Media

Role for judges as mediators

The Adelaide Advertiser 04 June 2007
By SEAN FEWSTER

JUDGES should ``shed the mantle'' of their office and intercede in cases as mediators, an international conference has heard. Justice Bruce Debelle said judges who ``confidentially and informally'' help parties reach an agreed position were not abusing power. His comments come a day after Chief Justice John Doyle said he had ``given up'' on the ``totally depressing'' civil litigation system.

Justice Debelle told the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia that, by giving up the power to enforce a decision, judges helped cases move towards resolution. ``The importance of a judge explaining that (they are) shedding the mantle of judge cannot be over-emphasised,'' he said.

We gratefully acknowledge the permission from Sean Fewster at The Adelaide Advertiser to reprint this article.