The ombudsman s offer of confidentiality encourages individuals to come forward and report problems that they would otherwise be reluctant to reveal for fear of retaliation or retribution. This serves a vital public interest. An ombudsman should not be drawn into an adversarial process. If this occurs, confidence in the ombudsman s impartiality may be critically jeopardized. An ombudsman is not a direct participant and is not necessary to achieving justice.
Information is discoverable from sources with direct knowledge.
An ombudsman facilitates resolution to problems that individuals have been unable or unprepared to handle in other formal or non-confidential systems. Use of an ombudsman does not preclude or jeopardize future use of other resources. The public interest is served by providing a dispute resolution alternative outside the legal system.