The new Supreme Court Mediation Centre at William Cooper Justice Centre has opened, enabling the Court to resume in-person mediations after the former building closed in 2021.
The new facilities feature eleven dedicated mediation rooms and also support hybrid mediations with a mixture of in-person and online attendance.
The Court will continue to accommodate parties’ needs by offering online mediations, where required. Matters filed in the Commercial Court and Common Law Division can be sent to mediation, where an associate judge or judicial registrar helps the parties talk about the issues, identify a range of possible solutions and work towards an agreement that will end their dispute in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
During 2021-22, more than 1,000 hearing days were saved by matters being resolved at mediation.
Associate Justice John Efthim, who conducts judicial mediations at the Supreme Court, welcomed the opening of the Mediation Centre.
“The new facilities mean we can resume offering in-person mediations as an option,” he said.
Chief Justice Anne Ferguson said, “The new facilities are another step towards accessible and quality justice.
“The mediation centre provides Court users with a comfortable place where they can have confidential meaningful discussions aimed at identifying solutions and reaching common ground.”
Legal practitioners should refer to the Notice to the Profession for details on the new centre.