[pt] A transformação global envolvendo todos os campos de interação humana, em meio a um contexto democrático da sociedade ocidental, vem provocando um aumento vertiginoso na demanda por justiça, um fenômeno nomeado de judicialização da vida. A resposta judicial deixou de ser pontual e passou a influir na produção de uma nova ordem subjetiva, na medida em que a instituição judiciária se tornou a última instância segura num mundo destituído de tradição. Neste estudo, nos propusemos a estudar os desdobramentos da vertente denominada judicialização dos conflitos familiares sobre os atores jurídicos. Quando a família se submete a uma intervenção judicial sua malha relacional é expandida e outros personagens passam a ocupar um lugar simbólico em seu universo. A dialética das relações humanas nos remete a idéia de que todos esses outros também sejam atravessados pelo litígio, na medida em que não deixam de ser sujeitos e, portanto, submetidos à mesma fluidez que seus jurisdicionados. Este trabalho investiga a percepção dos atores jurídicos frente à família contemporânea, frente ao direito e os sentimentos envolvidos na atividade profissional. O estudo de campo foi realizado com dez atores jurídicos, dentre as categorias de juiz, promotor, advogado, assistente social e psicólogo. Os resultados demonstraram referenciais conflitantes entre o tradicional e o contemporâneo, tanto relativo à família, quanto às leis. Seus sentimentos sobre o próprio trabalho ressaltaram esta ambiguidade, manifestada sob diversas formas, desde a angústia à plenitude de sentir-se útil. Nossa análise ressalta a delicada posição dos atores jurídicos, na medida em que deles se solicita sensibilidade, mas impõe-se imparcialidade e aponta a reflexão ética como direção a seguir. / [en] The global transformation involving all fields of human interaction in the midst of a democratic context of Western society, has led to a steep increase in demand for justice, a phenomenon named "legalization of life." The judicial response has ceased to be punctual and went on to influence the production of a new order subjective, in that the judicial institution has become the ultimate safe in a world devoid of tradition. In this study, we proposed to study the unfolding of the strand called legalization of family conflicts on the legal actors. When the family undergoes a judicial intervention is expanded its network relational and other characters come to occupy a symbolic place in his universe. The dialectics of human relationships leads us to the idea that all these others are also crossed by the dispute, to the extent that they are still subject and therefore subject to the same fluidity that their litigants. This study investigates the perception of legal actors facing the contemporary family, facing the law and the feelings involved in professional activities. The field study was conducted with ten legal actors, among the categories of judge, prosecutor, lawyer, social worker and psychologist. Results showed conflicting references between the traditional and contemporary, both relative to the family as to the law. His feelings about his own work showed this ambiguity, manifested in various forms, from anguish to the fullness of feeling useful. Our analysis highlights the delicate position of legal actors, in that their sensitivity is sought, but it must be impartial and ethical reflection points as a way forward.

[pt] Este estudo refaz, num primeiro momento, o percurso do serviço social na justiça de família do Rio de Janeiro, desde a perspectiva normativa, que marcou o início da inserção da profissão no judiciário, até os nossos dias. Tendo como referência a prática profissional da autora no campo em análise, o resgate histórico aponta para um redirecionamento do serviço social, acompanhando as mudanças na legislação. Num segundo momento, a pesquisa focaliza as famílias que litigam na justiça, tendo como perspectiva as transformações ocorridas na organização familiar, nas últimas décadas. Ao abordar as famílias em litígio no contexto de transformações sociais mais amplas, propõe a ruptura com os padrões normativos que marcaram a prática do serviço social com famílias. O resgate da fala de pais e mães que buscam a justiça ante os impasses surgidos após processos de separação ou ruptura permite vislumbrar em que medida estes mesmos impasses refletem as transformações contemporâneas que afetam os fundamentos do laço familiar. Assim sendo, a postura normativa que marcou o serviço social cede lugar à perspectiva da garantia de direitos, que hoje caracteriza a profissão. / [en] Initiallly, this study retraces the path of Social Work in family courts in Rio de Janeiro, since the times of the normative perspective, that first marked the insertion of the profession in the Judiciary, up to the present time. Having as fieldwork the professional practice of the author, the historical acccount points to new directions for Social Work practice, in line with changes taking place in legislation. In a second step, the research focuses on families that litigate in the courts, having in perspective the changes that took place in family organization over the last decades. When approaching families in litigation in the context of broader social changes the study proposes a break-up with the normative standards that have characterized family Social Work. By capturing the speech of fathers and mothers that look for the courts in the face of impasses occurring after separation processes, the study helps to unveil to what extent these very same impasses reflect contemporary changes that affect the foundations of family ties. As such, the normative approach that has marked Social Work yields in the face of a perspective that favors the guarantee of rights that presently characterizes the profession.

Parental alienation is when one parent denigrates the other to turn their children against that parent, often after a separation or divorce. It is well-documented but poorly understood as a form of domestic abuse. This study explores how one Austrian and one Swedish father experience parental alienation in the wake of false allegations of sex abuse, how they perceive their emotional situation after the separation, how their interactions with their children have been affected and what economic impact this has had on their lives.  The study concentrates on white, heterosexual, agnostic men. It is based upon in-depth interviews, and analytically framed within the parental alienation theory. The analysis identified several core themes suggesting the need for better education and training on parental alienation, and strategies to enable effective change to public policies and family law.

[pt] A presente pesquisa pretendeu conhecer e relacionar práticas judiciárias nos litígios do Poder Familiar nas Varas de Família do TJRJ à aplicação do Direito de Família e do Direito da Criança e do Adolescente, em tempos de crescente judicialização das relações familiares. O material decorrente da pesquisa de campo, conformado por sentenças de juízes das Varas de Família do forum central do TJRJ e levantamento comparativo legislativo dos direitos dos filhos em seu cotidiano com os pais, foi submetido à análise de conteúdo, em sua modalidade temática. Os resultados sugerem que as práticas judiciárias nas Varas de Família ainda se mostram morosas e tradicionais, com aplicação especialmente do Código Civil de 2002 e do Código de Processo Civil de 2015, o que privilegia determinadas classes sociais, invisibiliza outras e prioriza os deveres parentais e não a proteção dos direitos filiais. Os resultados sugerem, ainda, que os diferentes caminhos traçados historicamente pelo Direito de Família e pelo Direito da Criança e do Adolescente dialogam com Bourdieu e sua noção de campo jurídico e habitus, reforçando o lado simbólico das Varas de Família como um espaço distanciado da aplicação de noções de Direitos Humanos, do ECA e outros regramentos disponíveis no ordenamento jurídico brasileiro. A análise sóciojurídica comparativa do material de pesquisa possibilitou compreender os avanços e retrocessos da prática do Direito de Família e a necessidade de tornar as Varas de Família espaços mais próximos do Direito da Infância e de um atuar conjunto com outros áreas do conhecimento e práticas da família, especialmente consideradas as diferenças e necessidades culturais e sociais em um país de severas desigualdades, como forma de garantir a proteção absoluta e prioritária de crianças e adolescentes assegurada pela Constituição de 1988. / [en] This thesis aims to research and determine how judiciary practices in the Family Law Courts of the State Courthouse of Rio de Janeiro are being applied regarding Family Law and the plural legislation on the rights of children and adolescents, in times of increasing judicialization of family relations. The material resulting from the field research, consisting of judgments of Family Court judges and comparative legislative survey of children s rights in their daily lives with their parents, was subjected to content analysis, in its thematic modality. The results obtained sugest that the judiciary practices in the Family Court are still slow and orthodox, the Brazilian Civil Code of 2002 and the Code of Civil Procedures of 2015 being specially applied, which privileges certain social classes, makes others invisible and prioritizes the parental duties and not the protection of the children rights. The results also suggest that the different paths historically traced by Family Law and the Children Rights dialogues with Bourdieu and his notion of legal field and habitus, reinforcing the symbolic side of the Family Courts as a space distanced from application of Human Rights, ECA and other legislation available in the Brazilian legal system. The comparative socio-legal analysis of the research material made it possible to understand the advances and setbacks of the practice of family law and the need to bring family courts closer to children rights s law, as well as act together with other areas of children and family (theory and pratice), as a way of guaranteeing the protection of children and adolescents rights assured by the Republic of Brazil s Federal Constitution of 1988, specially when considered the cultural and social needs of the different families in a country with such severe social inequality as Brazil.

[pt] A finalidade do presente trabalho é problematizar a atuação do psicólogo nas Varas de Família diante das determinações de estudo psicológico para avaliação e detecção de supostos atos de alienação parental (AP), buscando refletir sobre os filhos desmentidos enredados no litígio. Ao longo de toda a dissertação, buscou-se estabelecer uma análise cuidadosa quanto à interseção entre Psicologia e Direito, ponderando sobre desafios para a atuação do psicólogo nas Varas de Família. Ademais, pretendeu-se avaliar, na perspectiva da teoria de Ferenczi acerca do trauma, a possibilidade da reprodução do desmentido na criança, pela instituição judiciária, diante dos pedidos do Judiciário por perícia psicológica. Por meio desse percurso teórico, foi possível suscitar reflexões acerca das potencialidades do trabalho do psicólogo e da necessidade de uma atuação crítica frente às demandas do Judiciário, preservando a garantia dos direitos previstos em lei de proteção da criança e do adolescente. Para alcançar tais objetivos, foram apresentados dois fragmentos de casos atendidos pela pesquisadora no enquadre judiciário que puderam enriquecer a discussão teórica por meio da articulação com a prática profissional. Com este trabalho, foi possível apontar que a lógica patologizante e punitivista contida na Lei da Alienação Parental (LAP) acentua a judicialização da família e, por consequência, perpetua o lugar coadjuvante dos filhos em meio ao litígio parental. Consideramos que esse cenário convoca os psicólogos a atuarem de maneira sensível e crítica quanto às demandas que lhe são endereçadas, a fim de mitigar os riscos de uma nova experiência traumática às crianças e adolescentes, dessa vez, cometida pela instituição judiciária. / [en] The aim of this paper is to debate the performance of therapists in Family Courts through the determination of psychological study to evaluate and detect alleged acts of parental alienation (PA) to ponder about childhood trauma denial of kids enmeshed in litigation. This dissertation attempts to establish an accurate careful over the intersection between Psychology and Law, considering the challenges in therapists practice in Family Courts. Moreover, it intends to evaluate, under Ferenczi s theory on trauma perspective, the possibility of the trauma denial reproduction by the court on the child, with psychological expertise demanded by the Judiciary. Through this theoretical foundation, it was possible to arouse reflections regarding the psychologists practice potentials and the urge to a critical work concerning the requirements from the Judiciary, invariably preserving the rights envisaged by the law for protection of the child and the adolescent. To achieve this aim, the study presents two pieces from cases treated by the researcher in the judicial branch to enhance the theoretical discussion by integrating it with her professional practice. This paperwork enables to identify that the pathologizing punitive approach from the Parental Alienation Act (LAP in local acronym) consolidates the family judicialization process. As a result, there is a children s secondary role perpetuation in the parental litigation process. This scenario convenes psychologists to operate under a sensitive critical method regarding the received demands to mitigate the risks of another traumatic experience for children and adolescents, this time committed by court.

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / For many years divorce has been viewed exclusively as a legal problem that had to be addressed by the courts in our adversarial system of litigation. Divorce, however, also entails social problems which are not addressed in our legal system. It appears further that our adversarial legal system tends to heighten the conflicting interests of individual family members at divorce and to encourage animosity and irreconcilability. In an attempt to ameliorate the harsh consequences of the adversarial legal system at divorce, two no-fault grounds for divorce were introduced to enable divorcing spouses to make the decision about the termination of their marriage themselves. This greater freedom that no-fault divorce afforded parties quickly led to a demand for a new system of dispute resolution at divorce. The Hoexter Commission consequently, recommended the establishment of a family court with a social component where mediation services are offered. In both Australia and New Zealand the introduction of no-fault divorce was attended by the establishment of family courts where mediation services are offered. In mediation the parties involved, with the assistance of an impartial third, may sort out and find solutions to all their divorce-related problems. It also appears that mediation has always played a prominent role in the resolution of family disputes in the indigenous communities of South Africa. Owing to financial restrictions, South Africa is still without a family court. So far, only the Mediation in Certain Divorce Matters Act 24 of 1987 has emanated from the recommendations of the Hoexter Commission. This Act, which provides for the institution of enquiries by the office of the family advocate to determine the best interests of children at divorce, professes in its title to have introduced mediation as an alternative system of dispute resolution at divorce. From the contents of the Act it is apparent, however, that it provides for mediation only in a very limited sense. Consequently, it is necessary to amend this Act to make provision for real, comprehensive and accessible mediation services for the public in all family law disputes. This amendment could best be achieved by regulating existing private and community mediation services and integrating them into the formal legal process. / Egskeiding is baie jare lank as 'n regsprobleem beskou wat in ons adversatiewe stelsel van litigasie uitsluitlik deur die howe uitgestryk moes word. Egskeiding behels egter ook maatskaplike probleme wat nie deur ens regstelsel ondervang word nie. Ons adversatiewe regstelsel verskerp boonop die teenstrydige belange van individuele gesinslede by egskeiding en moedig verbittering en onversoenlikheid aan. Weens die probleme wat die skuldbeginsel en die adversatiewe stelsel vir gades met huweliksprobleme en vir die egskeidingsproses in die algemeen veroorsaak het, is twee skuldlose egskeidingsgronde in 1979 ingevoer wat aan gades wat wil skei, groter inspraak en seggenskap in die hele proses gegee het. Hierdie groter vryheid wat skuldlose egskeiding meegebring het, het spoedig 'n behoefte aan 'n nuwe stelsel van dispuutbeslegting by egskeiding geskep. Die Hoexterkommissie het gevolglik aanbeveel dat 'n gesinshof met 'n maatskaplike komponent ingestel word waarby onder andere bemiddelingsdienste beskikbaar meet wees. In sowel Australie as Nieu-Seeland het die invoering van skuldlose egskeiding inderdaad gepaardgegaan met die instelling van gesinshowe waar bemiddelingsdienste beskikbaar is. In die bemiddelingsproses kan mense self, maar met die bystand van 'n onpartydige derde, al hulle probleme by egskeiding uitsorteer en oplos. Dit blyk verder dat bemiddeling nog altyd 'n prominente rol by die beslegting van gesinsgeskille in inheemsregtelike gemeenskappe in Suid-Afrika gespeel het. Weens finansiele beperkings is Suid-Afrika nog steeds sonder 'n gesinshof. Al wat tot dusver uit die Hoexterkommissie se aanbevelings voortgevloei het, is die Wet op Bemiddeling in Sekere Egskeidingsaangeleenthede 24 van 1987 wat daarvoor voorsiening maak dat die kantoor van die gesinsadvokaat by egskeiding ondersoeke na die beste belange van kinders kan instel. Alhoewel die titel van die Wet voorgee om vir bemiddeling as 'n alternatiewe stelsel van dispuutbeslegting by egskeidng voorsiening te maak, blyk dit uit die inhoud van die Wet dat dit bloot vir 'n baie beperkte vorm van bemiddeling voorsiening maak. Dit is gevolglik nodig dat hierdie Wet gewysig word om by alle familieregtelike kwessies vir ware, omvattende en toeganklike bemiddelingsdienste aan die publiek voorsiening te maak. Die geskikste wyse waarop dit bewerkstellig kan word, is om bestaande private en gemeenskapsbemiddelingsdienste te reguleer en in die formele regsproses te integreer. / Private Law / LL.D.

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Egskeiding is baie jare lank as 'n regsprobleem beskou wat in ons adversatiewe stelsel van litigasie uitsluitlik deur die howe uitgestryk moes word. Egskeiding behels egter ook maatskaplike probleme wat nie deur ons regstelsel ondervang word nie. Ons adversatiewe regstelsel verskerp boonop die teenstrydige belange van individuele gesinslede by egskeiding en moedig verbittering en onversoenlikheid aan. Weens die probleme wat die skuldbeginsel en die adversatiewe stelsel vir gades met huweliksprobleme en vir die egskeidingsproses in die algemeen veroorsaak het, is twee skuldlose egskeidingsgronde in 1979 ingevoer wat aan gades wat wil skei, groter inspraak en seggenskap in die hele proses gegee het. Hierdie groter vryheid wat skuldlose egskeiding meegebring het, het spoedig 'n behoefte aan 'n nuwe stelsel van dispuutbeslegting by egskeiding geskep. Die Hoexterkommissie het gevolglik aanbeveel dat 'n gesinshof met 'n maatskaplike komponent ingestel word waarby onder andere bemiddelingsdienste beskikbaar moet wees. In sowel Australie as Nieu-Seeland het die invoering van skuldlose egskeiding inderdaad gepaardgegaan met die instelling van gesinshowe waar bemiddelingsdienste beskikbaar is. In die bemiddelingsproses kan mense self, maar met die bystand van 'n onpartydige derde, al hulle probleme by egskeiding uitsorteer en oplos. Dit blyk verder dat bemiddeling nog altyd 'n prominente rol by die beslegting van gesinsgeskille in inheems regtelike gemeenskappe in Suid-Afrika gespeel het. Weens finansiele beperkings is Suid-Afrika nog steeds sonder 'n gesinshof. Al wat tot dusver uit die Hoexterkommissie se aanbevelings voortgevloei het, is die Wet op Bemiddeling in Sekere Egskeidingsaangeleenthede 24 van 1987 wat daarvoor voorsiening maak dat die kantoor van die gesinsadvokaat by egskeiding ondersoeke na die beste belange van kinders kan instel. Alhoewel die titel van die Wet voorgee om vir bemiddeling as 'n alternatiewe stelsel van dispuutbeslegting by egskeidng voorsiening te maak, blyk dit uit die inhoud van die Wet dat dit bloot vir 'n baie beperkte vorm van bemiddeling voorsiening maak. Dit is gevolglik nodig dat hierdie Wet gewysig word om by alle familieregtelike kwessies vir ware, omvattende en toeganklike bemiddelingsdienste aan die publiek voorsiening te maak. Die geskikste wyse waarop dit bewerkstellig kan word, is om bestaande private en gemeenskapsbemiddelingsdienste te reguleer en in die formate regsproses te integreer. / For many years divorce has been viewed exclusively as a legal problem that had to be addressed by the courts in our adversarial system of litigation. Divorce, however, also entails social problems which are not addressed in our legal system. It appears further that our adversarial legal system tends to heighten the conflicting interests of individual family members at divorce and to encourage animosity and irreconcilability. In an attempt to ameliorate the harsh consequences of the adversarial legal system at divorce, two no-fault grounds for divorce were introduced to enable divorcing spouses to make the decision about the termination of their marriage themselves. This greater freedom that no-fault divorce afforded parties quickly led to a demand for a new system of dispute resolution at divorce. The Hoexter Commission consequently, recommended the establishment of a family court with a social component where mediation services are offered. In both Australia and New Zealand the introduction of no-fault divorce was attended by the establishment of family courts where mediation services are offered. In mediation the parties involved, with the assistance of an impartial third, may sort out and find solutions to all their divorce-related problems. It also appears that mediation has always played a prominent role in the resolution of family disputes in the indigenous communities of South Africa. Owing to financial restrictions, South Africa is still without a family court. So far, only the Mediation in Certain Divorce Matters Act 24 van 1987 has emanated from the recommendations of the Hoexter Commission. This Act, which provides for the institution of enquiries by the office of the family advocate to determine the best interests of children at divorce, professes in its title to have introduced mediation as an alternative system of dispute resolution at divorce. From the contents of the Act it is apparent, however, that it provides for mediation only in a very limited sense. Consequently, it is necessary to amend this Act to make provision for real, comprehensive and accessible mediation services for the public in all family law disputes. This amendment could best be achieved by regulating existing private and community mediation services and integrating them into the formal legal process. / LL. D. (Private Law) / Private Law

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:17:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Carla Alexandra Pereira.pdf: 441949 bytes, checksum: b089fe0489d7e3b622001d15c6626907 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-03-13 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This dissertation was designed to analyze social reports written by professional social workers who are employed by Family Court Divisions of Minas Gerais State Court of Justice (Tribunal de Justiça de Minas Gerais - TJMG), from the perspective of 1993 Ethical Code of Social Workers values and ethical principles. Particularly in TJMG, Family Court Divisions demanded written Social Studies and Investigations of social workers. Those professionals are commissioned as State Representatives to implement an intervention in family environment. Such intervention intends to produce a technical document (Social Study or Social Report) that must be able to support judicial decisions, as an expert analyses recommending whether is possible or not to concede a custody petition. In this way, social study reports need to demonstrate some aspects and determinants about social and family life of all those involved in law action, as: intrafamily relationship (affective links, socialization processes and potential physical and psychological violence occurrences); social questions those would be identified as family conflict causes or social questions those would can still provoking it; social relationships of family group and their general social and economical conditions. This research demanded closest approximation of this kind of social worker instrument of communication in the forensic universe and it had written keeping in mind how it could contribute to professional usage in this specific area. However, this research does not restrict itself on what those professionals have showed in their discourses about values, but it has driven itself through ethical commitment to the users that are involved on the intervention process and social report. From this assumption, this dissertation focuses institutional status, central elements and professional development of social worker, and a brief historical trajectory of Social Service in the Judiciary System of Minas Gerais State. After all, this research was built upon presuppositions of conservative though and 1993 Ethical Code of Social Worker s values and principles / A presente dissertação foi realizada com o objetivo de analisar os laudos sociais elaborados pelos assistentes sociais que atuam junto às Varas de Família dos Fóruns do Tribunal de Justiça de Minas Gerais, sob o ponto de vista dos valores e princípios éticos presentes no Código de Ética do Assistente Social (1993). No TJMG, especificamente no que tange às Varas de Família, os assistentes sociais são solicitados para a realização de Estudos Sociais ou Perícias Sociais, ou seja, são demandados, enquanto representantes do Estado, a intervir no espaço familiar. A finalidade dessa intervenção é a elaboração de um documento técnico (laudo social ou relatório social), que ofereça subsídios para a decisão judicial, isto é, uma análise e um parecer sobre as possibilidades de efetivação da guarda pleiteada. Para isso, o estudo social precisa contemplar os aspectos/determinantes da vida sócio-familiar dos sujeitos envolvidos naquela ação judicial: suas relações intrafamiliares (vínculos afetivos, processos de sociabilidade, intercorrência de situações de violência física e psicológica); as questões sociais que provocaram ou provocam o conflito vivenciado, e as possíveis redes sociais de apoio; as relações sociais estabelecidas pelo grupo familiar e as suas condições sócio-econômicas. Ao realizar a pesquisa, buscamos nos aproximar desse instrumento de comunicação do assistente social no universo forense, na perspectiva de contribuir para uma reflexão sobre os valores e princípios éticos que pautam o exercício profissional nesse campo específico de atuação. Contudo, não nos baseamos apenas no que foi explicitado pelos profissionais em seu discurso sobre valores, mas no compromisso ético firmado com o usuário no processo de intervenção e na elaboração do laudo social. Dentro dessa proposta, a dissertação aborda o espaço institucional e seus elementos marcantes, além do desenvolvimento da profissão e um breve histórico sobre o Serviço Social no Judiciário Mineiro. Como eixos norteadores, nos apoiamos nos pressupostos do pensamento conservador e nos valores e princípios do Código de Ética do Assistente Social, de 1993

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / For many years divorce has been viewed exclusively as a legal problem that had to be addressed by the courts in our adversarial system of litigation. Divorce, however, also entails social problems which are not addressed in our legal system. It appears further that our adversarial legal system tends to heighten the conflicting interests of individual family members at divorce and to encourage animosity and irreconcilability. In an attempt to ameliorate the harsh consequences of the adversarial legal system at divorce, two no-fault grounds for divorce were introduced to enable divorcing spouses to make the decision about the termination of their marriage themselves. This greater freedom that no-fault divorce afforded parties quickly led to a demand for a new system of dispute resolution at divorce. The Hoexter Commission consequently, recommended the establishment of a family court with a social component where mediation services are offered. In both Australia and New Zealand the introduction of no-fault divorce was attended by the establishment of family courts where mediation services are offered. In mediation the parties involved, with the assistance of an impartial third, may sort out and find solutions to all their divorce-related problems. It also appears that mediation has always played a prominent role in the resolution of family disputes in the indigenous communities of South Africa. Owing to financial restrictions, South Africa is still without a family court. So far, only the Mediation in Certain Divorce Matters Act 24 of 1987 has emanated from the recommendations of the Hoexter Commission. This Act, which provides for the institution of enquiries by the office of the family advocate to determine the best interests of children at divorce, professes in its title to have introduced mediation as an alternative system of dispute resolution at divorce. From the contents of the Act it is apparent, however, that it provides for mediation only in a very limited sense. Consequently, it is necessary to amend this Act to make provision for real, comprehensive and accessible mediation services for the public in all family law disputes. This amendment could best be achieved by regulating existing private and community mediation services and integrating them into the formal legal process. / Egskeiding is baie jare lank as 'n regsprobleem beskou wat in ons adversatiewe stelsel van litigasie uitsluitlik deur die howe uitgestryk moes word. Egskeiding behels egter ook maatskaplike probleme wat nie deur ens regstelsel ondervang word nie. Ons adversatiewe regstelsel verskerp boonop die teenstrydige belange van individuele gesinslede by egskeiding en moedig verbittering en onversoenlikheid aan. Weens die probleme wat die skuldbeginsel en die adversatiewe stelsel vir gades met huweliksprobleme en vir die egskeidingsproses in die algemeen veroorsaak het, is twee skuldlose egskeidingsgronde in 1979 ingevoer wat aan gades wat wil skei, groter inspraak en seggenskap in die hele proses gegee het. Hierdie groter vryheid wat skuldlose egskeiding meegebring het, het spoedig 'n behoefte aan 'n nuwe stelsel van dispuutbeslegting by egskeiding geskep. Die Hoexterkommissie het gevolglik aanbeveel dat 'n gesinshof met 'n maatskaplike komponent ingestel word waarby onder andere bemiddelingsdienste beskikbaar meet wees. In sowel Australie as Nieu-Seeland het die invoering van skuldlose egskeiding inderdaad gepaardgegaan met die instelling van gesinshowe waar bemiddelingsdienste beskikbaar is. In die bemiddelingsproses kan mense self, maar met die bystand van 'n onpartydige derde, al hulle probleme by egskeiding uitsorteer en oplos. Dit blyk verder dat bemiddeling nog altyd 'n prominente rol by die beslegting van gesinsgeskille in inheemsregtelike gemeenskappe in Suid-Afrika gespeel het. Weens finansiele beperkings is Suid-Afrika nog steeds sonder 'n gesinshof. Al wat tot dusver uit die Hoexterkommissie se aanbevelings voortgevloei het, is die Wet op Bemiddeling in Sekere Egskeidingsaangeleenthede 24 van 1987 wat daarvoor voorsiening maak dat die kantoor van die gesinsadvokaat by egskeiding ondersoeke na die beste belange van kinders kan instel. Alhoewel die titel van die Wet voorgee om vir bemiddeling as 'n alternatiewe stelsel van dispuutbeslegting by egskeidng voorsiening te maak, blyk dit uit die inhoud van die Wet dat dit bloot vir 'n baie beperkte vorm van bemiddeling voorsiening maak. Dit is gevolglik nodig dat hierdie Wet gewysig word om by alle familieregtelike kwessies vir ware, omvattende en toeganklike bemiddelingsdienste aan die publiek voorsiening te maak. Die geskikste wyse waarop dit bewerkstellig kan word, is om bestaande private en gemeenskapsbemiddelingsdienste te reguleer en in die formele regsproses te integreer. / Private Law / LL.D.