non-adverarial justice

It is finally here – the first day of the sessions of the Non-Adversarial Justice: Implications for the Legal System and Society conference in Melbourne, Australia. After well over a year of work and planning for the conference we will see how it all turns out. It is exciting – seeing old friends from around the world, meeting new ones. Last night the Chief Magistrate of Victoria hosted a welcome reception, which was a wonderful event. It was good to be in the same room as so many people committed to more humane, psychologically optimal, comprehensive and inclusive approaches to resolving conflict. Leading lights in therapeutic jurisprudence, restorative justice, problem-solving courts, preventive law, ADR and holistic law are present. The possibility for cross-fertilisation is a wonderful opportunity in such a conference.