Consequently, public perceptions of the courts are shaped by notorious cases, fictional representations, and filtered through the news media. There is little public confidence in the courts. There are also concerns about the fairness of court decisions as applied to various racial and ethnic groups, and across the income spectrum. The Legal vs. the Public World View. Lawyers and the public tend to view disputes somewhat differently.
Lawyers approach a dispute through the application of rules and logic and impersonally.
The public tends to approach a dispute on a more emotional basis, valuing harmony and the continuation of relationships even where logic might point to another outcome. Court and community collaboration therefore is conducive to a more balanced consideration of solutions to problems than is likely to occur when the task is left to lawyers alone. Public involvement strengthens the ethic of care dimension in solving disputes. The public has contradictory expectations of the courts. The public views the courts positively because court decisions are founded in procedural justice.