Two Quebec justice initiatives, namely the child witness program and the amicable dispute resolution procedure under the watchful eye of a judge, have had success on the other side of the Atlantic: the French Minister of Justice, Éric Dupond-Moretti, delivered a speech a few days ago, signaling his intention to integrate these measures into the judicial system of his country.
Mr. Dupond-Moretti came to Quebec last November and met his counterpart, Simon Jolin-Barrette, Quebec’s Minister of Justice.
The two men then discussed various initiatives and assessed how they could improve their respective justice systems, Mr. Jolin-Barrette then reported.
In a speech delivered on January 5, Minister Dupond-Moretti presented to the press his action plan, resulting from the Estates General of Justice, the result of the work of numerous committees but also of consultations with the public.
From the outset, he summarized the concerns of the French in terms of justice: “too slow and too complex”, issues also raised on many occasions in Quebec.
Among the “concrete actions” that he wants to deploy to make justice more accessible, there is this one: amicable settlement conferences in civil disputes – during which the parties meet with their lawyers in a room with a judge who is not there to decide the outcome, but to try to bring them closer together. It is not a trial, but rather an alternative mode of dispute resolution.
“Inspired by Quebec practice, this new procedure allows the judge to help the parties, with their lawyers, to reach an agreement. Thus, in Quebec, the success rate of these amicable settlement procedures is 72%,” he said in his speech.
“The judges and lawyers I met there told me of the satisfaction they felt in helping to pacify relations between their fellow citizens outside the courtrooms. »
Minister Dupond-Moretti also spoke of integrating into the French system the initiative known in Quebec as the “child witness program” for young victims who must testify in court.
This last measure consists in preparing the child for the legal meeting, to introduce him to the courtroom and therefore to allow him to understand in advance the places in which he will be called upon to speak, explained the Minister. Dupond-Moretti.
This program has existed in Quebec for some time. Created by the Outaouais Crime Victims Assistance Center (CAVAC), the Quebec Ministry of Justice announced in March 2021 that it would fund its deployment throughout the province.
In his speech, the French Minister of Justice highlighted other concerns that are familiar to Quebec jurists: the need for greater digitalization of justice — setting a goal of a “zero paper Ministry of Justice” for 2027 — and the hiring of personnel so that justice runs more smoothly. He spoke of hiring 10,000 more people within four years, including 1,500 magistrates and 1,500 court clerks.