The Implementation of Consensual Tenet in Modern Civil Procedure: Comparative Analysis of Court-Connected Settlement Procedures Applied in Austria, Lithuania, and Ukraine

Abstract

Background: In this article, the co-authors continue exploring the observable changes in the orientation of civil procedure, moving from competitive and adversarial models towards more cooperative and consensual approaches. Specifically, this work aims to disclose the peculiarities of practically implementing the principles of mutual cooperation and consensuality in civil procedure. The research delves into court-connected settlement procedures in three European countries: Austria, Lithuania, and Ukraine. Through a comparative analysis of the legal regulations and practices in the selected countries, the article evaluates the impact of the application of settlement-oriented procedures on fostering a more amicable resolution of civil disputes. Methods: Research commenced with a review of the existing scientific literature, a brief historical analysis, and a document analysis concerning the legal framework of settlement-oriented procedures applied in the civil process in selected countries. This work is the continuation of the previous research of the co-authors, aiming to explore how the identified global trend of the drift towards a consensual tenet in the civil procedure was reflected in the selected countries’ legal legislation and practice. The Austrian, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian legal frameworks of court-connected settlement-oriented procedures were compared to acknowledge the existing variety and specifics of national approaches towards consensuality in the civil procedure in different jurisdictions. Results and Conclusions: The ideas of a more socially oriented and consensual civil procedure are implemented in the civil procedure of Austria, Lithuania, and Ukraine through the introduction of settlement-oriented methods of dispute resolution, such as court conciliation and court mediation. Despite the wide common understanding of these amicable procedures, essential differences in the theoretical understanding of the concept and its implementation in the analysed jurisdiction were identified. This research assists dispute resolution practitioners and researchers interested in better understanding the implementation of court-connected settlement-oriented procedures in different jurisdictions.