Innovation in justice: co-production, competence and user satisfaction in judicial mediation

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of co-production and the mediator’s competence on the results of Judicial Mediation in the Court of Justice of the Brazilian Federal District and Territories. Data was collected using satisfaction surveys applied to the parties using the court’s judicial mediation services. The sample refers to the period from January 2013 to July 2015, totaling 312 participants and 107 discursive answers. The evaluation adopted techniques of descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and logistic regression as well as content analysis. The results showed that the only statistically significant variable was the mediator’s competence, which increases the likelihood of positive perception about the outcomes of judicial mediation both for citizens and the justice system. Both parties using the services did not perceive that co-production affects the outcomes. This result was due to the complexity of the cases mediated, which makes it hard to observe the role of cooperation in achieving the outcomes. For the citizen, the mediator is primarily responsible for directing the judicial mediation procedure as well as the outcomes achieved through the procedure. We provide recommendations and a research agenda aimed at strengthening research in the area.