On 12th August 2020, Dieter Ver Eecke has been elected syndic for the district of West Flanders. He is the first syndic in the Modero network. In his new function he unites and represents all the judicial officers of West Flanders. But what exactly does this mean?
Belgium has 12 syndicates, or one per judicial district. Each district has a district chamber. This is the association of all judicial officers from that area. The daily management of this district chamber is in the hands of a democratically elected council. The chairman of that council is the syndic.
To the outside world, the syndic is the face of the local judicial officers. He keeps a close eye on the good cooperation of his members. The syndic has an eye for any problems and possible improvements. This position is therefore comparable to that of the president of the Bar Association.
A syndic listens
Dieter thinks it’s important to take matters well in hand: “If someone contacts a syndic with a question, comment or complaint, they want to be heard as soon as possible. Such matters deserve immediate attention. That’s why I am available 7 days a week and nobody has to take a consultations hour into account.”
That willingness to listen is extremely important in times of Corona. A lot of people are struggling financially. Judicial officers are able to help them, but this requires dialogue. Unfortunately, many people do not respond to the letters of a judicial officer in time. However, a judicial officer can mediate, discuss a payment plan and save people from a spiral of debts.
A syndic innovates
The district chamber of West Flanders asked its members to focus even more on mediation. However, according to Dieter, an appeal doesn’t go far enough: “We must really give judicial officers the opportunity to mediate more. This is only possible if we give them the time to do so. Let us therefore critically evaluate our working method, make adjustments where necessary and focus more on digitization. This frees up extra time for mediation, so that solutions can be found more quickly in consultation with all those involved.”
A syndic looks to the future
The judicial officers of West Flanders elected on of the youngest syndics ever. Dieter considers this vote of confidence a great honor: “I am fully sailing a modern and inclusive course. I am glad that my colleagues want to take this path together, because our corps deserves a syndic who acts as a bond with respect for everyone’s individuality. I will focus on both the interests of our members and the future of our function. I am ready to highlight our challenges and come up with solutions together.”
Do you have a question, comment of complaint for the association of judicial officers in West Flanders? You can contact Dieter via 050 37 37 37 or syndicus.gdw.wvl@outlook.com. We wish him the best of luck.
Do you want to contact a syndic of one of the other judicial districts? You can find their contact information on the website of the National chamber of Judicial Officers.