Mindful Judging: Exploring the Impact of Intentional Awarenessing on Judicial Officers

Mindful Judging explores the usefulness of mindfulness (as intentional awarenessing) as an aid to judicial officers in the discharge of their judicial function in Trinidad and Tobago, and specifically for the exercise of this function in the courtroom. Though the actual research was carried out with a relatively small number of judicial officers in Trinidad and Tobago, it has direct implications for all Anglo-Caribbean judiciaries and common law jurisdictions where judicial officers share similar contexts and responsibilities. As such, this research can contribute to the improvement of the judicial function across a wide variety of intra-judicial and inter-territorial jurisdictions, and it is offered with that intent. Certainly, the data offers a convincing case for the impact of intentional awarenessing on the dispensation of judicial function to be further and more widely probed. Indeed, its scope may even include all those who exercise judicial or quasi-judicial functions whether within formal court systems or otherwise. In our opinion, the data strongly suggests that the regular practice of Intentional Awarenessing by judicial officers, can lead to improved and enhanced courtroom function and experience, with consequential constructive effects for judicial officers, court users, and the administration of justice.