The existence of experts raises a host of interesting questions in social, legal, and political epistemology. This article introduces and discusses interested experts – people who are experts on some topic, but who also have a distinct set of values and preferences regarding that topic, so that they are not well-described as “disinterested” parties. Interested experts raise several distinct problems in social, legal, and political epistemology. Some general questions arise: can we rationally or justifiably form beliefs relying on interested expert (...) testimony? Do they constitute knowledge? Under what circumstances? This article focuses on a specific question in legal epistemology: should interested experts be allowed to serve on juries and, if so, should it be permissible for lawyers to strike them from the pool of potential jurors? My hope is that concentrating on this question will provide insight into the more general questions concerning the epistemology of testimony with respect to interested experts, while also providing concrete recommendations for jury reform to improve the epistemic performance of juries. (shrink)

This paper talks about the international standards for commercial mediators. It introduces the standards of eight different jurisdictions and afterwards, evaluates whether there should be one accrediting standard for all international commercial mediators. In the introduction chapter, the paper talks about the problems with the current legal system and then explains the growth of mediation in today’s society. By discussing the nature and practice of mediation, whether mediation should be compulsory or voluntary in light of Article 6 of the European (...) Convention on Human Rights, rationale of the various jurisdictions covered, the paper then talks about the attributes that make a good mediator as well as the accreditation and training of mediators. From chapter two to chapter nine, the paper focuses on eight jurisdictions in which mediation is firmly enshrined within one legal culture to those that are just embarking on the concept. Each chapter talks about the developments of commercial mediation, law and institutions as well as training and accreditation of mediators within their respective jurisdictions. In the concluding chapter, it discusses whether there should be one accrediting standard for international commercial mediators by exploring the advantages and disadvantages of having one accrediting standard as well as the author’s analysis and point of view on the subject. (shrink)