna analiza jednog broja sudskih slučajeva u kojima nije i u kojima jeste korišćena medijacija, sprovedena je neposrednim uvidom u sudske spise i evidencije o medijaciji, kao i prikupljanjem drugih raspoloživih podataka. Kvalitativno istraživanje obuhvatilo je ispitivanje stavova sudija (medijatora) i advokata o efikasnosti medijacije i parnice, efektima primene Zakona o posredovanju-medijaciji, problemima sa kojima se suočavaju u praksi, razlozima (ne)efikasne primene medijacije i nizom drugih povezanih pitanja. U svrhu sprovođenja kvalitativnog istraživanja korišćene su standardne tehnike naučne metodologije za prikupljanje podataka - intervjui i anketni upitnici. Uprkos tome što je postupak medijacije brži, kraći i jeftiniji od parničnog postupka, što parnični postupak sa medijacijom konzumira niže troškove i manje vremena parničnih subjekata u odnosu na parnični postupak bez medijacije, i što je u pojedinačnim uspešno okončanim sporovima medijacija značajno doprinela smanjenju troškova parničnog postupka, istraživanjem je potvrđeno da rešavanje građanskopravnih sporova u postupku medijacije ne doprinosi u značajnoj meri poboljšanju efikasnosti parničnog postupka u Osnovnom sudu u Nišu, kao i da je parnica još uvek dominantan metod rešavanja građanskopravnih sporova u odnosu na medijaciju i, generalno gledano, ADR metode. S tim u vezi, autor predlaže određene zakonske promene kao nužne mere za poboljšanje efikasnosti postupka medijacije, samim tim i parničnog postupka, poput uvođenja obavezne medijacije i davanja izvršnog naslova sporazumu zaključenom u postupku medijacije, ali i promene u organizaciji postupka medijacije koje bi doprinele jačanju podsticaja stranaka za korišćenje medijacije, poput sniženja takse za pokretanje postupka medijacije, posebno kada je reč o sporovima male vrednosti.