What is your first thought when you think of the term “justice” or “Justice system”? Is it power? Victory? Punishment? Or even the big pay day? Given the microcosm of conflict in offices, social media spaces, and even in American homes, is it any surprise that the nation is at war? Today, I looked up the definition of justice. I believe this definition serves a powerful reminder—and invitation—to a world at war.
A quick look at https://dictionary.com is sobering. Justice, in its essence, is the genuine concern for others, a pursuit of peace. However, modern culture has bastardized the concept of justice. In the minds of most people who turn to lawyers and lawsuits, justice is a contest. The pursuit mirrors the posturing of adversaries in a Roman coliseum, rather than neighbors seeking peace.
And of course, I’m not talking about your class-action suit against a behemoth corporation here.
Rather, I am contemplating the millions of suits filed each year by those who were once intimately bound in family ties. Naturally, we all want to experience peace, or justice, in the aftermath of heartbreak. However, turning to the courts for battle, rather than peace, has often caused more injuries.
This point was highlighted by a recent call I had with a former client. After 20 years of litigation, she finally threw up her hands and lamented, “this is not justice….there is no justice, Ms. Sherlyn.”
At the time, I was thinking, I tried to tell you that more than a decade ago. But instead, I empathized with her. She chose the hard way. She chose combat rather than peace. And combat is a fixation on winning—not a pathway to peace.
We all desire justice when we experience harm. Whether that harm is emotional, physical, or financial, we are naturally wired to desire restoration. And if you are seeking repair from an injury of any type, you have an unalienable right to request a remedy. I only wish to balance the scales where we’ve gone too far as a society.
Is there a strategic path to peace? Is there potential for justice through a win-win? The desire for total victory, unfortunately, is a fleeting fairy tale. Nobody “wins” when we lose the love trial in pursuit of selfish gain at the expense of another’s dignity.
With deep contemplation and hope for true justice,
Judge Char
P.S. Check out my next live event for proven peace strategies for people who have hurt each other but still love each other and just can’t figure out how to pursue love beyond their present pain.
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