The Ombudsman Bureau in Jordan was established in 2008. It was created to provide an avenue for redress by citizens for complaints against public sector bodies - part of the Government s drive to improve the public sector. Such a body is important in providing checks and balances in a government dominated by a strong executive branch. It also provides an alternative process of dispute resolution to filing cases in courts, thus relieving pressure on the court system and providing a means of redress that may prove more accessible than the courts for certain categories of disputes.