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Judges give practical advice during Justice Week

1 October 2018
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During the week of 1 to 7 October, the courts will give advice and useful recommendations for everyday life situations that have become overly complicated.

“The idea behind this type of social campaign stems from the fact that the judges, who are solving people’s disputes on an everyday basis and are seeing the issues from the viewpoint of an objective third-party, have found that these disputes are often caused by the same problems. During Justice Week this year, we will try to remind people of some simple basic truths,” noted the Chief Justice of the Tartu Circuit Court, Kersti Kerstna-Vaks.

For example, one important message from the judges is that during a dispute over a child, the same child is actually the one who suffers in that situation. “The court is receiving more and more complaints where the parents are fighting over their own rights. We have begun to wonder how kids were brought up without the courts 20 years ago. The parents that go to trial in the name of their children often do not realise that they are harming their own child’s health with this kind of action, and thus their further well-being. These kids love both their mother and their father, and they do not wish to choose sides.  Many parents, however, seem to only love their children conditionally, and they issue ultimatums – they say that if the child continues to communicate with one parent he/she should stay out of the life of the other,” explained the Justice.

It is also important to bear in mind that the court is responsible for solving judicial disputes and not relationship problems between people. Therefore, it is always more reasonable to come to an agreement than to go to court. However, if an agreement cannot be worked out and a resolution needs to be sought in court, then it is very useful if the agreement is made in a written form to avoid situations where it’s one person’s word against another’s.

In connection with Justice Week, the bureau for legal services Eesti Õigusteenuste Büroo is offering free legal advice (incl. without a contract fee) during the whole month of October, for all those who use the password “Juura”. On Wednesday, 3 October, the lawyers of the bureau will also give legal advice over a live Facebook broadcast. For more information see: https://www.facebook.com/juristaitab.ee/

In addition to free legal advice, there will be weekly excursions to the court houses, roundtables with the judges and jurist days taking place; also, a case analysis competition for students will be announced, etc. For more information, see the social media page of the courts: https://www.facebook.com/6igusem6istmisekunst/

The “But I stand for a world that is just” („Aga mina seisan õiglase maailma eest“) campaign is a part of a joint programme involving more than 30 organisations to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Estonian Republic, which is driven by the desire to leave behind a peaceful, healthy and safe Estonia for future generations.

Merje Talvik
Head of Communications
Supreme Court of Estonia
+372 7309042 | +372 5333 9846
merje [dot] talvikatriigikohus [dot] ee