Supreme Court judge urges wider mediation use in family disputes
Justice Nagarathna has backed greater use of mediation and conciliation in family litigation, citing faster, more private and less adversarial outcomes.
Supreme Court judge Justice Nagarathna has called for wider reliance on mediation and conciliation in family disputes, arguing that alternative dispute resolution can ease the pressure on family courts and produce better outcomes for litigants.
Speaking on the use of alternative mechanisms in family litigation, the judge said such processes can resolve disputes faster than conventional court proceedings. They also offer greater privacy to the parties involved and tend to be less adversarial than prolonged courtroom battles, she said.
The remarks place mediation and conciliation at the centre of efforts to reduce the burden on family courts, which handle a heavy volume of matrimonial and related matters. By diverting suitable cases to structured negotiation, the courts can focus their time on disputes that genuinely require judicial adjudication.
Justice Nagarathna's backing adds to the broader push within the judiciary for alternative dispute resolution as a mainstream option rather than a peripheral one. In family matters, where relationships and personal lives are at stake, the judge indicated that a negotiated settlement can serve the interests of all parties more effectively than extended litigation.