Contested Emotions: Adversarial Rituals in Non-Adversarial Justice Procedures

Non-adversarial justice theories and practices have developed in response to perceived failures of traditional western-style justice processes. However, we argue that while the operations of contemporary court processes might justly be criticised, the philosophical foundations of the common law can provide a framework for understanding nonadversarial justice procedures. Several key features of the adversarial system — lay participation in decision-making, confrontation and representation — are also at the core of many non-adversarial justice processes. This paper explores the ways that non-adversarial approaches, such as restorative justice conferences, indigenous courts and mental health tribunals, embody features of adversarialism in imaginative ways to create effective contemporary justice rituals.