我国法院调解制度的发展进路

The Development Path of China’s Court Mediation System

法院调解一直是我国民事诉讼中极为重要的解纷方式。近年来,法院调解率的不断下降在一定程度上体现了理念固化以及制度创新不足的窘境。一方面,调解未能实效性地疏解法官的案件压力;另一方面,调解协议的自动履行率偏低常致当事人合法权益得到及时保障的预期落空,如果调解无法真正内化为法官、当事人及律师的自觉选择,便难以催生出真正意义的现代调解。因此,在当前法院日益严峻的“案多人少”背景下,如何使调解真正助益案件分流且能够实效性地疏解法官的审案压力,并尽可能确保当事人合法权益的及时兑现,在实现诉源治理目标的同时逐步克减执行案源,将是法院调解必须面对的挑战。而通过理念的更新及制度的优化,包括建构真正由法院主导的附设调解机构、确立强制调解制度并厘定调解前置的案件范围、协同保全制度促成调解以及当事人合法权益的保障等,将有望使我国法院调解制度重新焕发生机。

Court mediation has long been a vital method for resolving disputes in civil litigation in China.However,recent years have seen a steady decline in court mediation rates,highlighting challenges related to entrenched concepts and a lack of institutional innovation.On one hand,mediation has not effectively alleviated the case burden on judges;on the other hand,the low enforcement rate of mediation agreements often undermines timely protection of the parties'legitimate rights and interests.For mediation to become a meaningful option for judges,parties,and lawyers,it must be genuinely embraced as a conscious choice.In the face of the pressing issue of"numerous cases but few judges,"it is essential to ensure that mediation effectively aids in case diversion,alleviates judges'trial pressures,and facilitates the timely realization of parties'legitimate rights,while also reducing the number of enforcement cases.Achieving these goals will be the key challenge for court mediation.To revitalize China's court mediation system,it is necessary to update concepts and optimize existing systems.This could include establishing a truly court-led affiliated mediation institution,implementing a compulsory mediation system,and clearly defining the scope of cases eligible for mediation.Additionally,creating collaborative preservation systems to facilitate mediation and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the parties will be crucial steps in enhancing the effectiveness of court mediation in China.