Peacemaking court is something that the Native Americans used to solve disputes, or right wrongs. The idea behind Peacemaking court is to help find a solution to the problem that can stop the harm, and begin to repair the relationships, and restore defendants back into their families and communities as productive members.
Washtenaw County is establishing a new Peacemaking Court that is drawing a lot of attention. On Friday a gathering of more than 80 lawyers, mediators, and probation officers gathered in the courtroom of Judge Timothy Connors to learn about Peacemaking Court, and how it works.
This gathering of lawyers, probation officers, and individuals that have to deal with the prosecution, and rehabilitation of people convicted of criminal acts was a six hour training session. The session covered the basic principles that were a part of the Native American philosophy that is being used to create the Peacemaking Court, and the rules it will be governed by.
Tribal Council member Judge JoAnne Gasco, who is also a former Tribal Judge, and the Court Peacemaker from the Grand Traverse band of Ottowa and Chippewa Indians were present to help the group gathered in Judge Connors courtroom to understand the philosophy behind the Peacemaking Court, and how to apply that philosophy, and its principles in the day to day court happenings that affect so many people’s lives.
The judicial coordinator for Judge Connors said the response to the Peacemaking Court learning session was overwhelming. We were told by the judicial coordinator that the courtroom where the training session was held would only hold about half the people who applied to attend.
Judge Connors was impressed by the number of written applications and said that this proved that there is a strong interest in putting aside some of the traditional adversarial dynamics of the courtroom and replacing them with alternative methods.
The Judge explained that the new court system that was being implemented were going to strengthen the commitment to the fundamental values that were taught to us by the Navajo Indians. Those fundamentals included relationships, respect, and responsibility.
The peacemaking court is supposed to focus heavily on repairing the harm that victims have had done to them, healing the relationships that are broken, and restoring the defendants of the court into the family settings, and back into their communities on a new life path.
Lisa Greco is the director of the Washtenaw Youth Center. The youth center houses all juveniles in the detention program in the county. Miss Greco believes that the Peacemaking Court will be good for cases involving children, but she also stressed that she thought there were many cases that did not involve children that would benefit from the new way of handling the defendants, and the victims.
Miss Greco explained that “we are all embedded in families, and embedded in systems, and communities, that all have to be a part of the healing”.
Greco feels that Judge Connors is right in his belief that the peacemaking process will leave a longer lasting resolution than the resolutions currently gained through the traditional court process.
The peacemaking court could handle juvenile cases, probate cases, some civil disputes, and even some criminal disputes. The initial judge to hear the facts of the case must recommend the peacemaking court in order for a case to be considered.
Participation in peacemaking court will be on a voluntary basis, and all parties involved have to agree to the terms.
Judges from other districts have been in contact with Judge Connors to discuss the peacemaking court with him.
Source: http://michiganradio.org/post/strong-interest-new-peacemaking-court-washtenaw-county