Module Three: Working in the Court

Introduction

You were nominated and accepted as a Justice of the Peace because of your background of service to the community and your strong moral values.

When you were sworn in, part of the Judicial Oath that you took was to 'do right by all manner of people after the laws and usages of New Zealand, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will'; and you have practised this when working with clients and their documents. You adhere to the codes of conduct and ethics of Justices of the Peace. Serving the public by working in court requires the same standards of you, but in a more formal setting.

There are two sections in this module: Judicial Conduct and Working in the Court.

Module objective

To explore the personal skills, behaviours and attitudes required of a Justice of the Peace working in court.

To become aware of the administrative and human aspects of the court context.

Reading

Judicial JP Manual chapter 4, Judicial Conduct paragraphs 4.1- 4.5

Judicial JP Manual chapter 5, Working in the Court

Time

This module should take you take between 15-20 hours including readings and activities, and your court visit, depending on your personal preferred working style.

Before you begin

Your Learning Journal - Questions for reflection

Read through the journal questions for the specific aspects covered in this module.

Remember that the quality of your reflection is the important factor here, not the amount that you write.

If you answer any of the questions in your journal before you start the module activities, you may need to return to those questions and update your answers if you learn something new or change your stance on an issue.