Community Justice Centres: free mediation in NSW.

Free mediation, run by the State.

Community Justice Centres, usually shortened to CJC, are a free mediation service funded by the NSW Government. They exist to help people resolve disputes without going to court. Trained mediators run confidential sessions, in person or by phone or video, and there is no charge. For many small disputes, especially between neighbours, they are the sensible first step long before anyone thinks about a statement of claim.

This is general information, not advice on your dispute. CJC mediation suits disputes where the parties have to keep dealing with each other, such as neighbours, and where preserving the relationship matters as much as the immediate issue. It is not the right tool for every case, but for the disputes it fits, it is hard to beat on cost and speed.

What disputes do Community Justice Centres handle?

CJCs handle a wide range of everyday civil disputes. The common ones are neighbour disputes over fences, trees, noise, water, driveways and boundaries; disagreements between family members or friends; disputes between tenants and neighbours; workplace and community group conflicts; and small money disputes. If the dispute is between people who know each other and will keep dealing with each other, it is usually a good fit for CJC mediation.

Some matters are not suitable. Serious criminal conduct, family violence, and cases where there is a real power imbalance or safety concern are not appropriate for mediation and are handled elsewhere. The CJC assesses each referral for suitability before it goes ahead. For neighbour fencing and tree disputes in particular, mediation is often required or expected before a court or tribunal will deal with the matter, which our guide on fencing and tree disputes explains.

How do you arrange a mediation?

You contact the Community Justice Centres service and explain the dispute. A CJC officer then contacts the other party to see whether they will take part, because mediation is voluntary and needs both sides to agree to attend. If they agree, the CJC arranges a session at a neutral place or by phone or video, and appoints trained mediators to run it.

The process is deliberately low-barrier. There are no forms to file, no fees, and no need for a lawyer. Because it is voluntary, the other side can refuse, and if they do, the CJC cannot force them. But many people who would ignore a lawyer's letter will agree to a free, informal mediation, which is part of why the service resolves so many disputes that would otherwise fester or end up in court.

What happens at a CJC mediation?

A CJC mediation works like any mediation. Two trained mediators help the parties talk through the dispute, understand each other's concerns, and look for a workable solution. The mediators are neutral and do not take sides or decide who is right. The focus is practical: how the fence gets built, how the noise stops, how the boundary is respected, rather than who was to blame.

If the parties reach agreement, it is written down as a set of terms both sign. Because CJC disputes are often ongoing relationships, the agreements tend to be about future conduct as much as past wrongs. A session usually takes a few hours, and many disputes that had gone on for months are resolved in a single sitting once the parties actually talk with a neutral in the room.

Is a CJC agreement binding?

A written agreement signed at a CJC mediation can be a binding contract between the parties, enforceable like any agreement if one side breaks it. Whether it is enforceable depends on how it is framed and what it covers, so an agreement about a concrete obligation, such as sharing the cost of a fence, is easier to enforce than a vague promise to be more considerate.

In practice, most CJC agreements hold because the parties made them themselves and both want the dispute over. Where an agreement is broken, the parties may need to go to a court or tribunal after all, but the agreement and the record of the mediation can help. For fencing disputes, the dividing fences scheme provides a path to a formal order if mediation does not produce a lasting result.

When should you use a CJC instead of a lawyer?

Use a CJC when the dispute is with someone you have an ongoing relationship with, the amount at stake is modest, and what you want is a practical resolution rather than a legal ruling. Neighbour disputes are the classic case. Free, fast and confidential mediation solves most of them, and it does so without the cost, delay and hostility of a court case that leaves you living next to the person you sued.

A lawyer and a court become the right path where the dispute involves a large sum, a genuine legal question, safety concerns, or a party who will not engage. Even then, trying CJC mediation first rarely hurts, because a failed mediation costs nothing and a successful one saves everything. For the disputes it fits, the CJC is the cheapest and quickest resolution available in the State.

Primary sources: Community Justice Centres are established under the Community Justice Centres Act 1983 (NSW), which provides for free, voluntary and confidential mediation. Neighbour fencing disputes run under the Dividing Fences Act 1991 (NSW), and tree disputes under the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 (NSW). Related decisions are searchable on JADE.

Common questions

What is a Community Justice Centre in NSW?

A Community Justice Centre, or CJC, is a free mediation service funded by the NSW Government under the Community Justice Centres Act 1983. Trained mediators run confidential, voluntary sessions to help people resolve disputes without going to court, at no charge, in person or by phone or video.

What disputes can Community Justice Centres mediate?

Everyday civil disputes, especially between people who know each other: neighbour disputes over fences, trees, noise, water and boundaries, disagreements between family members or friends, and small money disputes. Serious criminal conduct, family violence, and cases with safety concerns or a real power imbalance are not suitable and are handled elsewhere.

Does CJC mediation cost anything?

No. Community Justice Centre mediation is free. There are no fees, no forms to file, and no need for a lawyer. It is funded by the NSW Government as a way to help people resolve disputes without the cost and delay of court.

Is CJC mediation compulsory?

No, it is voluntary and needs both sides to agree to attend. The CJC contacts the other party to see whether they will take part, and cannot force them. Many people who would ignore a lawyer's letter will agree to a free, informal mediation, which is part of why the service resolves so many disputes.

Is a Community Justice Centre agreement binding?

A written agreement signed at a CJC mediation can be a binding contract, enforceable like any agreement if one side breaks it, depending on how it is framed. Most hold because the parties made them and both want the dispute over. For fencing disputes, a formal order is available if mediation does not produce a lasting result.

To speak to a litigation lawyer, call Aaron Kernaghan on 0421 717 019.

This article is written by Aaron Kernaghan, Special Counsel at Good Legal Lawyers, as at 30 August 2026. It is general information and reflects the personal opinion of the author only. It is not legal advice, it is not a substitute for advice on your own matter, and it does not purport to be accurate or complete. The law changes and procedure varies from case to case. For advice on a specific matter, contact Aaron Kernaghan on 0421 717 019 or contact the firm.

More commentary by Aaron Kernaghan.

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