Parajudges and the Administration of Justice

The parajudge idea, like the paramedical and paralegal proposals, has met with opposition. Many persons have objected on the ground that since the judiciary's work has become increasingly complex and specialized, it is foolish to expect a nonprofessional with less training to handle it properly. On the other hand, many persons have raised more pragmatic objections based upon the argument that past parajudge systems have, regardless of the reasons, led to inadequate adjudication without reducing the strain on the judiciary. To evaluate these criticisms, we must first understand both the desperate condition of our judicial system today and the most recent plans and programs for using parajudges.