Conciliation and mediation hearings by videoconference in São Paulo State: Benefits and disadvantages according to empirical reports from judicial conciliators and mediators

The present empirical research, of qualitative nature, aims to collect reports of the professional experience of conciliators and judicial mediators who conducted conciliation and mediation hearings at a distance, by videoconference, within the scope of the Court of Justice of São Paulo State, notably from the COVID-19 pandemic advent, in order to carry out a theoretical and practical analysis of possible benefits and disadvantages in performing the act by virtual modality. To achieve the proposed objective, data were obtained from an online form consisting of a semi-structured questionnaire with eight open questions, sent by link to the CEJUSCs of the São Paulo State and forwarded to the respective conciliators and mediators. The survey remained open to responses from June 6 to 24, 2022, and fifty respondents were obtained. As a result of the research, it was evident that the vast majority of conciliators and mediators who answered the form evaluate the virtual hearings in a very satisfactory way and, despite some disadvantages pointed out, believe that the practice will tend to continue even after the pandemic period.