dave’s techtips Dispute Resolution Systems for the Blockchain With worldwide spending on the blockchain totalling $2.7 billion USD in 2019 and expected to be $14.4 billion by 2023, it is inevitable that this level of commercial activity will give rise to disputes. The structure and nature of the blockchain is such that developers and others are seeking dispute resolution methods that are both built into and on the blockchain as well as more traditional dispute resolution methods. Who is building dispute resolution systems for the blockchain in addition to Kleros? Here is a sampling: uuu ARAGON COURT (aragon.org/court) Existing within the Aragon Network, this dispute resolution method has been created to settle disputes that arise from Aragon Smart Contracts. Potential jurors must deposit cryptocurrency tokens to be placed in the juror pool. Jurors must agree to abide by a Code of Conduct. Once chosen, a certain amount of tokens of the juror are locked until the dispute is settled. If the juror decides with the majority, they then earn further tokens for deciding in accordance with the “subjective truth.” Jurors who did not decide with the majority have their locked tokens slashed.
On March 26, Aragon Court moved into a Precedence Campaign to test out the system. Once the precedence campaign is completed, it is expected that the Aragon Court will move into general public usage.
uuu RHUBARB (rhucoin.com/home.aspx) Rhubarb has grown out of the operation of PeopleClaim, a large online dispute resolution provider that states they have resolved more than 60,000 claims. Per BusinessWire: “PeopleClaim allows anyone with a complaint or grievance — consumers, businesses, patients, employees — to file an online complaint about any kind of product or service issue or dispute, and then engage with the offender constructively in order to resolve the problem.” From this start in 2010, PeopleClaim now has a large following and has extended its knowledge in resolving disputes online to the blockchain. Because of this background, Rhubarb’s blockchain dispute resolution system reaches out to online dispute resolution processes outside of the blockchain. Similar to other systems, Rhubarb crowdsources jurors and provides incentives for jurors to vote “fairly.”
uuu JURIS (medium.com/jurisproject) Juris’ dispute resolution system can be incorporated into an agreement by adding Juris code to a smart contract. The contract can be frozen if a dispute arises. The parties are encouraged through a range of tools to settle their dispute; if not, the matter is submitted to a SNAP online jury for a quick but non-binding opinion on the case. The parties can resolve the case at this time or submit it for a ruling by a PANEL who can make a binding and worldwide enforceable decision under The Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, also known as the New York Convention. uuu MATTERNUM (mattereum.com) Matternum seeks to weave together the blockchain with real world assets. By registering assets on the blockchain, art and collectables (among other assets) can be traded, transferred, tracked, traced, and thereby authenticated, potentially reducing fraud. Matternum uses an off-chain method of arbitration rather than crowdsourced juries to resolve disputes. uuu JAMS (jamsadr.com/smartcontracts) JUR (jur.io) EOS ALLIANCE (eosalliance.io/dispute-resolutionarbitration) ACCORD PROJECT (accordproject.org) These are other organizations working on the issues involved in bringing dispute resolution to the blockchain.
© 2020 David J. Bilinsky
AUGUST 2020 / BARTALK 21
