The establishment of the Family Court meant that being a federal judge in Australia was no longer as prestigious as it had been when the state judiciary processed divorces. The author obviously has ambivalent feelings about the changes that have occurred. On the one hand, she supports the goals of the original reformers but, on the other hand, is reluctant to criticize the court for moving away from the no-fault, helping court model. This study has important implications for advocates of the alternative dispute resolution movement in the United States and Canada. The fate of the Australian Family Court reminds us that when strong emotions are involved, the stakes are high and the relationship between the disputants has broken down, negotiation and mediation are not likely to succeed.
Human nature appears to be strongly attracted to the concept of fault.
It is natural to condemn injurious behavior as morally wrong and to seek punishment of the wrongdoer in a public forum. As heads of institutions, chief justices will seek larger budgets, more personnel, more comfortable quarters and ever-greater jurisdiction.