This paper is an empirical investigation into the effects of coordination externality, due to the decentralization of laws and regulating power from the state to the regions, on the duration of disputes. To this aim we refer to Italy, whose territory is divided into twenty regions, using a data set covering eight years, from 2000 to 2007, regarding eight-hundred judgements pronounced by the Italian regional administrative courts. The most important result of our research is that in sectors where the European legislation prevails, and lower coordination externalities are observed, we find a shorter duration of disputes. In sectors of the economy more exposed to decentralized legislation, with the relevant coordination externalities, disputes tend to have a longer duration.