Solution Focused Justice
A Cross-Jurisdictional Symposium – 20 and 21 February 2026
The symposium program is now available which details the sessions and speakers
Please find link here and also see below
About the symposium
On 20 and 21 February 2026, the Bugmy Bar Book, the NSW Bar Association, Te Kura Kaiwhakawā (New Zealand Institute of Judicial Studies) and the University of Technology, Sydney, will host a symposium on solution focused courts. The event is supported by the NSW Judicial Commission and the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration.
The symposium will be an opportunity to showcase the way in which solution focused justice is operating in Australia and New Zealand, highlight examples of best practice and foster connections between judicial officers, legal professionals, academics, students, and community organisations committed to trauma-informed, culturally safe and solution focused justice.
Where and when
The event will be opened on 20 February 2026 by the Hon A S Bell, Chief Justice of NSW, at the Banco Court. The Hon Justice D Yehia will convene a discussion with Tony McAvoy SC, the Hon Sir Joe Williams KNZM (New Zealand Supreme Court), Justice Kofi Barnes (Supreme Court of Canada) and Magistrate Pauline Spencer (Victorian Magistrates Court).
On Saturday 21 February 2026, there will be several panel discussions, showcasing Australian and New Zealand solution focused courts and justice approaches. Presenters will include:
- Justice Louise Taylor, ACT Supreme Court
- Justice Dina Yehia, NSW Supreme Court
- Chief Judge Heemi Taumaunu, New Zealand District Court
- Judge John Walker, Director, Justice Innovation Centre, New Zealand
- Judge Ida Malosi, Principal Youth Court Judge, New Zealand
- Judge Jacquelyn Moran, Principal Family Court Judge, New Zealand
- Judge Tony FitzGerald, New Beginnings Court, Te Kooti o Timatanga Hou, New Zealand
- Judge Greg Davis, District Court of New Zealand
- Judge Sophia Beckett, NSW District Court
- Judge Sarah Hopkins, NSW District Court
- Judge David Sexton, VIC County Court
- Magistrate Rose Falla, VIC Magistrates Court
- Magistrate Pauline Spencer, VIC Magistrates Court
Crown Prosecutor Damian Beaufils, Rebecca McMahon, barrister at Forbes Chambers, and Bugmy Bar Book Project Director, Crystal Triggs will also be facilitating discussions at the Saturday event. There will be presentations and contributions by Elders, community organisations supporting courts and people from Australia and New Zealand who have the experience of being participants of solution focused courts. All sessions will be livestreamed and recorded. Our full program will be available here soon.
Solution-focused courts (sometimes referred to as specialist or problem solving courts) are generally specialised court programs designed to address the root causes of why the person before the court has committed a criminal offence, for example, by identifying and focusing on supporting the person’s mental health, substance dependence or experience of family violence. Solution focused justice can also be applied to mainstream courts to enhance the courts responsiveness to issues underlying crime and improve the quality of the justice process.
About the Jeremy Worrall artwork
Moving through the iron bark
Artwork description
This artwork is a representation of the life cycle of the Squiggly Gum Moth and Larvae. The artwork takes place on a Gum tree bark face, each colour representing a layer. The larvae of the Squiggly moth burrows into the tree and consumes the fresh inner layer of the tree bark forming intricate linework (black lines), reminiscent of a bus trail or river system. I wanted the Larve to represent the journey that you all are taking, or have already taken, to reach your meeting place (circle lifework). I also believe that the larvae undertaking of eating, moving and growth is reminiscent of the undertaking someone must endure when dealing with mental health.
The outcome of this journey is a period of great change where the larvae stops its journey and breaks down into a moth through metamorphosis, its final burrowing out of the tree and into the world, free to fly and unbound from its original path. As you all converge on this place and share knowledge, you take those learnings to your homes and help others with them, similar to the moths path.
Artist biography
Jeremy Worrall (Wright) is a Gomeroii/Ngarabal man living on Gadigal land. Jeremy creates artworks that blend modern styles with traditional linework. He also works on multimedia animations. Jeremy was shortlisted for the Ena Noël Award for his illustration of Etta and the Shadow Taboo in 2025, and was the wonder created the illustrations for Etta and the Shadow Taboo and won the 2025 National NAIDOC Week Poster Competition with an artwork titled Ancestral Lines.
Artwork © 2026 Jeremy Worrall (Wright)
Links and Resources
Networks shared at Solutions Focused Justice Symposium
There were networks shared at the Symposium to maintain connections. For all judicial officers, lawyers and other community members, please consider joining:
- Responsive Court Network, email to register: responsivecourtsnetwork@gmail.com
- Association of Justice and Treatment Professionals (AJTP)
For judicial officers who wish to be notified of Solution Focused Justice events and connect to one another, please email:
Examples of Solution Focused Justice
The Solution Focused Justice Symposium will highlight some of the many specialised courts and lists, programs, frameworks, and experiences of participants. Here are a selection of links to resources that will be highlighted, and others, to gain some insight and overview of the programs and frameworks operating around the world. We will continue to add links and videos to this site, it is an inclusive site, and we welcome contributions. There are also guides below to creating a short video about your court or program, which we can support you to create, and post on this page.
Australia
In 2008 the Victorian County Koori Court was established which was the first sentencing court for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people charged with criminal offences in the higher jurisdiction in Australia, following in the footsteps of successful Koori Court models in in the Magistrates and Children’s Courts operating since 2002 and 2005 respectively. The head of the Victorian County Koori Court Judge Scott Johns explains aspects of the court in this video:
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria has a range of solution-focused approaches across both the mainstream court lists as well as a range of specialist courts, summarised here. The continuum programs across the court aims to provide the right type and intensity of intervention at the right time for people coming before the court in criminal and family violence jurisdictions. A snapshot video of the Victoria Drug Court, and the Assessment and Referral Court. The Warrumbul Circle Sentencing is a therapeutic court located in the Australian Capital Territory presided over by Special Magistrate Lucinda Wilson where she speaks of her experience below.
The Domestic Violence Court in Alice Springs is a bail program supporting offenders in reducing recidivism rates and allowing a safe space in the court for victims to provide evidence.
The NSW District Court’s Walama List has been operating since 2022. ‘Walama’ is a Dharug word which means to ‘come back’ or ‘return’. In the context of the list, it refers to coming back to identity, community, culture and a healthy, crime-free life. With the consent of the author, we share the following reflection from a Walama graduate of his experience: Walama List – A Reflection. We are grateful for the generosity of the author in sharing these thoughtful words.
Here is a video about the Walama List with Judge Sarah Hopkins, Barbara O’Neill, Emma Hudson-Buhagiar, Anthony Brookman and Rose Khalilizadeh.
One of the important topics covered by the Symposium speakers is about including best practice specialist court models in mainstream court practices, and how to achieve this. There are many example of judicial led initiatives, Christopher McDonald wrote about one example in Central West NSW where there was a Future Focussed Sentencing Workshop aiming to link local services with court participants. Melissa Burgess and Kimberly Hamer have written a helpful article urging lawyers to embrace diversionary initiatives and culturally responsive legal practices Record high Aboriginal custody figures a stark ‘call to action’ for NSW lawyers.
Number8 Prison Project is a service that works with Pacifica and Maori people to support reducing recidivism and reintegration into society. N8PP provides a case management and cultural support approach to provide therapeutic solutions.
There are many specialist courts, lists and programs around the country and there are some resources that attempt to collate these nationally. Resources include the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration, Australasian Therapeutic Jurisprudence Clearinghouse, which has information about Therapeutic Jurisprudence, including on the topic of Problem-Solving Courts. The Justice Reform Initiative has also published reports titled Alternatives to Incarceration for each jurisdiction which includes summaries to alternatives to mainstream court processes.
Aotearoa New Zealand
The District Court of New Zealand has introduced a number of solution-focussed approaches and specialist lists across the Court, which are summarised on this page: Judges explain some of their work. The New Zealand District Court encompasses the Local Court, District Court, and Supreme Court and cover the criminal, family, care and protection, youth, and some civil jurisdictions.
Te Ao Mārama Best Practice Framework was launched in 2020 by Chief Judge Heemi Taumaunu, New Zealand District Court, in partnership with iwi and communities, to ensure everyone involved in the court process, including participants, victims, and family members, can understand and take part in cases that relate to them. It benefits everyone who attends the court, bringing best practices from specialist courts, into mainstream practice. Te Ao Mārama means the world of light, signalling more enlightened approach to justice. This page provides an overview of the framework, and a video of Chief Judge Heemi Taumaunu, New Zealand District Court, who will be speaking at the Symposium about Te Ao Mārama.
A specialist therapeutic service – Talking Trouble is an example of the partnership with communities involved in the court process in this video.
Judge Ida Malosi, Principal Youth Court Judge, New Zealand, who will also be speaking at the conference, presented a CPD in 2025 about Problem-Solving Courts in New Zealand with criminal lawyer Oliver Fredrickson.
The Centre of Justice Innovation published a report in 2025 authored by Oliver Fredrickson, Problem-Solving Courts in New Zealand, outlining the common drivers of contact with the legal system, and the strongest aspects of problem-solving courts and their integration into mainstream courts.
International
The International Society of Therapeutic Jurisprudence is a resource that was co-founded in 1987 by law professors David Wexler and Bruce Winick. The link to the website and the Society’s blog are listed below:
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF THERAPEUTIC JURISPRUDENCE
And the Society’s blog
Showcasing courts and organisations supporting solution focused courts
Courts and organisations are encouraged to send to us a short video for uploading on our website to share how your court operates or how your organisation supports solutions focused courts. Please see links below: