On Wednesday, November 2, Zane Pētersone, Senator of the Department of Civil Cases of the Supreme Court, met with the students of the ERASMUS mediation course of the Riga Graduate School of Law.

In the introduction to the lecture, the senator initiated a conversation about judicial work in general, the task of the courts, the profession and role of a judge and about the greatest professional satisfaction of the judge. The senator also introduced the students to the judicial system of Latvia, to structure and functions of the Supreme Court.

Zane Pētersone informed the students about the ways of resolving disputes in general, focusing in more detail on mediation and the beginnings of mediation in Latvia. The nature of the mediation service, mediation models and mediation processes were discussed. By engaging students in a discussion about mediation, court decision and conciliation, the advantages and disadvantages of these basic forms of dispute resolution were discussed. The senator also focused on different categories of court cases and their suitability for a mediation solution.

The senator emphasized that ‘mediation gives an opportunity not only to resolve the dispute between the parties, but also to settle the relationship between people. The court, on the other hand, resolves the dispute, but cannot help people resolve their mutual conflict’. Therefore, before going to court, it is worth trying other means of conflict resolution, including mediation, because the court can deliver a lawful and fair decision, but it cannot resolve the conflict between people.

The Mediation Law was adopted in 2014. Senator Zane Pētersone has participated in the development of the Mediation Law and she is Latvia's representative in the European Association of Judges for Mediation (GEMME).

 

Information prepared by Iveta Jaudzema, International Cooperation Specialist of the Supreme Court

E-mail: iveta.jaudzema@at.gov.lv; telephone: +371 67020396