April/1/2003 Part-Time Judge System to Start Next January

The system of part-time judge is expected to start next January. According to the August 2002 agreement between the Japan Federation of Bar Associations and the Supreme Court, bills to amend the Law for Conciliation of Civil Affairs and the Law for Adjudgement of Domestic Relations were put on the agenda of the current Diet session. If those bills are passed into law, part-time judges being practicing attorneys are to preside at civil or family affairs conciliation proceedings at summary, district and family courts as conciliators having the same authority as judges. Part-time judges will be allowed to render a "ruling" as prescribed in Article 17 of the Law for Conciliation of Civil Affairs and a "decree" as prescribed in Articles 23 and 24 of the Law for Adjudgement of Domestic Relations. It is anticipated that part-time judges will fully utilize the knowledge and experience obtained from their professional career for handling cases. Tatsuo Ogawa Deputy Secretary Committee on Promotion of Judge Appointment from Attorneys