On Monday, 10 February, Zane Pētersone, Senator of the Senate's Department of Civil Cases, met with students of the ERASMUS mediation course of Riga Graduate School of Law to tell them about mediation from a judge’s perspective.

In the introductory part to the lecture, Zane Pētersone introduced the students to the Latvian judicial system in general and the Supreme Court's place in it, giving a general overview of the structure of the judicial system. She also highlighted the roles of the court, the judge and the mediator in resolving disputes between parties.

The Senator gave a comprehensive presentation on the methods of dispute resolution, focusing in detail on mediation and the origins of mediation in Latvia. The essence of mediation, types of mediation and related processes were discussed. The pros and cons of mediation were addressed, highlighting the fact that mediation is a relatively quick and cost-effective process, giving people the opportunity not only to resolve a specific dispute, but also to mend their relationships in general.

After the meeting, the students visited the Supreme Court Museum and toured the premises of the Palace of Justice, gaining an insight into the Court’s history.

The Mediation Law was adopted in 2014. Senator Zane Pētersone has participated in the drafting of the Mediation Law, she is a member of the Latvian Commission for Certification and Attestation of Mediators and was the Latvian representative to the European Association of Judges for Mediation (GEMME).

 

Information prepared by Iveta Jaudzema, Communication specialist of the Supreme Court

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